Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team

06/11/2026

We would like to thank our generous donors and supporters for the kickstart of the campaign! We truly appreciate every share and an exposure opportunity as well! Please keep spreading the word by sharing on social media, through your email contacts and through business connections. Every donation is 100% tax deductible with the receipt provided. As we are gearing towards the Swim-a-thon date (June 27) please consider sponsoring a HHST swimmer you know to support them in swimming the maximum amount of laps they can.
https://gofund.me/1a7590632

06/09/2026

On Thursday, June 4, 2026 the Highlands Hurricanes 🌀 hosted Smoky Mountain Aquatics Club (SMAC) at the Highlands Recreation Park Pool. The Hurricanes won 545-249.
All Hurricanes scored in the meet.
Leading the charge for the Hurricanes were Helix Sharpe-Sutton and Jr. Olympian Luca Maseko with 3 wins a piece and 24 pts. Zana Maseko, Nehemiah Edwards, and Jr. Olympian Bella Batista all won 2 blue ribbons and had 22 pts. Ellie Bysura and Melanie Zabrian brought home 21 pts and won 3 and 2 events respectively. Anna Nicole and Ben Shchelgachov, along with Thompson Thriffiley, Addison Cannon, Lucas Zabrian, and Agatha Jestin all scored 20 pts, won 1 event and finished 2nd in 2. Timmy McDowell, Ian Batista and Ivan Shchelgachov had 19 pts, and a 1st, 2nd, and a 3rd place finish. Margot Thriffiley and Jr. Olympian Aniah McKim brought home 17 pts and two 1st place ribbons.
Hananiah Edwards and Cooper Thriffiley scored 15 pts. Cooper won an event. Max Jestin, Azaríah Edwards, and Stella Kerr received 14 pts, while Sterling Binder had 13, and Gemma Mathoudis 12. Sisters Valerie and Victoria Nadzorau each brought home 11 pts, Law Binder and Katherine Wise 10. Valerie started the meet of by singing the national anthem. Binder won an event. Blakely Sears scored 9, Atlas Harris and Ezra Cannon 8, Annabelle Searles and Wyatt Harris 7.
The next meet for the Hurricanes 🌀 is at SMAC in Waynesville Thursday, June 11, 2024.

The Highlands Hurricanes are a Highlands Recreation Park Team who practice mostly in the evenings at the Highlands Recreation Park Pool. The only requirement to join is that a prospective swimmer must be able to swim 25 yards (the length of the recreation park pool) unassisted. For further information please call Steve Hott, Head Coach at 828.421.4121.

Steve Hott, Head Coach
Highlands Hurricanes 🌀 Swim Team

06/06/2026

Hello everyone, we started a fundraiser for the Highland Hurricanes Swim Team Swim-a-thon on GoFundMe and would appreciate your support. Every single share and donation makes a difference and helps us get closer to our goal. Our swimmers will show all their skills and strength in the pool to support and give back to the sport they love!

06/06/2026 Contact: Anna Jestin Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team to Host Off… Anna Jestin needs your support for Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team Swim-a-thon

05/16/2026

🏊‍♂️💙 Support the Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team! 💙🏊‍♀️
The Highlands Hurricanes Swim Team is looking for community partners and sponsors to help provide seasonal team t-shirts for our swimmers this year!
We are seeking full or partial sponsorships toward our $1,000 apparel goal. Team shirts are being ordered through local business WNC Sportszone, helping support both our athletes and a local company at the same time.
Your sponsorship will:
✅ Help outfit swimmers for the season
✅ Build team pride and unity
✅ Support youth athletics in our community
✅ Be a 100% tax-deductible donation, as our team is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Businesses, families, and community members are all welcome to contribute — every amount helps!
If you would like to sponsor or learn more, please send us a message or comment below, or contact Anna Jestin a team administrator [email protected]. Thank you for supporting our swimmers and helping make this season a success! 🌊💪

