Southampton Recreation Association’s sign welcomes members on the 4th of July.

By Carter Meagher

When you first step through the large black gates of Southampton Recreation Association (SRA) in Richmond’s Stratford Hills, it may seem unappealing. There’s mold around the tiles of the pool that refuses to leave, no matter how hard the dedicated lifeguards try to clean it. The bathrooms on the pool deck are always dark and dingy. The basketball court is nearly overgrown with roots from the surrounding trees, despite its frequent use. At first glance, the Southampton pool doesn’t look like much at all. But if you look a little further, past your first impression, you’ll find Southampton’s full force of love and community spirit. 

Southampton Recreation Association was founded in 1950 by members of the Southampton Civic Association. Originally only one pool, tennis courts, and a baseball field, SRA is located in a sleepy neighborhood alongside Southampton Elementary School. Now, Southampton has a family pool (complete with a bright yellow water slide), a competition pool, two baby pools, multiple tennis courts, a basketball court, a volleyball court, an ice rink, a snack bar, and a clubhouse. Although it’s located in a suburban neighborhood, Southampton boasts members from all over Richmond, with some families who drive over an hour to get to the pool. 

Southampton’s tennis courts are also used by Trinity’s tennis teams and were renovated a few years ago.

It’s easy to see Southampton’s community spirit in day-to-day life at the pool. From the lifeguards greeting each member by name and each new visitor with a smile, to the shouts of goodbye from the multitude of friends as one leaves the deck at the end of a long day by the pool, every moment of summer at Southampton is full of a sense of love. Even though swim practice is early in the morning or late in the afternoon, many members of the championship swim team stay for the entire day, playing on the playground, doing jumps off the diving board, or splashing around the family pool. Swim practices start in mid-May, which is early for summer teams, but not early enough for many kids on the team. Even before the first practice in the outer pool, the coaching staff runs a clinic to engage kids who can’t wait to get back to SRA and give them a taste of what the coming summer brings. 

Once practices do start, many swimmers attend every day, even twice a day, because of the love they have for the team and the sport. Mary Wise Carter, a senior at Trinity Episcopal School and a lifelong member of Southampton, recalled many lessons she’s been taught over her years as a Southampton Swordfish. “Southampton has raised its swimmers to not have poor sportsmanship and to always high five, hug, or shake hands after races,” she shared. “Southampton has taught the team to be kind to everyone, even our biggest rivals.”

Rich Meagher, the president-elect of the Southampton Board of Directors (and my father), took the position of president to give back to the Southampton community. “The previous board members had done so much for my family, and I wanted to return the favor,” he said. The board is fully run by volunteers from the members of the pool, many of whom have become lifelong friends because of the closeness of the Southampton community. “It’s the small community feel that separates SRA from other pools,” Meagher continued. “There’s lots of volunteers, lots of families, lots of friends. It has a powerful sense of community.”

Southampton’s main pool at night, featuring the yellow slide, is a favorite of many children.

Behind the shouts of joy emanating from the pool deck each day is a dedicated team of lifeguards who work hard to keep the pool running on a daily basis. The lifeguard manager of Southampton, Clara Hogeland, has worked as a lifeguard for the past two summers. Hogeland remarked on the difference between Southampton and other pools where she’s worked as a lifeguard: “The community at Southampton is a lot more tight knit than at other pools. I’ve noticed that everyone knows each other by name at Southampton, and that’s not the case at some other pools I’ve worked at.”

The lifeguards work closely with the Pool Director, Troy Morris, who assumed the role three years ago. Morris decided to take this job because “Southampton is such a special place to be part of. I want to do everything I can to ensure the safety of everyone that walks through those gates.” Morris is also a parent of two children on the swim team. He joked that he and his family return to Southampton each summer because “I would not be well-liked in the house if we didn’t.”

For many families like the Morrises, Southampton is a family affair. Most of the children at Southampton are members of the Swordfish swim team, which, for many families, is the main draw to become members of the pool. Many families have joined the pool for the championship-winning swim team and stayed members for years after their children graduated from the team. What is it about Southampton that makes families stay members for so many years that they are considered “Southampton dynasties?” A member of one of these dynasties, paper salesman David Carter, said he originally joined Southampton “because of our kids.” Even after his youngest child “graduates” the swim team, Carter shared that he will continue to stay a member of Southampton. “I love SRA, and I can’t imagine my summer anywhere else!” 

