All About the Gator Swim Team

The Gator Swim Team is a regional parent-owned competitive swim team dedicated to teaching swimmers excellence in swimming and life through sportsmanship, discipline, teamwork and integrity. The team is based in the city of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, but is comprised of swimmers from many surrounding cities throughout Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

Serving Southeast Missouri for Over 50 Years

Founded in 1957 as Cape Swim Team by the late Richard Flentge — a sports enthusiast and Central High School graduate who received his bachelor of science degree from Southeast Missouri State — the Gator Swim Team is a team with a rich past and a long history of excellence in swimming instruction and competition. We are proud to have represented Southeast Missouri in regional, national and international competitions throughout the years, offering world class coaching and great opportunities to kids in our little corner of the state.

Home Sweet Bubbly Home

The Cape Girardeau Central Municipal Pool is the home of the Gators for eleven out of the twelve months during each year. Central Municipal Pool, affectionately known as "The Bubble", is a 50-meter x 25-yard pool and is run by the City of Cape Girardeau. It is the only Olympic-sized facility in Southeast Missouri, which offers a real advantage to swimmers since 50-meter competitions make up half of the year's swim meet calendar.

The pool is enclosed by a large bubble during the cold months of the year and then the bubble is taken down for the summer. During the two transition periods, the team uses the new lap pool at the Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center.

Affiliations

We are a team member of Ozark Swimming, the USA Swimming's Local Swimming Committee for Eastern Missouri and Southwestern Illinois.

During the summer months, the Gators also take part in the summer league provided by the Southeast Missouri Swim Conference, an organization of local recreational teams associated with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). The summer league competition a fun and developmental program for our novice to intermediate level swimmers as well as an opportunity to expose the sport of swimming to non year-round athletes.

A Non-Profit Organization

The Gator Swim team is tax-exempt under 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, being classified as a public charity under section 509(a) (2). Contributions to the Gator Swim Team are deductible under section 170 of the code — we are qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers of gifts under section 2055, 2106, and 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. The team is always willing to accept charitable contributions. All persons or organizations making donations to the Gator Swim Team will receive a copy of the team's Letter of Determination and a receipt to show the donations were made to a Charitable Organization.

Our Logo

The Gator logo is a distinctive mark that identifies and represents our team and is recognized throughout our LSC and beyond as our swimmers continue to excel and become a solid presence in prestigious regional, national and international competitions.

The design has the word "GATOR" where the "G" and the "O" are the eyes of an alligator with eyebrows above the lettering complementing the layout. The words "SWIM TEAM" appear underneath. The Gator logo was designed by Nancy Greaser in 2003.  It is a registered trademark (certificate number 016836 issued by the Office of the Secretary of State of Missouri) and may not be used without consent by the Board of Directors.