05/06/2026

Highlands Hurricanes 🌀 Swim Team hosts spring invitational swim meet

On Saturday, April 25, 2026 27 Highlands Hurricane Swim Team had their last meet of the winter season by hosting their Spring Invitational. The Hurricanes 🌀 finished 2nd to the Jackson County Dolphins while beating the North Georgia Rapids, and the Foothills Aquatics Club.
Out of 101 swims the Hurricanes had 70 personal records and 3 swimmers qualify for the 2026 Jr. Olympics in Des Moines,Iowa this coming July/Aug. All 27 Hurricanes scored in the meet.
High scorers for the Hurricanes 🌀 were Jr. Olympian brother and sister dynamic duo Bella and Ian Batista, who both qualified for the 2026 Jr. Olympic Games in the meet. Bella won 4 events, scored 28 pts., Ian won 2 events and scored 21 pts. Not far behind were Max Jestin and Zana Maseko, both with 1 win and 20 pts. Melanie Zabrian, Ivan Shchelgachov and Stella Kerr all brought home 19 pts. Zabrian won 2 events, Shchelgachov 1. Nehemiah Edwards had 18 pts, Jr. Olympian Luca Maseko won an event, 16 pts and qualified for the 2026 Jr. Olympic Games. Anna Nicole Shchelgachova and Jr. Olympian Justin Powell won an event and garnered 15 and 13 pts respectively. Powell was not feeling well, but still persevered and performed well. Hananiah Edwards, Helix Sharpe-Sutton and Victoria Nadzorau all had 12 pts. Edwards won an event.
Benjamin Shchelgachov, Lucas Zabrian, Henry Thompson (in his 1st swim meet ever), Jr. Oympian Aleks Petric-Sakonjic all had 11 pts. Agatha Jestin and Estelle Edwards both had 10 pts. Jayce Powell, Tallulah Thompson (in her 1st meet for the Hurricanes 🌀) and Val Nadzorau won 7, 6 and 5 pts respectively. Katherine Wise, and Azariah Edwards garnered 4; while Senna Sherrill and Addyson Cannon won 3 pts.
The next Highlands Hurricanes 🌀 meet will be in June when the Mountain Swim League starts its summer season.

The Highlands Hurricanes are a Highlands Recreation Park Team that practices mostly in the evenings at the Highlands Recreation Park Pool. The only requirement to join is that a prospective swimmer must be able to swim 25 yards (the length of the Recreation Park Pool) unassisted. For more information please contact Steve Hott, Head Coach at 828.421.4121.

Steve Hott, Head Coach
Highlands Hurricanes 🌀 Swim Team

04/02/2026

Spring season is in the full swing at the Highlands Rec pool

10/04/2025

Swimmers & Parents – Mark Your Calendars!
October 18th | Jackson County Rec Center | Cullowhee, NC

We’re thrilled to welcome Coach Steve Lochte — renowned swim coach and mentor behind Olympic champions — for a special one-day Swim Clinic that promises to motivate, educate, and inspire swimmers of all levels!

Whether you're chasing faster times, better technique, or simply a deeper love for the sport, this is your chance to learn from one of the best in the business. Coach Lochte brings not just elite-level knowledge, but a passion for developing confident, resilient athletes both in and out of the pool. 💪🌟

Stroke technique
Race strategies
Mindset coaching
Q&A with Coach Lochte

Spots are limited — don’t miss out!
This is more than just a clinic — it’s a chance to fuel your swim journey with purpose, passion, and the guidance of a world-class coach.
www.legacyswimming.com

10/04/2025

08/27/2025

Gearing up for the Fall 2025 season. This what our Summer 2025 team look like. What an incredible lineup of sweet, dedicated and hard working swimmers! Come join us in the pool

07/31/2025

Records are made to broken, but some are more stubborn than others 🏊🏻‍♂️

Celebrating 14 Years of Greatness in the 200 IM

For 14 incredible years, Ryan Lochte’s world record in the 200-meter IM stood as one of the most iconic benchmarks in the history of swimming. Set in 2011, his time of 1:54.00 was a standard of excellence — the product of extraordinary talent, relentless work, and a passion for pushing the limits of human performance.
At Legacy Swimming, we recognize the profound impact Ryan’s record has had on generations of swimmers. It wasn’t just a time on the scoreboard — it was a symbol of what’s possible when greatness meets dedication.

Now, a new chapter begins. Congratulations to Léon Marchand for breaking the 200IM world record and continuing the evolution of our sport. Léon’s performance is a testament to the future of swimming and a reminder that every record inspires the next.

Records fall, but legacies endure.
Thank you, Ryan, for 14 unforgettable years at the top.