The term “lazy days of summer” did not apply to these Wakulla County kids, and while some of their friends were sleeping late, playing video games and watching T.V., these kids were busy on their way into Tallahassee to swim with Area Tallahassee Aquatics Club. They didn’t mind the 30-minute drive, they just wanted to swim, and with ATAC, they swam… hard and fast. (Pictured: Top Row, L to R: Mathue Briggs, Joey Briggs, Carson Foote; Bottom Row, L to R: Lucas Briggs, Wyatt Foote)
It was a big commitment for these Wakulla families to travel the distance almost everyday to Trousdell or Capital City pools to swim, but it was worth it. All the thousands of yards these kids swam during the many hours of practice at the hands of ATAC’s dedicated coaching staff, paid off big time, individually, and for the ATAC team as a whole, helping to bring the team to first place in many of this summer’s major meets.
For Carson and Wyatt Foote, swimming is about having fun as well as getting stronger and faster with every race. In the year since he started competing, Wyatt ranked first with ATAC in boys 8 and under in many strokes including 25 and 50yard breaststroke, 25yard backstroke and freestyle. He pulled in 2 Individual High Point awards including 1st place overall in boys 8 and under at this summer’s Thomasville Invitational. In his first long course swim meet on June 22nd, he placed 1st in the boys 8 and under 50meter breaststroke event. In the Area 1-4 Championship meet on August 4th and 5th, Wyatt came in 1st when he swam the 50yard breaststroke in 47.44 seconds, over 11 seconds faster than his competitors.
Carson, Wyatt’s big brother, has continually shown major improvements on his times in every stroke this summer and has become more confident with every event. He competed in his first individual medley in Thomasville and came in 13th overall with a finals time of 1:41.91. In the Area 1-4 Championships, Carson swam in his first 100yard breaststroke event, coming in 8th overall in boys 11–12. For Carson, it’s not always about coming in 1st place, but achieving his personal best. His ultimate goal is to make swimming his life sport. He is well on his way.
After swimming with a Tampa - St. Pete area swim club for many years, Lucas, Joey and Mathue Briggs started swimming with ATAC as league swimmers in 2006 and have proved they are serious about the sport. By the end of this summer, Lucas, the youngest of the Briggs boys, had achieved 2 Individual High Point awards in boys 8 and under including 2nd place in the Area 1-4 Championships. He also ranked in the top 5 with ATAC in 5 categories including 1st place in 25yard freestyle and backstroke.
Joey’s record for this summer, included rankings in the top 5 for boys 11-12 in the 50yard freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. Mathue, the oldest of the boys, placed in the top 3 in every event in the boys 13 and over category at 4 of the 5 Summer League Developmental meets. In this summer’s major meets, Mathue and Joey’s results consistently appeared in the top 8 overall. These boys have shown they are true competitors.
The Foote and Briggs boys were not the only ATAC swimmers from Wakulla County shining this summer. In the 8 and under category, Jordan Webster and Lauren Ogelsby swam for ATAC in the Summer League Developmental meets showing dedication and true potential. The Lenk kids swam hard as well. Shelby, 10, and Hayden, 6, proved they can compete and have fun at the same time.
As fall begins, with those so called “lazy days of summer” ending, and the new school year bringing other challenges their way, these kids can look back on a busy summer of many achievements with the ATAC team, and know if they really want it, a future of many colorful ribbons, trophies and medals.
All they have to do is continue to swim…hard and fast.
- Submitted by Jessica Cameron-Foote
- Photo by Jessica Cameron-Foote
This article originally published on August 24, 2007.
Wakulla Sports 
The term “lazy days of summer” did not apply to these Wakulla County kids, and while some of their friends were sleeping late, playing video games and watching T.V., these kids were busy on their way into Tallahassee to swim with Area Tallahassee Aquatics Club. They didn’t mind the 30-minute drive, they just wanted to swim, and with ATAC, they swam… hard and fast. 
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