Annual Individual Medley Carnival & Memorial Scholarship
The Forest Hollow Gators are a team that celebrates the sport of swimming, the joy of community friends, and the ability to make lasting lifelong memories. There are two events that we sponsor each summer that specifically honor tradition and memories. The Todd Potts Individual Medley Carnival and the Todd Potts Memorial Scholarship Award span more than 20 years of history.
The Todd Potts Individual Medley Carnival
Each year Forest Hollow hosts the annual Todd Potts Individual Medley Swim Meet and invites other teams to participate. This meet is held in honor of Todd and his story of leadership and spirit begins each meet. Each swimmer swims an individual medley (IM) which consists of butterfly, back, breast and free. Eight teams compete and the tradition of this event spans well beyond our gates of the Forest Hollow Swim Club, into our local community and beyond. Please see the Schedule for the date of this year’s meet.
About Todd
Todd Potts was a swimmer and leader on the Gator swim team in the early 1980’s. He was a popular young man and a team leader who exhibited an energetic spirit that led his teammates to honor and respect him. He was one described as standing out from the crowd as that spirited leader, but one that also took great interest in ensuring each and every other Gator swimmer knew he was there to cheer them on to victory. He died tragically at a young age, forever changing who we are as Gators. While many of us at Forest Hollow never met Todd, we have continued to be blessed by memories of those who did and his spirit is embedded into the very nature of who we are as Gators.
The Todd Potts Memorial Scholarship Award
At the end of the season a scholarship, funded in honor of Todd by his family, is awarded to the Forest Hollow swimmer who most personifies the qualities of leadership, kindness, spirit and mentoring of the younger swimmers.
The award is coveted among our swim team members who have grown up with the team, heard the inspirational stories, and watched as their mentors or coaches received the award every year. A committee of volunteers chooses the winner(s) each year.
Eligible swimmers are primarily graduating High School Senior swimmers, with the ability of the Forest Hollow team (swimmers and families) to also nominate rising Senior swimmers or 18 year-old swimmers that have just finished their freshman year in college. The swimmer must have intentions of attending a college or post-high school academic or trade school, as the scholarship is an academic scholarship.
Nominations from swimmers, swim parents, and/or swim families will provide the candidates for consideration by the decision committee. We strongly encourage 13 and over swimmers to nominate one of their peers. The perspective of teammates is an important element to the selection process and we want to return part of the selection process to the team members. The award is presented at our annual awards ceremony.
Todd Potts Award Winners
2024 Adison Healy and Colin McGee
2023 Caroline O’Brien and Gabriela Ramirez
2022 Mariah Lash and Evan Silas
2021 Eliana Ramirez
2020 COVID – NO SWIM SEASON
2019 Cameron Foti and Luke Elkins
2018 Rachel Shogren & Glen Lash
2017 Lauren Kennedy & Ben Padrutt
2016 Aaron Boyd
2015 Sarah Padrutt & Erin Johnson
2014 Dylan Gore
2013 Andrew Boyd & Alex Lash
2012 Willie Labarca
2011 Annika Jessen
2010 Alexander Johnson
2009 Suzanne Fonzi , Smith Norton
2008 Natalie Cocozza, Martin Miller
2007 Christopher Fitz, Alex Trumbull
2006 Chris Sopher
2005 Sivan Adato
2004 Jason Bracken
2003 John Bechtoldt
2002 Amanda Klink
2001 Lisa Ubelaker
2000 Matt Wolff
1999 Julie Bender, Emily Dere
1998 Amelia Knapp, Jesse Klink
1997 Chris Bender, Melissa Gosline
1996 Matt Schafer, Jenny Wolff
1995 Michael Gosline, Rachel Caldwell
1994 Jimmy Boxall
1993 Joe Moran, Michael Quinn
1992 Ian Caldwell
1991 Kelly McCullough
1990 David Levy
1989 Laura Gaines, Pattie Girstantas
1988 Willie Lappenbusch