Senior swimmer dives into future

“Going to the Olympics would be a big goal,” senior Chris Lott said. “I have a shot for the 2012 Olympics, but definitely 2016.”

Some may say that aspiring to be an Olympic athlete may be too lofty a goal for a mere high school senior. Nevertheless, Lott has an ethic that compels him to give his all both at and away from the pool.

Lott was born and grew up in Memphis with his three brothers Vincent, Kyle, and David. He has been swimming since childhood at the Scenic Hills Recreation Club, where his family are members.

Growing up, Lott swam over the summer, but hockey took over in the winter months.

“I played with River City Hockey over the winter,” Lott said, naming a major youth hockey league in Memphis.

Nevertheless, swimming remained Lott’s true athletic passion. As soon as he became a freshman, Lott joined the Bartlett High swim team, competing not only in County but also in State championships every year, which is rare. This year he even placed in two State events.

“I got fourth place in the 50 [yard] free[style] and sixth in the 100 [yard] free[style],” Lott said.

Lott was also named to the Scholastic All-American Swim Team, the qualifications for which are strict. Students who apply must have a 3.5 grade point average, be a junior or senior, be a USA Swimming member, and make a good time in an event set by the Junior National Bonus Time Standard. However, Lott did not see making this team as his crowning achievement. He set his goals higher, seeking a win at the Southeastern Swimming Championships.

“State just has swimmers from Tennesseee, but Southeastern has swimmers from all the states in the Southeast,” Lott said.

The competition took place in Nashville Feb. 25-28. Lott placed fourth in the 50-yard freestyle in his age group overall, and his team, the Memphis Tigers, placed third out of all the competing teams in the region. Lott says that these kinds of achievement do not come without diligence.

“I work really hard,” Lott said. “I get up at four in the morning and swim until 6:30, which gives me only half an hour to get to school from the University of Memphis. We have practice nine times a week, including practices after school from 3:30 to 6:30.”

The next challenge is the USA Swimming 2010 ConocoPhillips National Championships in Laguna Beach, CA. The event will not take place until the first week of August.

“It gives us a long time to train,” Lott said.

Lott even has a job that relates to swimming which he has held for four years.

“I’m a lifeguard at the Scenic Hills Rec Club,” Lott said. “All my friends I was growing up with were becoming lifeguards, and it looked easy.”

Lott’s interests, however, do not lie merely in athletics. Both Florida State University and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have offered him swimming scholarships, which Lott will use to pay for an engineering degree.

“I’ve always liked roller coasters,” Lott said. “I kind of want to work at Disney World and design rides and stuff.”

Lott still remains undecided regarding which college he will attend. However, the two aforementioned schools are his top choices.

“They’re in the top 10 swimming schools in the country,” Lott said. “But if I can, I’d like to go to Florida State. That’s where my brother Vincent goes.”

With the Olympics and an engineering career set as his future goals, Lott looks forward to his graduation from Bartlett. And his go-for-it attitude will remain his inspiration both in his athletic future and his job endeavors.

Three wishes granted: Entire Bartlett swim team heads to county

Perhaps the smallest the school has ever seen, this year’s swim team consists of a mere three members: senior Chris Lott, junior Liz Harmeier, and sophomore David McGhee. However, all three members have qualified for county championships on Jan. 30 and have until then to improve their times to qualify for state on Feb. 12-13.

“We’ve progressed twice as much as last year, a lot faster,” McGhee said.

Under the instruction of coach Sam Gaddie, who also coaches the Memphis Tigers, Lott, Harmeier, and McGhee have all improved on their time from last year. However, the members have to go through rigorous practice for a full 90 minutes from Monday through Thursday.

“Sam usually makes us do ten 100 [yards freestyle] on 1:30 [intervals],” McGhee said. “That’s just a warm-up.”

With only three students on the team this year, Gaddie has higher expectations for the three Bartlett swimmers.

