We are the Sharks
Est. 2023
The City of North Charleston Swim Club is a USA Swimming affiliated year-round team, owned and operated by the City of North Charleston Recreation Department. The Sharks train and compete in South Carolina's premier swimming facility, the North Charleston Aquatic Center as well as in a second ten-lane facility in the Park Circle area. The team has grown quickly in its first three years to over 150 athletes and has already produced three state champions and three USA Swimming Futures Championships qualifiers.
The Sharks team is highly competitive, and its staff works to help swimmers ages seven through eighteen achieve their highest potential in the sport. Athletes experience competition daily in a safe and positive environment; they form close bonds as they grow alongside their teammates; and they learn about attention to detail, effort, and commitment.
Swimmers who join Sharks come primarily from summer league teams or have previous competitive year-round experience. For younger and more introductory-level swimmers, North Charleston offers a non-competitive program called Minnows and a summer league team, the Barracudas.
SCY Team Records
LCM Team Records
Shark Sightings
In North Charleston, we believe that being part of a team is about being part of something bigger. As a club, we value the opportunities we have to swim at a high level and to represent the City of North Charleston in and out of the water. We're proud to be able to give back to and be involved in the community that supports us every day. Whether through volunteering or donations, we strive to reinvest into the community that invests in us.
Straight From the Athletes
“Since joining the Sharks, I’ve gained so much strength through our dryland and swim workouts. I’ve grown as an athlete mentally and physically and having quit swim for three years prior to this season, I’ve seen tremendous progress in my performance. While all of these things are true and relevant, I feel it is more important to talk about what it’s done for me as a person. Shark’s practices have become my favorite place to be. If there’s ever a day I don’t go to practice my mom asks me if something is wrong. I love the environment, and my teammates are people I consider to be my best friends. I know that if I’m having a hard day, I can go to practice and instantly have a smile put on my face. I have so much love for teammates who have become like family and my favorite people to be around. Swimming to me is not just about going to the pool to workout, but about going to the pool knowing I get to see my best friends and feel at home and at peace. The pool, my teammates, any my coaches have truly become my safe place during my time on the Sharks.
During the summer before my freshman year of high school, I quit swimming. I thought I fell out of it and wasn’t in a place emotionally to continue participating in the sport year-round. I struggled significantly through high school swim seasons and only wanted to be done with it for good. Then, this past fall something changed, and I decided to come back to join the Sharks to finish out last season of year-round swimming before I graduated. It was the single best decision I’ve ever made for myself. I learned that it wasn’t swimming that I hated. I just needed to find the right place for me and that quickly became with my swim family my swim family at the Sharks. I’m devasted to already be ending my career in just a few months, but I know the people on this team are forever type of friends and the memories I’ve made on this team will last me a lifetime.”
-Darby Priest, Class of 2025
"Joining the Sharks three years ago was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Before joining, I was considering leaving the sport I’ve always loved because I was burnt out and felt like I didn’t belong anymore. After becoming part of the Sharks, it became clear to me how well the coaching staff balances high-level training with fun activities.
I could go on and on about how much the team has impacted me and how it gives me a sense of comfort, like a family. But I’d like to highlight one of the hardest-working and most dedicated people I know: Coach John. Every day when I come to practice, he makes it better with his humorous personality. Over the past few years, training with him has not only made me significantly better in the pool, but has also changed the way I think about swimming.
Whether it’s a tough set or a 50 kick with a board, he’s always on the side of the pool encouraging someone. One of my favorite memories with Coach John was when the Sharks were at a swim meet he couldn’t attend. Even though he wasn’t there, he followed along on Meet Mobile and took notes. The next day, he showed up with a notebook filled with times and feedback for each swimmer.
The time and effort Coach John puts in is deeply appreciated, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without him."
-Brayden Knauer, 14
“Joining the NC Sharks three years ago was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Joining the team has welcomed me to a supportive, encouraging environment and amazing people. I'm incredibly grateful for my coaches' dedication and hard work for the team. The team's success is primarily due to the continuous support and motivation from Coach Doug and Coach Sydney, and because they, quite literally, made the team possible. Coach Russell reminds me of the reasons to keep trying when I want to give up, and he takes his time to help and encourage me when I need it. All my coaches are so important to me and are amazing people, and I am so happy I am on this team.
Coming to practice every day after school and being with the team always makes me feel better, especially after a long day. The positive environment and all my teammates can have me feeling better almost instantly, and I am so thankful I am a part of this. Knowing that I have people that believe in me, even when I don’t believe in myself, encourages me so that I DO believe in myself. I feel like the team is always there if I need it to be, and the same goes for the people who are a part of it. Being on the NC Sharks is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.”
-Linh Barnes, 13
“I’ve been on a bunch of swim teams, but none of them are quite like the Sharks. The bond I have with my teammates and my coaches is amazing. It’s not just a team to me. It’s like another life away from home. When we’ve gone on team trips, it’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had. Whether it’s a trip to Florida or to Georgia, the coaches always make you feel like you are an important part of the team. I really don’t think I’d be where I am right now without the Sharks.”
- Jackson Jarrard, 16
“The North Charleston Sharks have shaped me into the person I am today. Swimming used to be a hobby that I used as a way to kill time. Over the years, I’ve jumped around from team to team and from coach to coach. The culture surrounding the Sharks, however, is truly special. I have teammates, but I also have a second family. I look forward to practices, not only to better myself as an athlete but to socialize with my friends. My teammates help push me towards my goals and make me laugh along the way. They are truly the nicest people, and I will forever cherish these relationships that I have created during my time here.
I would have never made it to the level I am today without the continuous support of my amazing coaches and the constant encouragement from my teammates. Coach Doug and Coach Sydney want the best for each and every swimmer on the team. In my nearly two years on the team, I have enjoyed every moment, laugh, inside joke, hard practice, and early morning. I am so lucky to call the City of North Charleston my team.
