Aquakids Swim Team

09/11/2026

🧡💙 Welcome Our New AquaKids Board Member — Rock Lee!

AquaKids is excited to welcome Rock Lee to our Board of Directors!

Swimming has been a foundational part of Rock’s life for decades. A former competitive swimmer, Rock had the honor of representing South Korea as a member of the Korean National Swimming Team in 1991 and 1992. His experience at the elite level gave him a firsthand understanding of the discipline, perseverance, teamwork, and personal growth that competitive swimming can provide young athletes.

After a growth plate injury redirected his competitive swimming career, Rock discovered a lifelong passion for sports medicine and athlete well-being. He went on to become a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) and has spent the past 20 years working with athletes of all ages. He currently serves as an Associate Professor, educating future athletic trainers and healthcare professionals, with a focus on injury prevention, rehabilitation, concussion management, and comprehensive athlete well-being.

Rock’s connection to AquaKids is also deeply personal. His daughter, Gianna Lee, is a competitive AquaKids swimmer, giving his family the opportunity to experience firsthand the dedication of our coaches, the strength of our team culture, and the positive impact AquaKids has on young athletes.

As a new Board member, Rock will bring a unique combination of elite swimming experience, sports medicine expertise, education, and a passion for youth development. He is committed to helping AquaKids continue to provide a safe, healthy, supportive, and positive environment where every swimmer can grow both in and out of the pool.

Please join us in welcoming Rock Lee to the AquaKids Board of Directors! 🏊‍♂️🧡💙

We are excited to have Rock’s experience, knowledge, and passion as part of the continued growth of AquaKids!

09/10/2026

Big congratulations to AquaKids swimmer Alan Almaz!

Alan has been selected to participate in the 2026 ARSI All-Star Athlete Summit as one of the top 12 boys in the 10 & Under age group in Arkansas.

We’re excited to see one of our young swimmers recognized among the state’s top athletes.

Congratulations, Alan!

09/08/2026

Please join us in giving a big AquaKids welcome to Beth Hall, our newest AquaKids Board member! 💙🏊‍♀️

Beth is the proud mom of a younger swimmer, Sawyer, and has quickly become a familiar face in the AquaKids community. Their AquaKids journey began in Fall 2024 when Sawyer joined Swim Academy. Nearly two years, several swim meets, lots of early mornings, and plenty of pool deck time later, Sawyer recently made the jump to Age Group 3!

Beth and her family have loved becoming part of the AquaKids family and are excited to be part of the team for many years to come. As a mom of a younger swimmer, Beth is especially passionate about representing and advocating for our younger swimmers and their families.

Beth brings 12 years of experience as a teacher and is also a former varsity soccer coach—so she knows a thing or two about teamwork, communication, organization, and keeping things moving! ⚽️ She’s excited to put those skills to work for AquaKids, whether that means helping connect families and leadership, organizing sign-ups, taking photos, helping with team events, or jumping in behind the scenes wherever she’s needed.

And if you’ve spent any time around the pool deck, you know that being part of AquaKids means being ready to cheer loudly, celebrate big, and occasionally survive a very early morning swim meet. We’re thrilled to have Beth joining the team and know she’ll bring plenty of energy, enthusiasm, and a parent’s perspective to the board.

We’re so excited to have you on board, Beth! Please help us give her a warm AquaKids welcome!

Welcome to the board, Beth — we’re glad you’re swimming with us! 💙

Go AquaKids! 🏊‍♀️🏊‍♂️

09/07/2026

🎤🏊‍♂️ Meet Our New AquaKids Board Member: Jody McDonnell! 💙

We’re excited to welcome Jody McDonnell to the AquaKids Board of Directors this year! 🎉 If you’ve been around the pool lately, there’s a good chance you already know Jody — especially if you’ve heard his “nasal, yet silky smooth” voice announcing our meets! 😂🎤

Jody and his wife, Cari, have been part of the AquaKids family for the past two years, with their daughters Arden and Ruby both swimming on the team. During that time, Jody has become one of those parents who is always willing to jump in, volunteer, and help wherever he’s needed. 🙌💦

