Reflecting on 2024

Posted on by Dida Weeks

December 2024: The Foothills Area YMCA Swim Team experienced many changes this year but also achieved numerous accomplishments.

The swim team merged with the Clemson Aquatic Team, another local team, to create a stronger, more unified presence in the area. We’ve expanded from swimming at one location to two and have grown significantly. With all these changes, we look forward to the future and the possibilities it holds for swimming in the Upstate.

USA Swimming:

  • At both of the Short Course State Championship meets in February 2024, FAY and CAT had a combined 19 swimmers competing:

    • At the age group state meet, Zoee Palmer led the way with 3 State Championship titles. There were 12 more top ten swims between Zoee, Ellie, Mary, and Isaac.

    • At the senior meet, FAY swimmers had a combined 6 top ten swims while CAT had a top ten placing relay.

  • In July 2024, CAT and FAY had a combined 18 swimmers at the Long Course State Championship meets:

    • At the age group meet, Zoee Palmer swam to another 3 State Championship titles. Between 6 other swimmers, both teams had 30 more top ten swims.

    • At the senior meet, Paige Durham was State Champion in the 1500 freestyle. Both teams racked up another 9 top ten swims.

  • Shout out to Jay Owens who swam his first Futures Championship qualification time and Alex Burkhart who swam a time that qualified him for the Open Water Junior National Championships. 

  • In June, 4 swimmers competed for SC Swimming at the 2024 Open Water Zone Championship in Bowling Green, KY.

  • In July, 2 swimmers competed for SC Swimming on the 2024 Southern Zone Age Group Championship Team in Midland, TX.

  • 2 swimmers were invited to the Age Group Select Camp in Charleston.

  • Zoee Palmer broke the South Carolina Swimming State Record for the 11-12 girls’ 50 backstroke in November with an incredible time of 27.63. She also set new team records in both the 50 backstroke and the 200 backstroke.

YMCA:

  • 46 swimmers competed at the CYSL Spring Championships in Anderson while 8 swimmers competed at the CYSL Summer Championships in Summerville.

  • In the spring of 2024, Foothills Area YMCA Swim Team had 11 athletes compete at the short course US Regional YMCA Championships and three swimmers at YMCA Short Course Nationals.

  • In the summer of 2024, FAY added another 8 athletes at the long course USRY Championships and three at the YMCA Long Course Nationals.

High School Swimming:

  • Chelsea Burkhart swam to her third straight state championship title for Walhalla High School in 500 freestyle, while finishing 2nd in the 200 free.

  • Jay Owens took 2nd in the 100 back, and was part of the winning 200 medley and 400 free relays for DW Daniel High School.

  • Mary Greene finished in 3rd place in the 500 freestyle, while she, Ellie Russell, and Bailey Choi were part of DW Daniel’s 3rd place finishing 400 free relay.

  • Lots of other top 10 finishes for the other FAY swimmers from Walhalla, Seneca, and Daniel High School swimmers.

We couldn’t be more proud of our swimmers. Here’s to another fantastic year!