Dakota Heflin, the new Aquatics/Swim Team Coordinator for the City of Orange Beach, announces a new opportunity for youth sports and a competitive edge in the community, the Orange Beach Swim Team (OBST).

The team will call the Orange Beach Aquatics Center on Wilson Boulevard home and is offering a number of programs, including a summer league team, with the purpose of evolving into a year-round competitive team.

The Orange Beach Aquatic Center will temporarily offer “Swim Team Prep with Coach Dakota” under the OBST umbrella in a series of weekly sessions dedicated to athletes already familiar with the sport and/or those who wish to remain conditioned during the off season. Open to ages 6-18, the sessions will host four lessons per week (M/T and TH/F) with up to six athletes for a 1-hour practice focusing on drill-oriented technique and stroke structure as well as increasing endurance. Registration is open and actively available through mid-May at $40 per weekly session.

Come April, the registration window for OBST’s summer league will open and the season will run from June 3 through July 31, wrapping up shortly after the Gulf Coast Area Aquatic League’s city championship meet. Participating in summer league is a fantastic way to have younger, less-experienced athletes dip their toe into the world of competitive swimming. All workouts will involve stroke and turn development, basic competition skills, interval learning, and the option to compete on a smaller scale at GCAAL swim meets.

With practices held four times a week (M/T and TH/F) from 5:30-6:30 p.m. (swimmers ages 10 and under) or 5:30-7 p.m. (swimmers 11 and older) at the Orange Beach Aquatics Center, summer league is built to embrace new athletes and harness a love for the water, camaraderie, and self-accomplishment in a safe, fun, and engaging atmosphere. Registration will open April 1 at $180 for the season (price includes swim cap, t-shirt, and more).

This is just the beginning of what OBST has planned for the future of competitive swimming in our area. Heflin is determined to have enough growth to develop into a year-round team that is USA Swimming-affiliated, allowing swimmers to compete at the next level and attend much larger meets that are sanctioned by Southeastern Swimming.

The year-round team will also be open to ages 6-18, where each individual will be evaluated and properly placed in an age, maturity, and ability-appropriate group with practice schedules varying depending on the level of said swimmer.

For more information on Orange Beach Swim Team, visit orangebeachal.gov/swim-team and follow @OBSTMakos on Facebook and Instagram.