The Gulf Shores Swim Team wasted no time diving in to their summer season as the team competed in three meets within their first week of action, setting 11 new team records along the way.
The Dolphins kicked off their season by traveling to the University of West Florida to take part in the Tom Lolar Invitational held June 7-9. Patrik Kopp, 6, led the way by setting new team records in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and the 100m freestyle. In all, Dolphin swimmers would go on to set eight team records throughout the meet. Other standout performances included 8-year-old Cody Hall, 10-year-old Clair Dickinson and 15-year-old Holly Blair who each qualified for the Southeastern Swimming Championships to be held in Nashville, TN in July.
On June 11, the team hosted Foley and Brewton for its home opener at the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center in Gulf Shores. The Dolphins dominated the meet by winning 4 of 5 relay races and 36 of the 44 individual races to cruise to an easy victory by a combined margin of 900 points. Hall continued his fast start to the season as he set new team records in the 25m breaststroke and 25m backstroke, giving him a total of four new team records over the team’s first two meets.
The Gulf Shores Swim Team rounded out its first week of summer competition as they traveled to Fairhope on June 13 to take on Fairhope Blue, Fairhope Yellow, Foley and Bay Minette. The Dolphins were led by 6-year-olds Catie Sanders and Miles Uter, 11-year-old Stephen Kichler , Blair and Hall who each won all of their individual races. However, possibly the brightest spot of the meet came from 11-year-old Anna Langston as she broke the team record in the 50m breaststroke that had stood for over four years. Dolphin swimmers competed in 34 of the 46 events, winning half of their races on the way to a third place finish.
The Dolphins will be back in action on June 25 as they host the Eastern Shore Piranhas and Foley at the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center in Gulf Shores.
For more information about the Gulf Shores Swim Team, contact Head Coach and Aquatics Coordinator for the City of Gulf Shores, Brook Hopkins, at 251-968-1427. The Swim Team practices at the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center in Gulf Shores five days per week.