While Jody may be new to the world of board service, he brings something just as valuable: two years of showing up, volunteering at every meet, and seeing firsthand how much AquaKids means to our kids and families. 💙

Professionally, Jody works in software sales, where bringing people together and working toward a shared goal is part of his everyday life. He’s excited to bring that same collaborative spirit to AquaKids and help shape the future of our club. 🤝🌟

Jody and Cari are both UCA graduates, and after spending 15 years in Austin, they were excited to return home to Conway three years ago. 🐻💜 We’re especially happy that their journey back home brought them to AquaKids!

Most importantly, Jody wants to help build something stable, positive, and lasting for Arden, Ruby, and all of their AquaKids teammates. He knows his girls have a long road ahead in the sport, and he wants to be part of creating an environment they can be proud to be part of for years to come. 🏊‍♀️💙

And, of course, Jody promises to bring the same energy to the Board that he brings to the microphone: showing up, paying attention, eating snacks, keeping things moving, and hopefully keeping a sense of humor along the way. 😄🍪🎤

Please join us in giving Jody a big AquaKids welcome! 🎉👏 We’re thrilled to have him stepping up to serve our swimmers and families!

💙 Welcome to the Board, Jody! 🏊‍♂️🎤🐬

09/06/2026

💙🏊‍♀️ Meet Our New AquaKids Board Member: Andrea Newsom! 🏊‍♂️💦

We’re excited to welcome Andrea Newsom to the AquaKids Board of Directors this year! 🎉 Andrea and her family have been an important part of the AquaKids community for many years, and we’re thrilled to have her bring her experience, energy, and passion for swimming to the Board.

Andrea’s connection to AquaKids runs deep. Her children, Kenny (14) and Kendalyn (11), have both been AquaKids swimmers for the past four years. 💙 As a parent, Andrea has seen firsthand the impact AquaKids has on young athletes and the families who support them.

But Andrea’s swimming story goes back much further! 🏊‍♀️ She was a competitive swimmer throughout high school and college and even set a state record in the 50-yard breaststroke during her senior year of high school! 🥇🔥 She also spent two years as an AquaKids lifeguard, giving her an early connection to the team and a firsthand appreciation for the coaches, volunteers, and families who make AquaKids special.

Andrea brings an impressive professional background to the Board as well, with more than 20 years of financial and operational experience, including work in nonprofit finance, corporate finance, and higher education administration. She also owns and operates a local woodworking business. 🪵🔨

You may also recognize Andrea around the pool deck! 👋 She is a certified Administrative Official (AO) and has helped run AquaKids meets for the past year and a half. Her experience behind the scenes has given her a great understanding of the operational side of our team and the work that goes into making our meets and programs successful. ⏱️🏁

Andrea is passionate about collaboration, listening to our families, finding practical solutions, and helping AquaKids continue to grow. Most importantly, she cares deeply about our swimmers and the positive experience AquaKids provides both in and out of the pool. 🌟💦

Please join us in giving Andrea a big AquaKids welcome! 🎉👏 We’re so excited to have her on the Board and look forward to all she’ll contribute to our team and our swimmers! 💙🐬

09/05/2026

🏊‍♂️ Please join us in welcoming Robert Stainton to the AquaKids Board! 🏊‍♀️

We’re excited to introduce Robert, who is joining the AquaKids Board this year as a General Member! 🎉

Robert and his family have been part of the AquaKids family since 2021. His sons, Milan (15) and Gus (12), both swim for AquaKids, and the team has become an important part of their family’s lives. 💙

Many of you may also recognize Robert from the pool deck! 👋 Shortly after his boys joined AquaKids, Robert became a USA Swimming official and has been an active part of the officiating team ever since. He is certified in all on-deck official positions and currently serves as the AquaKids Meet Referee, overseeing the “wet side” of our home meets. 🏁⏱️

Robert has attended every meet AquaKids has competed in since joining the team, giving him a unique, firsthand perspective on our swimmers, meets, and the competitive swimming experience. Through his work as an official, he also interacts with officials and teams throughout our LSC, giving him valuable insight into what other clubs are doing and ideas that can help AquaKids continue to grow. 🌟

Robert grew up swimming himself and still occasionally gets in the water as a Masters swimmer 🏊‍♂️ — so he understands the sport from both an athlete’s and a parent’s perspective!

