Dolphins swim team performs at Alabama State Games

The Madison Dolphins celebrate their 88 medals accumulated at the Alabama Games in Birmingham, Ala.

By Nick Sellers | Staff Reporter

The Madison Dolphins swim team, a summer recreation league that has been around in the community for around 30 years, cleaned up at the Alabama games held recently in Birmingham, Ala.

The team brought 53 swimmers to the competition and raked in 88 medals. Eight of the 53 were master swimmers, a distinction given to swimmers over 18 years of age. Terri Krings, who has two children that compete on the Dolphins swim team, is one of the eight.

“It’s the only time of the year where the master swimmers swim with the rest,” Krings said.

The Dolphins, along with the year-round Madison Swimming Association of USA Swimming, share Dublin Park pool facilities for practice.

We have a large team with big hearts and a small swim facility,” Krings said. “How do we do it? Great coaches that love us, parent volunteers that care, a city that wants us to succeed, and kids that want to have fun swimming.”

The payoff for swimmers who earn medals at state is the chance to swim at the National State Games, which happens every other summer. The latest installment of the nationals was in Hershey, Pa. in 2013, so the Dolphins who medaled on June 21 will get a chance to travel to Lincoln, Neb. in 2015.

All eight master swimmers medaled in Birmingham, including coaches Sam Knapp and Gayle Marbury. Marbury grabbed a gold medal despite having a freshly taped injured shoulder.

Out of the eight master swimmers, Knapp remains the only one with competitive swimming experience.

“All the master swimmers that have children, it was their decision to swim with their kids,” Krings said.

During last year’s national event, the Dolphins brought home 43 medals. Before the team attempts to add to that total, though, the Dolphins will compete in the upcoming district and state championships for the recreation league, of which they are the defending champions.