Nearly 400 young swimmers representing the Folsom Sea Otters capped another successful summer season by earning league championships, setting records and finishing among the top teams in Northern California, highlighting a summer defined by personal growth, teamwork and competitive success.
The parent-run recreational swim program, which serves swimmers ages 4 to 18, concluded its 2026 campaign in late July after another strong season in the Suburban Swim League (SSL). While championship performances and record-breaking swims highlighted the summer, the season also reflected the Sea Otters’ mission of helping young athletes build confidence through quality coaching, sportsmanship, teamwork and a positive family environment.
One of the most impressive statistics from the season came during the SSL Championships, where Folsom swimmers recorded more than 1,400 individual race entries alongside competitors from eight league teams. By the end of the meet, 83.4 percent of Sea Otters swimmers had improved their times in at least one event, underscoring the team’s emphasis on continual improvement throughout the summer.
The Sea Otters produced several individual league champions during the SSL Championships.
Eileen Li emerged as a multi-event league champion, while Laney Barr-Wood captured the league title in breaststroke. Kyron Gulley delivered one of the most dominant performances of the meet, winning four individual league championships while also establishing a new SSL record. Carson Schlange claimed the backstroke championship, and Julian Myers Calderon set new Folsom Sea Otters team records in both the freestyle and backstroke.
Relay teams also enjoyed tremendous success. The Sea Otters’ boys 13-14 medley relay team of Kyron Gulley, Caleb Wong, Armani Rizk and Darren Johnson captured the SSL championship while setting a new league record. The same age group’s freestyle relay team of Gulley, Darren Johnson, Eddie Sharp and Armani Rizk also earned an SSL championship and established another league record.
Several Sea Otters also earned one of the league’s highest individual honors.
Addalyn Smith, Carson Schlange, Eileen Li, Kyron Gulley and Julian Myers Calderon were each recognized as SSL High Point Award winners following their performances throughout the championship meet.
Collectively, the Sea Otters placed fifth overall in the league standings, with swimmers across every age group contributing through personal-best performances, determination and team-first effort.
The season concluded with another standout showing at the 24th Annual Meet of Champions, one of the region’s premier postseason competitions featuring 51 swim teams. Competing in the Small Team Division, the Sea Otters finished second overall among 36 teams.
Li continued her outstanding postseason by winning the Short Freestyle championship while also earning multiple podium finishes throughout the meet.
Gulley capped a remarkable summer by sweeping all six of his individual events while establishing new Meet of Champions, SSL and Folsom Sea Otters records.
The Sea Otters also claimed Meet of Champions relay titles in both the boys 13-14 medley relay with Kyron Gulley, Caleb Wong, Armani Rizk and Darren Johnson, and the boys 13-14 freestyle relay featuring Darren Johnson, Kyron Gulley, Eddie Sharp and Armani Rizk.
Additional Top-8 relay finishes were recorded by the girls 7-8 medley relay, boys 7-8 medley relay, girls 9-10 medley relay, boys 7-8 freestyle relay and boys 11-12 freestyle relay teams, demonstrating the depth of the program across multiple age divisions.
Li and Gulley each added Meet of Champions High Point Awards to their impressive list of accomplishments.
Strong performances throughout the championship meet also came from Carson Schlange, Caleb Hannahs, CeCe Mirmomeni-Cespedes, Zachery Chen, Declan Pomeroy, Colin Li, Caleb Wong, Armani Rizk, Eddie Sharp and Austin Barr-Wood, all of whom earned Top-16 finishes in their respective events.
Sea Otters President Christine Baird said the accomplishments reflected much more than medals and championships.
“From first-time swimmers to record-breaking veterans, the Folsom Sea Otters demonstrated exceptional growth, resilience and competitive excellence throughout the 2026 season,” Baird said. “The accomplishments at both the SSL Championships and the Meet of Champions reflect the dedication of the athletes, coaches, volunteers and families who make the Sea Otters one of the premier recreational swim programs in the region.”
Although the summer season has concluded, the Sea Otters will return to the pool later this month.
The Folsom Sea Otters Fall Swim Clinic begins Aug. 31 at the Folsom Aquatics Center and is open to swimmers ages 7 through 18 with previous swim team experience. The clinic will focus on stroke technique and skill development under the guidance of the Sea Otters coaching staff. Registration for the fall clinic is now open at folsomseaotters.com
For the Sea Otters, the 2026 season ended with league champions, record-setting performances, hundreds of personal-best swims and another reminder that one of Folsom’s largest youth sports programs continues to develop both accomplished swimmers and confident young athletes.
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