The city’s history-making swim team tonight celebrates the end of its successful 2017 long course season with an awards banquet.
The banquet for the Biloxi Elite Swim Team, also known as B.E.S.T., will begin at 6 p.m. at the Dr. Frank G. Gruich Sr. Community Center, 591 Howard Avenue, and will honor the over 190 participates, making this season the largest long course participant season since the club’s beginning in September 2007.
Recently, the team made history during the Long Course State Championships held in Tupelo on July 20 through 23.
The team ended up finishing second in the state, the highest finish by a southern state team. Overall the team won 36 gold medals, 50 silver medals, 48 bronze medals and one state record by Gabrielle Ivey in the girls 13-14, 100 meter freestyle, which had stood for 26 years.
“The team got off to a slow start after the first session on Thursday afternoon but later topped of the leaderboard holding steady around first and second place until the final session on Sunday afternoon,” said Jamie Lee, the team’s head coach. “We are extremely proud of the swimmers on how they performed and fought throughout the entire championships.”
The Biloxi Elite Swim Team will begin its next season on Monday, Aug. 21 with tryouts at 5:30 p.m. at the Biloxi Natatorium. Tryouts will continue at the Natatorium on Tuesday, Aug. 22, and Thursday, Aug. 24 at 5:30 p.m.
“We are excited about the upcoming short course season and are looking at continuing forward with the momentum we had at our long course championships,” said Lee. “This upcoming season will be our 10-year anniversary of the team and we have been selected to host the short course state championships at the Natatorium in February 2018. How great would it be to win our first state championship in our home pool?”
See more about B.E.S.T.
See more about the Biloxi Natatorium
News and notes
Budget talk: The City of Biloxi Chief Administrative Officer Mike Leonard gives an overview of the 2018 municipal budget in this week’s City Desk podcast. To listen, click here.
Play ball: The Biloxi Shuckers begin a five-game homestand against the Tennessee Smokies tonight at 6:35 p.m. at MGM Park. For more about the Shuckers, including tonight’s promotions and to purchase tickets, click here.
