Strawberry Crest swimmer Sophie Griffis targets sub-60 second 100 backstroke

Sophie Griffis wants to break the one minute barrier in the 100 yard backstroke.

The senior at Strawberry Crest High School has set a specific time goal for the current season. She hopes to swim 60 seconds or faster to advance to the state level of competition. Griffis recently competed in the District-level meet and is looking to improve her times at Regionals.

Her daily routine is demanding. She trains six or seven days a week. Three days a week involve double practices. She swims in the morning from 5:15 to 6:45 a.m. before school. She returns to the pool in the afternoon from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Griffis believes that spending more time in the water than other athletes is necessary to improve her performance.

Griffis has been competing since she was eight years old. She also swims for the Blue Wave club team year-round. Her favorite event is the 200 yard breaststroke. This event is not part of the high school schedule, so she only races it at club meets. She prefers the 200 yard distance because it is longer than a sprint but shorter than a distance race.

Spring 2026 marked a turning point for her. At the Area 3 Championship meet in St. Petersburg, she set personal best times in seven of her eight races. She described dropping a second in a race as a major accomplishment. Although the competition level was not the highest she has faced, she considers that meet her greatest win.

Griffis plans to continue swimming after high school. She intends to compete for a college team or maintain her fitness on a club team at her university. She has no specific pre-race ritual other than finding a quiet spot on the pool deck or listening to worship songs to settle her nerves. Outside of the pool, she spends time with her family, serves at Grace City Church, and visits the beach.

She acknowledges that swimming is physically and mentally taxing. She deals with difficult seasons by reminding herself that not every race will be a personal best. She views each opportunity as a chance to learn a new lesson in the sport.