Before joining the Sharks, I was ready to quit the sport entirely, but this team has allowed me to fall back in love with swimming again and pursue higher goals of swimming in college. The NC Sharks is a family, a team, and most importantly a home.”
-Landon Berghoff, 17
“Two years ago, I quit the sport of swimming with the intention of leaving it in the past, but I lasted only a few days without being in the water before I realized how much I missed swimming with my friends. When I started this team, my goal was to create a space that felt like a family, and I think that’s become evident across our entire team. This goal has been actualized not just in the water, but on the pool deck before and after practices, during meet weekends, on long team travel trips, and during activities away from the pool. I believe this team has seen, and continues to see, the success it has because of the supportive environment that’s been cultivated from top to bottom. The Sharks have gotten involved in the North Charleston and Lowcountry areas through volunteering and partnerships with other local teams, increased the accessibility of the sport, and created opportunities for athletes to excel.
I am so thankful for all the swimmers on my team, all the parents who volunteer, all my coaches for building the team into what it is today. I’m thankful for Coach Doug for starting this team, for Coach Sydney for giving the best motivational speeches, and for the City of North Charleston for helping turn our dreams into reality.
Though I will be sad to leave this team in a few months, these past two years have been incredible because of the memories and experiences that I will continue to cherish. But most of all, it’s the friendships that I’ve found that I will keep for the rest of my life. This team did more for me than make me a better swimmer and I will never forget that. I can’t wait to see what more we accomplish in the future.”
-Peyton Wood, Class of 2025
“I love the Sharks so much and I couldn’t have had a better team to finish out my senior year with. From the very start of my journey here, I felt welcomed and at home. The team bond is like no other, and we always have so much fun together. I have grown so much as a swimmer and as a team player, and I enjoy cheering for the team at every meet. I’ve had a rough time the past few years with getting to the times I wanted and after only being on the team for a month, I began to see improvement. I will now be going into college with amazing training. Doug and Sydney always provide me with laughs and honest life lessons. I truly could not have chosen a better team this year and I will forever be thankful for this loving family that I’ve gladly been a part of.
-Sky Jones, Class of 2025
“In all the years I’ve been swimming I have never been on a team with a culture like North Charleston’s. As a North Charleston resident, I have loved the opportunity to swim at the North Charleston Aquatic Center and to represent a team with the support of the City. Now, as a senior who is swimming my last season ever, I wish I could have more time on this team.
The first travel meet I went to with this team with at Auburn University with four total people, two of which were chaperones, Coach Doug and my mom. Being able to watch our team travel grow from four to twenty people on our most recent trip to the University of Tennessee has never made me prouder to be a Shark.
Swimming is not all about the competition, but about the people you train with. There is never a day that I don’t leave the pool laughing, even when it’s a practice I thought I wouldn’t be able to get out of the pool after, because of my teammates being there to push me through. I wouldn’t be the person I am without their kindness and support, and I know as I leave the team there is a legacy of great young swimmers coming up to keep the team competitive. I will miss training and competing, but even more so, I will miss my teammates, but I will forever cherish the memories I’ve made with them.”
-Payton Schrader, Class of 2025
“Since joining the Sharks, I’ve gained so much strength through our dryland and swim workouts. I’ve grown as an athlete mentally and physically and having quit swim for three years prior to this season, I’ve seen tremendous progress in my performance. While all of these things are true and relevant, I feel it is more important to talk about what it’s done for me as a person. Shark’s practices have become my favorite place to be. If there’s ever a day I don’t go to practice my mom asks me if something is wrong. I love the environment, and my teammates are people I consider to be my best friends. I know that if I’m having a hard day, I can go to practice and instantly have a smile put on my face. I have so much love for teammates who have become like family and my favorite people to be around. Swimming to me is not just about going to the pool to workout, but about going to the pool knowing I get to see my best friends and feel at home and at peace. The pool, my teammates, any my coaches have truly become my safe place during my time on the Sharks.
During the summer before my freshman year of high school, I quit swimming. I thought I fell out of it and wasn’t in a place emotionally to continue participating in the sport year-round. I struggled significantly through high school swim seasons and only wanted to be done with it for good. Then, this past fall something changed, and I decided to come back to join the Sharks to finish out last season of year-round swimming before I graduated. It was the single best decision I’ve ever made for myself. I learned that it wasn’t swimming that I hated. I just needed to find the right place for me and that quickly became with my swim family my swim family at the Sharks. I’m devasted to already be ending my career in just a few months, but I know the people on this team are forever type of friends and the memories I’ve made on this team will last me a lifetime.”
-Darby Priest, Class of 2025
"Joining the Sharks three years ago was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Before joining, I was considering leaving the sport I’ve always loved because I was burnt out and felt like I didn’t belong anymore. After becoming part of the Sharks, it became clear to me how well the coaching staff balances high-level training with fun activities.
I could go on and on about how much the team has impacted me and how it gives me a sense of comfort, like a family. But I’d like to highlight one of the hardest-working and most dedicated people I know: Coach John. Every day when I come to practice, he makes it better with his humorous personality. Over the past few years, training with him has not only made me significantly better in the pool, but has also changed the way I think about swimming.
Whether it’s a tough set or a 50 kick with a board, he’s always on the side of the pool encouraging someone. One of my favorite memories with Coach John was when the Sharks were at a swim meet he couldn’t attend. Even though he wasn’t there, he followed along on Meet Mobile and took notes. The next day, he showed up with a notebook filled with times and feedback for each swimmer.
The time and effort Coach John puts in is deeply appreciated, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without him."
-Brayden Knauer, 14