Aquatic Club of Temple Terrace Lets Participants Compete

Sarah Menendez knows the value of being a competitive swimmer. A member of the Aquatic Club of Temple Terrace since she was 8, she’s in her second year of a four-year full swim scholarship at Wagner University in Staten Island.

“I’ve been swimming with the club since I was 5,” Menendez said.

The Aquatic Club of Temple Terrace is a community-based, year-round swim team that practices and has swim meets at the . The team is open to new swimmers in Temple Terrace and surrounding areas ages 5 to 18 for its year-round program.

Heather Harris, ACTT board member and mom of swimmers Rialee and Aidan is busy contacting sponsors and organizing the upcoming Awards Banquet on Aug. 27 at the Lightfoot Center. 

“The kids are selling recyclable products from Mixed Bag Designs to help raise money for the team,” Harris said.

Coach Chris Daniels, a certified level III ASCA level swim coach, has been head coach for ACTT since 2005. Including the year-round swimmers, the summer swim team and the adult Masters team, ACTT has about 65 participants.

“The Masters team is an adult swim team open to anyone over 18,” Daniels said. Many of our Masters swimmers are involved in triathlons.”

Craig Most, a Masters team swimmer and ACTT team sponsor, was at the Aug. 9 night meet with his wife, cheering on daughters, Tessa and Dana, in their free-style races.

“I’ve always swum competitively,” Most said. “It’s convenient, we live in Temple Terrace, and I know Coach Chris from growing up here. I love to swim with the Masters group because it’s easy to swim before work.”

ACTT board president Carolyn DeRues said having sponsors like Craig’s company, Most Insurance, and attorney Jeanne Coleman, is important.

“Jeanne has been a sponsor for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been here for almost eight years,” DeRues said.

It’s a rewarding sport, especially during the summer, and many of the kids can’t wait to get to practice, DeRues said. She has been bringing her daughter, now in high school, to the Rec Center since she was 8 years old.

“Heather begged to swim since she first started,” DeRues said. “This was my pool when I was in school. I grew up in Temple Terrace, so it’s like coming home to me.”

Ibis Gutherie-Gonzalez drives her son David to practice every day from Brandon. “David started swimming at the Brandon YMCA when he was 8, but the coach, Coach Ed Kirk, moved to Temple Terrace and Brandon did not have a community team,” said Gutherie-Gonzalez.

With all the rain last week, turn out for the most recent meet was sparse. But for one little girl, it was a very exciting event. Five-year-old Dana Most competed in the 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke races. She shouted out as she left the Rec Center with family and friends, “I won, I won first place!”

Donations are always welcome from any individual or business who would like to sponsor the Aquatic Club of Temple Terrace. For more information on sponsorships, call Heather Harris at 813-625-1156.

ACTT of Temple Terrace sponsors

Gold:

Jeanne Coleman

Gator’s Dockside

Silver:

Dixon’s Engineering

Most Insurance

Bronze:

Curtis Moreau, CPA

Friends:

Stazio Family

Covington Family

Most Family

McGregor Family

Diaz Family

Funk Family

Guthrie-Gonzalez Family

ACTT Board Members

Carolyn DeReus, President

Manny Menendez, Treasurer

Heather Harris, Sponsorships & Community Development

Kim Klosterboer, Summer Meets