Page 127 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2024

A group of experienced coaches brings years of expertise to the
pool. They organize swimmers based on skill levels, ensuring
that practices cater to the specific needs of every
athlete.
BEST is committed
to developing the whole person, not just the swimmer.
Beyond working
on
their swim strokes, the athletes cultivate essential life skills simply by being on the team.
Time management and delayed gratification are two of the major life lessons Gonzales hopes they learn. He has personally witnessed the mindsets of his swimmers change over the course of time and he believes swimming makes everything around them much easier.
“Nothing prepared me for college or the workforce more than swimming. Other sports may be hard for a few months, but we go year-round,” Robert explained. “We grow up in
an environment where kids expect great things every day, swimming teaches them that’s not realistic. That
hard work, that slow grind, trying to improve a little bit every day,
helps the kids understand that delayed gratification isn’t a bad
thing, and that there are no shortcuts.”
If you have a child who loves swimming,
BEST would be a great place for
them. Robert
says the only experience they need is to have the skills to safely swim freestyle across the 25-yard pool.
“We don’t want to exclude anyone,” he said. “We have open enrollment year-round, free evaluation and a week of practices to see if they like it and see benefits with no obligation to join.”
Swim meets are where the swimmers get to show their speed gained through all of the practice and training. BEST hosts five to six meets a year, bringing hundreds of swimmers and their families to the Coast for three days at a time, which is an economic boom for the area. They also travel to meets in the region about once a month.
The Biloxi Elite Swim Team is a community dedicated to shaping young lives in and out of the pool. BEST
not only hones the skills needed for competition but also instills invaluable life lessons.
It’s clear that BEST is more than
a swim team; it’s a place for growth, camaraderie and the pursuit of excellence. When your child swims for BEST, they dive into a world where every stroke propels them closer to success, both in the water and beyond.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
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