Strawberry Crest Senior Sophie Griffis Named Athlete of the Week

Sophie Griffis, a senior at Strawberry Crest High School, has been named the Plant City Observer's Athlete of the Week for October 29. Griffis competes in school meets and maintains her skills year-round with the Blue Wave swim club. She has been swimming competitively since age eight, a pursuit she discovered while trying every sport her parents could find during her childhood.

Her recent performance at the Spring 2026 Area 3 Championship meet in St. Petersburg served as the catalyst for this recognition. Griffis recorded personal best times in seven of her eight races. She described this weekend as monumental because dropping even a single second is a major achievement in the sport. Although she noted the competition was not the highest level she has faced, she considers this meet her greatest win.

Griffis trains six to seven days a week during the high school season. Her schedule includes double practices three days a week, with morning sessions from 5:15 a.m. to 6:45 a.m. and afternoon sessions from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. She believes that spending more time in the water than competitors is the key to improvement.

Her favorite event is the 200-yard breaststroke, which she races exclusively at club meets since it is not part of the high school program. She prefers that distance because it avoids the extremes of sprint races and longer endurance events. Her primary goal for the current season is to swim a 100-yard backstroke in under one minute, a time that would qualify her for the state level. She recently competed in the District-level meet and hopes to improve her marks further at Regionals.

Griffis plans to continue swimming after high school, either on a college team or with a club team at her university. She aims to become a stronger and more confident leader both in and out of the water. Outside of training, she spends time with family and friends, serves at Grace City Church, and visits the beach when the weather is warm.

To prepare mentally for major meets, Griffis seeks quiet moments on the pool deck or listens to worship music to settle her nerves. She does not follow a rigid pre-race ritual but focuses on locking in without distractions. She acknowledges that swimming takes a physical and mental toll, but she perseveres by reminding herself that not every race results in a personal best.