Get to Know a Swimmer

HUNTER HINSON (Senior)

Hunter Hinson, 17 years old, began swimming when he was just 5 years old in Cairo, GA. At his first meet in Fitzgerald, he took 3rd in the 6 & under boys division, won a t-shirt and was hooked. Hunter swam only during the summer in Georgia Park & Rec meets for the next 6 years. Over these years, Hunter made several records at different meets (some which he still holds today); he advanced to the State meet every summer, usually placing first with an occasional 2nd. Of course, he thought if he could win State, he could make it to the Olympics. He also knew that in order to go to the Olympics, he needed to start swimming year round. Therefore, Hunter started swimming year round with the Y out of Bainbridge. One of the first meets he attended was in Pensacola, FL. It was the first time he had ever competed against USS registered swimmers, against ATAC and against Joe Ziegler. Joe was in Hunter’s age group and when Hunter looked at the heat sheet and saw the times Joe swam, Hunter just knew that they had to be wrong! Once Hunter got behind the blocks and saw Joe next to him, he knew the times had to be right. Joe was HUGE compared to Hunter and Joe proved his times to be correct. Hunter’s Olympic dream began to fade. This little ole Georgia boy was not all he thought he was. Hunter learned that there were a ton of great swimmers out there and that he would need more than the Y in Bainbridge could offer. Thus, we began swimming for ATAC right after Hunter turned 12. It was tough at first, getting off the school bus, hopping in the suburban and heading straight to Tallahassee every afternoon. Hunter even got to where he absolutely dreaded it. Then one day, he just decided, "this is what I want to do" and changed his attitude. Everything else is history. Now, Hunter wakes up at 4:30 a.m., eats breakfast, and leaves his house in Cairo, GA by 4:45 a.m. to make practice by 5:30 a.m. in Tallahassee. After morning practice he drives to school in Thomasville, GA. Once school lets out at 3:20 p.m. in Thomasville, Hunter is back in his car headed back to Tallahassee for Sr. practice from 4:00 to 6:00 and finally returning home by 7:00 p.m. This gives him just a couple of hours to eat supper, tackle AP Biology along with all the other homework, look at facebook and then head to bed. On Saturdays, he is up at 6:30 a.m. and gone by 6:45 a.m. not to return home before 11:00 a.m.

Hunter is in the 11th grade at Brookwood School in Thomasville, GA which he has attended since Kindergarten. He is a member of the First Baptist Church in Cairo, GA. Hunter has one younger sister, Haley, age 12, who swims during the summer in Cairo. His parents are Lofley and Barbara Hinson. Lofley is the red headed stroke and turn judge and/or starter you see working at a lot of the meets.

The places swimming for ATAC has taken Hunter and the friends he has met along the way have been phenomenal. One of Hunter’s most favorite accomplishments is to have been chosen for the FL ZONE team 3 times. Hunter has several US Open cuts, Jr. National & Sr. National times. He looks forward to attending the Jr. National meet this summer in Federal Way, Washington, swimming for college and making Olympic Trials. Who knows, he may just make it to the Olympics after all.