Swim Season Dives In

Hailey Parrish, a freshman, looks to be the next great swimmer at Walnut Grove, and maybe break some of Donovan Hunt’s records.​
​by Drew Caraway

Hailey Parrish, a freshman, looks to be the next great swimmer at Walnut Grove, and maybe break some of Donovan Hunt’s records. 

At Walnut Grove, there are a multitude of sports. Basketball, football, baseball, just to name a few. But one that often gets overlooked is the art of swimming. One swimmer in particular, Hailey Parrish, stands out from the rest.
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Hailey Parrish is a freshman here at Walnut Grove. She swims under Coach Heather Conner. The team unfortunately does not have a swimming pool, so they swim at Walton 24 in Monroe, Georgia. 

Hailey says, “My oldest cousin Brandon inspired me to start swimming. We would always go to my grandma's house and he would teach me how to swim correctly and how to start off the blocks,” when asked about who inspired her. She continues by saying, “My role model for swimming is also my cousin [Brandon]. He [Brandon] got me into it and I strive to be better than him [Brandon].”

Senior and Swim Captain, Ella Ray, says “Hailey is very quick to pick up new things! I was surprised at how fast she fit into the team with her abilities and personality.” Hailey picks up on Ella’s comment by saying, “My favorite thing about swimming is the people, especially my lane mates in practice. We talk non-stop and always get in trouble with the coaches.”
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Even though she is just a Freshman, she already has an impact on the team. She still has three years before she graduates, so three years to live up to her expectations. 

* Special Thank You to Walton 24 for letting the WGHS Swim Team practice at your facility *