Two Gulf Shores Swim Team members recently competed in Knoxville, Tenn. at the Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships held on February 23-26.  Catherine Taylor, 15, and Nate Hubenthal, 16, proudly represented the Dolphins as the duo combined to set six new team records in the eight races they competed in.

While this meet represented the conclusion of the short course swimming season for the team, Head Coach Brook Hopkins is excited about her team’s future. 

 “I was impressed and excited by Nate’s efforts in Knoxville. This was his first competition at the higher regional level. Now that he has had a taste of this level of swimming, he is motivated to return to Knoxville in the summer for the Long Course Championships.” Hopkins continued, “Catherine has been to Southeastern’s several times and is gaining confidence in her ability to compete at this level. Now we are planning and training for the next step in her swimming development.”

Due to her hard work, Taylor got an early start on the Long Course season this year as she qualified for the Speedo Champions Series at the Southern Zone Eastern Sectionals in Greensboro, N.C. on March 8-11.  Taylor competed on a national scale against swimmers from all over the country, including several that have met the Olympic Trials time standards in their events. 

The Gulf Shores Swim Team will finish out their spring season while training at the David L. Bodenhamer Recreation Center. The Dolphins will begin accepting registrations for summer league swimmers at the end of March following Baldwin County Spring Break. 

For more information about the Gulf Shores Swim Team, contact Head Coach and Aquatics Director for the City of Gulf Shores, Brook Hopkins, at 968-1427.  The Swim Team practices at the Bodenhamer Recreation Center in Gulf Shores 5 days per week.