This love for the Southampton community does not end even if families do leave the pool. Sarah Leonardelli, a 4th Grade teacher at Collegiate, swam for the Southampton swim team for 12 years, coaching for the last two. Although it’s been years since she’s been back, Leonardelli said, “I had such a great experience at SRA and still consider it home/family.” 

Southampton’s swim team races in the competition pool during a summer meet.

Although the pool’s appearance has changed since Leonardelli’s time as a member, with a new yellow slide and the loss of the high dive, the love of community is still the same. Many traditions that Leonardelli loved during her years on the team are still in use today. She fondly remembers Jello wrestling other swimmers the day before the championship meet, the annual Lip Sync competition, and the team trip to Water Country USA, all of which are still enjoyed by current swimmers. 

Another constant is Southampton’s only lifelong member, Mike Stott, who also served as Collegiate’s head swim coach for 15 years. Stott, who has had many roles over his years as a part of the Southampton community, can always be counted on to walk through the gates of Southampton, walk up to the lap pool area, and greet nearly everyone he sees by name. Stott was instrumental in the hiring of every swim team coach at SRA since 1980. Although it’s been several years since he was a member of the Board, Stott shared that “not much has changed in terms of philosophy. The organization has grown from what was a team of 125 or so to more than 300. The team and organization are alive and well. We have more activities now, more people involved but the spirit is the same. I’ll go to my grave treasuring that.”

Coach Mike Peters helps younger members of the team find their way to the blocks before their race during an away meet. 

One of the many coaches found by Stott is Middle School math teacher and award-winning Collegiate swim coach Mike Peters, who, along with a staff of coaches drawn from the team itself, has led legions of dedicated swimmers to multiple JRAC championships. Peters has coached the Southampton swim team for 20 years. When asked what brings him back every summer, Peters said he does it to see “older kids being excited about summer league at Southampton. I enjoy watching the 8-12 year olds enjoy summer league more when many others lose their love.” 

Skylar Mullins (‘22), who swam on the team for 11 years, has been a coach for the past two summers alongside Peters. Mullins’ time on the team fostered her love for coaching. “I wanted to be able to help kids grow a love for the sport and the team, like my coaches did for me at a young age,” she said. 

Mullins, along with other assistant coaches Lily Hunnicutt (’20) and Emily Garrett, dress up for the theme of the swim meet: Rock and Roll. 

“Southampton truly is a big family.” Mullins said. “When I see a SRA sticker on a passing car, I instantly feel connected to that person without even knowing who they are. Kids will scream their hearts out for any swimmer of any age wearing the [team’s] yellow cap, regardless of whether they know them personally, because we are all family.” 

I’ve been a member of the Southampton team for 12 years, and this spirit of community and family brings me back each summer. Although swimming has always been something that’s important to me, the community at Southampton goes beyond the swim team. I’ve formed many lifelong friendships, and I’ve learned dedication and commitment. 

When I was 13, I didn’t make the team for our championship meet. I was devastated and didn’t understand why I wasn’t good enough. After my failure, I considered quitting the team. However, the connections I made with my teammates prompted me to try harder. The next year, I went to every single practice and even won one of the prestigious end-of-year awards, the Coach’s Award. Without the support of the Southampton community, I probably would have quit after that summer. Instead, I stuck with the team and had some of the greatest moments of my life; not just taking back the title from our fiercest rivals, the Westwood Waves, but also every moment spent coaching little kids at the swim clinic. 

Southampton’s members decorate the trees with lights to celebrate the end of the swim season.

Southampton has become more than a swim team to me; it’s my favorite place to be every summer. As I look forward to this summer, my last on the swim team but my first as an assistant coach, I can’t wait for all the traditions I’ll continue and the new memories I’m sure to make. Although I’ll have to say goodbye to the team after this summer, I know Southampton will always feel like home to me.

All photos courtesy of the Southampton Recreational Association (sra-fun.org).