Photo and article submitted by Blake Phelps

Photo: Catherine Taylor–sophomore, Foley High School; Margaret Lloyd–freshman, Gulf Shores High School; and Savannah Kichler–sophomore, Gulf Shores High School

Gulf Shores, Ala. –  The Gulf Shores Swim Team sent six swimmers to represent their high schools at the Alabama High School Athletic Association Championship on Dec. 2 and 3 at the Martin Aquatics Center on the campus of Auburn University. 

 Gulf Shores Swim Team member, Catherine Taylor, representing Foley High School, placed 8th in the 100m Freestyle and 16th in the 100m Backstroke at the Championship meet. Catherine also swam in the Auburn Aquatics Open Invitational on Sunday Dec. 4. With her races at the State Meet and her swimming in the Sunday meet, Catherine Taylor established six new team records in Auburn over the course of the weekend. 

 Representing Gulf Shores High School, Margaret Lloyd set two team records in her events as well.  Also from Gulf Shores High School, Nate Hubenthal, Savannah Kichler and Jon Shannon showcased their hard work by setting personal best times in four of their five races during the meet.   Gulf Shores Dolphin freshman, Holly Blair and eighth grader Anna Funderburk, swam on two relay teams in the Friday night preliminary events.

  Gulf Shores Swim Team Head Coach Brook Monroe Hopkins said, “Our swimmers did well for themselves. It is exciting to know that we have no juniors or seniors in our group of swimmers and that we can look forward to even better results in High School competitions in the coming years.”

 The Gulf Shores Swim Team, sharing the nickname, Dolphins, with the local high school, is a year round swimming team registered with USA Swimming. The team participates in meets across the Southeastern Swimming District which encompasses Tennessee, Alabama and the Florida panhandle. The team is operated under the auspices of the City of Gulf Shores and is coached by the City’s Aquatics Director, Brook Monroe Hopkins. 

 For further information about the Gulf Shores Swim Team, contact Brook Monroe Hopkins, at 968-1427.  The Swim Team practices at the David L. Bodenhamer Center in Gulf Shores five days per week.