A HEALTHY, FUN, FAMILY ORIENTED COMPETITIVE SWIMMING PROGRAM
TNT Swimming made 2007 another breakthrough year, with advances on both the national and regional levels, while also continuing to move competitive swimming forward at every level in Baldwin County.
Through a positive working relationship with the Bounds Family YMCA, TNT now provides year round instruction, coaching, and competitive opportunities to approximately one hundred children of all ages and abilities, including the communities of Bay Minette, Daphne, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Loxley, Montrose and Spanish Fort.
Through participation in the program, TNT swimmers and families have enjoyed travel and competition to major cities throughout the South, including the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.
In terms of team performance, TNT swimmers reached new levels of achievement in Southeastern Swimming; a geographic area which includes the states of Alabama, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle. TNT highlights from the 2007 Short Course and Long Course seasons are listed below.
1st Place Team 2007 Southeastern Swimming Short Course Championships – Small Team Division
1st Place Team 2007 Southeastern Swimming Long Course Championships – Small Team Division
Individually, special mention must be made of the 2007 performance of TNT swimmer, Kyle Simpson, including winning the 11 – 12 boys high point award at the Southeastern Long Course Championship Meet; his number one national ranking in the 100 meter butterfly, and his national age group top 16 rankings in the 50 fly, 50 back, 100 back and 200 back.
While there are too many TNT swimmer accomplishments to list individually, the following statistics apply for the 2007 Short Course and Long Course seasons:
191 New Team Records
403 Improved Time Standards
1,613 Improved Times.
In addition to outstanding swimming performance, more than a dozen TNT parents have become certified USA Swimming meet officials, contributing valuable time and expertise to meet operations throughout Southeastern Swimming, as well as to local summer league and high school meets.
TNT continued its tradition of providing fun and innovative “in house” specialty practice sessions. This includes hosting 1984 Olympic Gold Medal Winner and former World Record Holder, Rowdy Gaines, for a four hour swim clinic last summer. The clinic was attended by well over one hundred people including swimmers, parents and coaches from area teams. This year’s Not So Lazy River Swim, held July 4th at Waterville, USA, in addition to our annual Mardi Gras and Halloween practices added fun to TNT’s 2007 swim training program.
Our swimmers and their families also continued to enjoy annual TNT “Family Affairs," including the 2007 Nutrition Seminar hosted by Thomas Wellness Center; TNT’s Short Course and Long Course Awards Banquets, held at Christ the King School; TNT’s Kick Off to Summer and New Family Pool Parties, held at Rock Creek Club; TNT’s Family Bowling Tournament, held at Strike City Lanes in Bay Minette; TNT’s Fall Picnic, held at Beckwith Camp and Conference Center; and TNT’s Christmas Party, held at CKCS.
Finally, our families continued TNT’s tradition of community service by combining time and effort to help people in need. Last May, TNT families raised money for the American Cancer Society by bagging groceries at Winn Dixie stores in Daphne and Fairhope, donating all proceeds to the ACS Relay for Life. Our families also supported TNT’s Annual Holiday Charity Project, donating money towards Christmas gifts and dinner for a Baldwin County family in need.
Several TNT parent volunteers deserve special mention for their efforts during the past year. As always, Debbie Anderson’s work has been vital to the success of the program. Her organizational skills can be seen in almost every aspect of the team’s success, especially fundraising, and almost all of TNT’s special programs. Thanks also to Terri Kinsey, who manages the books, keeping track of the credits and debits of TNT family accounts. Also, to Andrea Doucet who manages TNT’s USA Swimming registrations; Beth Rudat, who organizes TNT’s nutrition table at meets; Melanie Simison, who organized our Nutrition Seminar; and Laurie Simpson who donates her time by embroidering specialty team items and designing our team tee shirts.
