November 20, 2023
Lake Minneola High School Swimmers Shine at FHSAA State Championships
By Kyle Coppola
Lake Minneola High School Swimmers Shine at FHSAA State Championships
Lake Minneola High School’s swim team showcased their exceptional talent at the 3A FHSAA State Swimming championship on November 11, 2023, with Coach Alex Baxter at the helm.
The LMHS squad sent ten formidable athletes to the championship, each leaving their mark in the pool. Notable highlights include several events where athletes secured spots in the finals, proving their mettle against top-notch competition.
In the Girls 200 Medley Relay, the quartet of Parades, Stromberg, Imperi, and Stires delivered a commendable performance, finishing 11th overall. The Girls 400 Free Relay, featuring Parades, Stires, Kozlowski Rezende, and Stromberg, secured the 14th spot while swimming a best time. Excellent job by that team and one of the best performances out of a Lake County team at the competition.
Individual standouts emerged as well, with Collin Magnus taking the 11th position in the 500 Free and Sidney Stromberg claiming the 16th spot in the same event, both achieving personal best times. Kai Larkin impressed in the 200 Individual Medley, securing the 16th overall position, and in the 100 Breast, where he claimed the 10th spot, swimming a personal best time.
In addition to their stellar performances at the state championship, the LMHS swim team left a lasting legacy by breaking several school records during the season. Gabi Parades set a blazing time of :54.20 in the 100 Fly, Sidney Stromberg clocked in at 1:13.63 in the 100 Breast, and Kai Larkin achieved an impressive :59.56 in the 100 Breast. The Girls 400 Free Relay team, composed of Gabi Parades, Sidney Stromberg, Ellis Imperi, and Kaelynn Stires, etched their names in LMHS history by setting a new school record with a swift time of 1:53.74.
Coach Alex Baxter expressed pride in the team’s accomplishments, praising their dedication and hard work throughout the season. The LMHS swim team’s outstanding performance at the state championships and record-breaking feats mark a historic chapter for Lake Minneola High School’s aquatics that continue to impress year after year.
Images and Information provided by – Julia Flohr
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