We’re thrilled to have Robert bringing his experience, knowledge, and passion for swimming to the AquaKids Board. 💙💦 We know he’ll be a great addition to the team and look forward to all he’ll contribute to our swimmers and our AquaKids community!

Welcome to the Board, Robert! 🎉👏🏊‍♂️

09/04/2026

Meet Our AquaKids Board Member: Shannon Helgerud

We are excited to introduce Shannon Helgerud, who has proudly served on the AquaKids Board of Directors for the past year!

Shannon and her family moved to Conway two years ago, after spending 12 years in the Kansas City area. Since moving here, they have loved becoming part of the Conway community and finding ways to connect, serve, and give back.

Shannon is a proud mom to two children, Azalea, who will soon be 13, and Archer, who is 7. While swimming has become a big part of their family through Azalea, Archer has chosen a slightly different path. He loves playing soccer and swims simply for fun — although you can still find him enjoying time in the water!

Azalea has been swimming since she was 4 and began competitive swimming at age 7. If you've spent much time around the pool, you've likely seen Shannon on deck cheering Azalea on and supporting her through every practice and meet. Azalea is also a Type 1 diabetic, so Shannon's role on deck goes beyond that of a typical swim mom. She is there to make sure Azalea has what she needs to safely participate, compete, and continue doing something she loves.

That personal experience has given Shannon a special perspective on the importance of creating an environment where every child feels supported, encouraged, and able to pursue their goals.

Over the past year, Shannon has brought that same heart and dedication to her role with AquaKids. She is passionate about supporting young swimmers and their families and is grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization that has become an important part of her family's life.

We are incredibly thankful for Shannon's time, energy, and commitment to AquaKids. We are so happy to have her continuing to serve and look forward to all that she will bring to the year ahead!

Please join us in celebrating Shannon and thanking her for her continued service to AquaKids!

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

🌊 Meet Lindsey — An AquaKids Board Member! 💙

We’re excited to introduce you to Lindsey, who has been serving on the AquaKids Board for the past year!

Originally from Colorado, Lindsey moved to Conway two years ago with her family. Her daughter, Lorelei, first joined AquaKids through Swim Academy and has since progressed to Group 3. 🏊‍♀️

Although Lindsey came to the sport without a swimming background, being part of the AquaKids community and serving on the board has given her the opportunity to learn more about swimming and become even more involved in supporting our team, swimmers, and families.

We’re grateful for Lindsey’s time, dedication, and willingness to serve our AquaKids community. We’re so glad to have her on the board and part of the AquaKids family! 💙🌊🐬

Thank you for all you do, Lindsey! 💙

09/02/2026

💙 Meet Brooke Longo! 💙

We are excited to introduce Brooke Longo, one of our dedicated AquaKids Board members!

Brooke is the proud mom of Christian Longo, who swims with our Senior Training Group, and this is her 12th year as a USA Swimming mom. She is entering her third year serving on the AquaKids Board of Directors and, sadly, this will be her final year serving on the board.

Brooke joined the board because she wanted to support the sport she loves, our incredible coaches, and all of our swimmers. She understands that keeping a swim team running takes help from everyone, and she has certainly been willing to roll up her sleeves and help wherever needed!

Her passion for swimming goes beyond the pool. As Brooke says, “Swim is a fantastic sport and life skill that every child can benefit from.” 🏊‍♂️💙

We are so grateful for Brooke’s dedication, leadership, and willingness to give her time to our AquaKids family. Please join us in celebrating Brooke and all she brings to our team! 💙

Thank you, Brooke, for your commitment to AquaKids! We’re so lucky to have you for one more year! 🥰🏊‍♀️