“[Practice] is a lot harder now,” Harmeier said. “We do about 4500 yards a day in an hour and a half, and we do lots of 500s. It’s almost two miles, I think.”

The small size of the team has reduced the type of events the team can do, but the three members have benefited from this dramatic change in their numbers.

“We can’t do relays,” Harmeier said, “but everything else is not that bad. You get more one-on-one time with the coach, and he’ll make you faster.”

Even though Bartlett only has three swimmers, the team does not practice alone. In the past Bartlett practiced with Bolton. Now Gaddie has revived that tradition, only with Arlington instead of Bolton.

“I look after about 14 kids, which is roughly the same size Bartlett was last year alone,” Gaddie said. “I’m coaching roughly the same size team, just split between two different teams.”

As the season draws to a close, Lott, Harmeier, and McGhee look forward to county championships with ever-growing anticipation. However, county is not the only focus of their attention.

“Liz and I are just a few seconds off of state time,” McGhee said.

With such an opportunity dangling over the the swimmers’ heads, the team will practice more vigorously than ever: not just to prepare for county, but to qualify themselves for state competition.

Lott, however, has already qualified for state championships, as he has done every year since ninth grade. Also, colleges have been scouting him continuously.

“He’s being considered for recruitment by some of the best swimming schools in the country,” Gaddie said.

And so, with success at their fingertips and three weeks before county—the deadline for state qualification—the Bartlett swim team will be sprinting all-out to reach their final goal. Although the team may be the smallest ever, they may end up setting a new record: Bartlett’s first team to send all its members to state.

Sports Briefs

Panthers prey on Wildcats
Practically since Nicholas Blackwell High School changed its name, Bartlett High School has been vying with Bolton High School, squabbling over who is the “real BHS.” Well, many people believe that Bartlett won that fight for good with their defeat over the Bolton Wildcats at the football game on Oct. 23.

Moreover, the Panthers’ victory is forever immortalized in the Memphis Channel 5 News local sports videos archives. Click here to watch the game.

Football team visits the kitchen
On Nov. 14 the football team will host a social event in the Bartlett cafeteria. The Bartlett High School Booster Club will open the doors for $5 for their Chili Cook-Off and Silent Auction.

The $5 fee allows attendees eat all the chili they want. Also, the Booster Club will have items for customers to bid on at the Silent Auction.

Wrestling preps for the season
The Bartlett wrestling team began its practices on Oct. 26 with approximately two months of conditioning beforehand. Now the team will get a chance to see what they are truly made of.

On Nov. 12 and 13 both varsity and junior varsity teams will be at Germantown High School for a pre-season wrestling tournament. This will be their first event of the season.

Swimming to kick off at St. George’s
The Bartlett swim team will begin its season on Oct. 31 at 1:30 at St. George’s High School, home of the Gryphons.

Some other schools that will be in attendance include Bartlett’s arch nemesis, Bolton, White Station, St. Mary’s Episcopal School for Girls, and Briarcrest Christian School.

Cross country goes regional
On Oct. 29 ten boys participated in the Region 7 AAA Cross Country Meet: seniors Shane Espinosa, Steven Griffett, Logan Jones, Chris Mellen, and Brent Rainer; juniors Nathan Culp and Brent Rainer; sophomores David McGhee and Ryan Willcox; and freshmen Austin Cantu and Andrew Thornton.

Willcox, who placed tenth with a time of 21:03.1 in the five-kilometer run, will progress to state competition.

Seven girls also attended this meet: seniors Carrie Conner, Jordan Saliba, Lauren Levesque, Madison Grandberry, Mallory Grandberry, and Kristina Sarten; and sophomore Nicole Bingham. Conner came the closest to qualifying for state competition, placing 11th.

Boys’ bowling makes #1
In a neck-and-neck match on Oct. 26, the Bartlett boys’ bowling team faced off against the (almost) undefeated Cordova and became #1 in the district. They are now the only undefeated team in District 17.

Both boys and girls have a match against Collierville at Bartlett Lanes on Nov. 4.