The Hallsley High Tides were not always the dominant team we know them to be. Just ask Liz Bickel, the woman who started it all. In 2015, the High Tides made their debut with a mere 89 swimmers compared to the 239 today. From making a case to Chesterfield Aquatic League (CAL), working on purchasing all the initial equipment, and coordinating financial support by East West, Bickel was committed to forming a neighborhood swim team. “I started the team selfishly so that my kids and all the kids in the neighborhood would have a very important lifelong skill,” Bickel states. And many families today are forever grateful to her for the team she created. 

The original High Tides staff included head coach Christine Nevel and assistant coaches Madeline Banic and Evan Gregory. Nevel would go on to coach until 2019. The same year, the neighborhood transitioned from developer to HOA control, requiring the swim team to form its own entity. This included creating the Hallsley High Tides Swim Board of Directors. The original board included Kate Evers, Nicole Narron, Kristen Kaplan, Jackie Villasenor, and Nicole Shaver. New members, including Kate Fisher, Edward Brodhurst, Traci Haise, and Blair Warren, were added throughout the following years. Back in 2019, when the board was first instated, the team was still growing. Automation through Team Unify was set up, and volunteers were encouraged to sign up. During the first few seasons, anyone who mentioned any swimming experience was signed up for Strokes and Turns training, known for not being the easiest of jobs. The same can be said concerning the board. Although the hours are long, the board members can agree the results are worth it. President Kate Evers states it best: “Swim team is much more than just swimming, and I feel fortunate to be part of such an amazing team.”

As a coach, Nevel helped bring the High Tides from Division D Season Champions up to Division B, where Hallsley placed 11th overall in the championship meet. The following year, 2020, COVID hit, along with a new head coach, Colby Mills. 2021 brought along Hallsley’s current head coach, Mike McKee. After four seasons, Coach Mike has seen the team grow through a unique coaching perspective. “It's very apparent when I look back at practices from previous years and see how much further along everyone is. The High Tides just keep rising,” he states, “It feels great to see how much the team has improved and how motivated the swimmers are to get better every year. I'm proud to have had an impact on the community, and I'm happy to see how much fun everyone is having on the team.”   In 2021, the High Tides claimed 4th overall in the CAL Championship Meet as a Division A team. The team kept upping their achievements throughout the following years, claiming 3rd overall in 2022 and 2nd overall in 2023, with the title of undefeated division champions. 

This season, Hallsley maintained their undefeated streak as Division A champions and placed first in the Championship meet. After 10 seasons, Hallsley claimed the first-place title at Champs, scoring around 1,600 points. Coach Mike puts it best, “We’ve made huge strides forward every year, and now we truly are a dominant team in the league.”

Part of the success can be attributed to the growth and maturity of the team. In Hallsley’s first few seasons, the older age groups were difficult to hang on to. The team struggled to field one relay team of 4 for the 15-18 age group. “When the team first started, it seemed we only had swimmers under the age of 10 and no one in the top 3 age groups,” states Andrew Foldenauer, a current meet referee and part of a longtime HHT family. Ideas were brought to the table, and the team created new activities to hold tight to the older age groups. Now long-standing traditions, these activities included: a weekly raffle at practice, a seasonal pool party, and a weekly fun practice with snow cones and pancake breakfasts. Every Wednesday, the morning after a meet, the High Tides participate in what is known as “fun practice.”  This can consist of Sharks and Minnows, big splash competitions, and, most famously, water polo. Thanks to these initiatives, the High Tides now consist of 26 swimmers in the 15-18 age group. The team's successes could also be paid tribute to the CIT program.

The Coaches-in-Training program was launched in 2019 and designed for swimmers aged 13-18. Madison Holston, a first-year CIT, states, “I enjoyed teaching kids what I love to do and see them start to enjoy it just as much as I do.” Carter Ramkey, a current Hallsley coach, was a product of the program after being a CIT himself. 

Along with Carter, AJ Schwabe, and Ben Bever, Hallsley’s assistant coaches, are instrumental in the team’s development. AJ Schwabe was a swimmer himself, starting in 2015. AJ states, “Going from a swimmer to a coach was tough for me because I wasn’t able to get in the water and race but I found my niche and a new passion for coaching which has helped me grow.” AJ has seen the team grow in size and, increasingly, in ability. Everly Hasbrook and Ben Locher, aged 6, have recently broken records for the CAL. When asked how it feels to have a record, Everly states, “It makes me feel proud and strong. I practice hard. Listen to my coaches.”  When asked about his future in swimming, Ben is excited to age up and see what is in store next year and looking forward to learning anything about swimming that I don't already know. 

Throughout this season, the High Tides have also broken records in terms of points in meets, scoring over 2000 points in two different meets. Hallsley has not only grown to be a dominant swim team but also a focal point of the neighborhood and plays a role in many swimmers’ families. Thanks to the Bickel family, the hard-working board members, the talented coaching staff, and, most importantly, Hallsley’s amazing swim families, the High Tides have risen like no other team.