BARTLESVILLE SPLASH CLUB CAPS SUMMER WITH CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS, ELITE INDIVIDUAL TITLES
Bartlesville Splash Club 10-and-under swimmers took first place in the Summer Championship last month.
Courtesy photo
By Stephanie J. Lief
August 11, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Twenty-eight Splash Club swimmers participated in the 10-and-under Summer Championship the weekend of July 17-19 and took top honors to come out the summer champions. A significant number of podium finishes and personal bests were also achieved.
“Splash Club has invested heavily in child development and it is encouraging to see our 10-unders outperforming their Oklahoma peers. The greatest reward was all the joyful smiles by swimmers, parents and coaches. It was a wonderful team experience,” Splash Club Coach Chad Englehart said.
Leading the pack and taking the meet's top individual honors for earning the most points for their teams was 6-year-old Arason Ellis (8-and-under female High Point winner) with 42 points, and 10-year-old Euan Kobersky (10-year-old High Point winner) with 72 points.
Twenty-three Splash Club swimmers participated in the 11-and-over Championship meet in Jenks, July 23-26. Taking the male High Point award for 13-to-14-year-old males was Connor Durrell, and for 13-to-14-year-old females was Quinn Smith. A number of podium finishes also were awarded:
Grayson Ellis (age 15 and over): 1,500-meter and 400-meter freestyle champion
Connor Durrell (ages 13-14): 1,500-meter champion and 400-meter third place
Everett Ellis (ages 13-14): 1,500-meter freestyle, 200-meter butterfly and 200-meter backstroke, third place
Oliver Ellis (ages 11-12): 400-meter freestyle second place, 200-meter freestyle third place
Quinn Smith (age 13 and over): 1,500-meter freestyle champion; (ages 13-14) 400-meter freestyle second place; (ages 13-14) 200-meter freestyle third place
Heidi Droege (ages 11-12): 50-meter breaststroke second place
Kamryn Hunter (ages 11-12): 400-meter freestyle second place
Addie Kuntz, Alexis Taylor, Ashlynn Taylor and Karis Shamhart (age 15 and over): 200-meter medley relay, third place
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Bartlesville Splash Club members Euan Kobersky, left, and Kamryn Hunter pose during Zone Championships in Indiana last month.
Courtesy photo
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Moving into elite swimming sessions, Splash Club had four qualifiers to Speedo Sectionals on July 15-18 in Columbia, Missouri. Parker Shoesmith, Grayson Ellis, Ashlynn Taylor and Mattie Shearer all represented Bartlesville with speed and grace.
Taking some prestigious honors with standing on the podium at this high-level meet was Parker Shoesmith with:
Seventh place: 1,500-meter freestyle (16:47.94)
Fifth place: 200-meter breaststroke (2:26.24)
Seventh place: 800-meter freestyle (8:44.10)
“I am so proud of these swimmers. They exceeded expectations in and out of the pool, representing Bartlesville with outstanding character and effort. Mattie and Ashlynn are headed off to swim in college, but Grayson and Parker will be back to lead a strong group of Bartian boys,” Englehart said.
The summer swim season ended with a spectacular showing at regional competitions, including the Futures and Zones championships, which are highly competitive meets for age-group swimmers.
Ashlynn Taylor and Parker Shoesmith competed at Futures in Austin, Texas, on July 29-Aug. 1, a meet that sits between local/regional Sectionals and national-level Junior Nationals. Requiring faster qualifying times, Futures is centered around rising stars of competitive swimming. Taylor recorded a personal best time in her 200-meter breaststroke during preliminaries, and Shoesmith recorded a personal best time in his 1,500 freestyle.
Representing Oklahoma Swimming, Kamryn Hunter and Euan Kobersky qualified and competed in Zones in Indiana, a top-tier championship meet for age-group swimmers (typically 14 and under) who have met specific fast qualifying times. Kobersky landed medal performances in his 50-meter breaststroke (sixth place) and 100-meter breaststroke (seventh place). Hunter recorded personal best times in her 800-meter freestyle, 400-meter individual medley and 1,500-meter events.
Splash Club is currently on a well-deserved break until the 2026-27 school season starts.
Bartlesville Splash Club member Parker Shoesmith swims during the 2025-2026 Bartlesville Bruins swim season. Shoesmith competed in the Speedo Sectionals in Austin, Texas, last month.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports Report file photo