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Written by Jenni Ingram

The Andalusia Stingrays welcomed the Crestview Tiger Sharks, Dothan Dolphins, Marianna Marlins, and Troy Tiger Sharks for their first regional swim meet of the year on Saturday, June 14.

Despite the looming threat of severe weather, the event saw an impressive turnout. Teams, fans, volunteers, and vendors were all present, creating a vibrant atmosphere from the start. By 7 a.m., the hill surrounding the venue was filled with tents, chairs, coolers, and golf carts making constant trips to and from Packer Field’s overflow parking.

As attendees arrived, they had a variety of food options, including Grit + Grind, Small Cakes, and Chuckwagon food trucks. Once inside the venue, Stephens Stands Lemonade and Little Caesars Pizza were on hand to keep everyone refreshed. The event’s success was a testament to the organizers, who managed to accommodate the large crowd—even as spectators had to move around to get a good view of the competition.

A total of 250 swimmers competed across several events, including freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke, relay, and individual medley (IM). Of those, 150 were members of the Stingrays team. The meet was especially inspiring to see many new swimmers in action. Fans cheered enthusiastically for every swimmer, regardless of their team, offering support to those still working on improving their times.

The meet kicked off with the breaststroke, where the Stingrays made a strong showing. Braylee Kervin finished second and Briella Petre third in the 8-and-under category. Payton Cottle claimed first place, with Ben McCullough taking second in the 11-12-year-old category. Lexie Kervin secured first place in the 13-14 category, while Evan Quimby finished first in the 15-18 category, setting the tone for the day’s competition.

Next came the short freestyle event. Rush Hines, in the 6U category, outpaced his older brother, Remi, to take first place. Remi quickly responded, taking first place in the 8U boys category, with Brayden Norris finishing second. In the 6U girls race, Ella Rae Miles took first, and Willow Spivey finished second. Molly Brady claimed first in the 8U girls category, while Arlen Shelnutt finished third. In the 9-10 boys’ freestyle, John Wright placed second, and Easton Murphy took third. For the 11-12 boys, Harrison Vinson won first, with Payton Cottle finishing third. The 11-12 girls’ short freestyle saw Grace Carter place second, while Aubryn Cottle won the 13-14 girls’ race, and Cooper McKinney and Evan Quimby finished second and third, respectively, in the 15-18 category.

The butterfly event was also a strong showing for the Stingrays. Molly Brady (8U girls), John Wright (9-10 boys), and Harrison Vinson (11-12 boys) all claimed first place in their categories. Second-place finishes came from Arlen Shelnutt (8U girls), Brayden Norris (8U boys), Aubryn Cottle (13-14 girls), Tanner Trammell (15-18 boys), and Diamond Rogers (15-18 girls). Third place went to Easton Murphy (9-10 boys), Claire Brady (9-10 girls), and Grace Carter (11-12 girls).

As the backstroke event began, the weather took a turn for the worse, and the coaches made the collective decision to pause the competition. Safety was, of course, the priority, and the sense of camaraderie and family that pervaded the entire event made this decision feel supported by all.

The respect for one another was evident throughout the day. Coaches like Darren Forry were seen constantly moving around, offering advice, encouragement, and making sure swimmers were pumped up and ready to race. But it wasn’t just the coaches. Volunteers also stepped up at every turn, offering support to all the swimmers, no matter which team they were representing. Their collective spirit made the meet a true community event, with Andalusia’s home crowd cheering the loudest.

Four swimmers spoke after the competition about what they enjoy about being part of the Andalusia Stingrays.

Carly, a 12-year-old from Andalusia Middle School, is in her third year with the Stingrays.

“I love being on the team. I enjoy being in the water because it’s fun and energizing,” Carly said. “I’m really excited about learning new strokes, especially the breaststroke and butterfly. Coaches Josh and Darren are awesome, and they’ve helped me a lot. I’ve also made great friends, and I love traveling to Dothan to visit their gym and Water World. Before swimming, I have a routine where I don’t eat, so I don’t get sick during races.”

Raelynn, an 8-year-old homeschooled student, is in her first year as a Stingray.

“I love being in the water. I like the shallow end of the pool, but the deep end scares me a little,” Raelynn said. “Jumping off the block is really fun. I also enjoy watching YouTube videos to learn more about swimming, but I don’t really like when everyone is watching me.”

Cooper, a 16-year-old from Straughn High School, has been swimming since he was 4 years old.

“I love the competition and being with everyone at the meets,” Cooper said. “Traveling for the events is really fun, too. My favorite event is the backstroke, and that’s actually my best event. My fastest time is 29.88 seconds. I’ve also won lots of awards.”

Kahlil, an 11-year-old from Andalusia Elementary School, has been a Stingray for three years.

“I really enjoy learning new strokes and watching myself get better. It’s also awesome to make new friends,” Kahlil said. “My favorite strokes are freestyle and backstroke, and Coach Josh is my favorite coach. He’s helped me improve so much.”

The Stingrays will travel to Dothan for their next competition on Saturday, June 21, and Sunday, June 22 at Water World.