September 2023 | Volume 14 | Issue 6
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Education Guide
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ACCOMPLISHED
Learn more about Mountain Brookarea schools and tutoring services in our annual Education Guide.
See page A20
Fall Medical Guide
MBHS grad Kat Smith qualifies for paralympic swimming nationals Discover Mountain Brook-area health and wellness services in our biannual Medical Guide.
See page B1
INSIDE Sponsors........... A4 City......................A6 Business.............A11 Community...... A16 Schoolhouse.... A17
Events.............. A23 Sports.............. A24 Opinion............ A28 Metro Roundup...... B14
By GRACE THORNTON
F
rom a young age, Kat Smith loved swimming, but she had to wear a life jacket at first. “It wasn’t her who wanted it; it took a while for us to get brave enough to let her swim without it,” said her mom, Carolyn Smith. The reason for the apprehension: her daughter has cerebral palsy, which causes
her to have low muscle tone throughout her body. “When she was a baby, she couldn’t even hold her head up for forever and couldn’t sit until she was around 2,” Carolyn said. “She used a walker until the sixth grade.” But over the years, Kat — who turns 21 in September — has overcome a lot and become an accomplished competitive swimmer. In July, she, along with six other team
members of the team, made a U.S. National Paralympic qualifying time during The Hartford Nationals swimming competition at the Lakeshore Foundation. The Hartford Nationals were held in partnership with Move United, the nation’s leading communitybased adaptive sports organization.
See ACCOMPLISHED | page A30
Kat Smith, a member of the Lakeshore Foundation swim team, swims laps during practice at the Lakeshore Foundation. Photo by Erin Nelson.
Spartans hungry for redemption
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By KYLE PARMLEY
Mountain Brook’s Alice Garzon (9) hits the ball at the net in a match against Northridge during the quarterfinal round of the Class 6A state volleyball tournament at the Birmingham CrossPlex last fall. Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Mountain Brook High School volleyball program is not accustomed to ending its season like it did last year. After winning six state titles over
an eight-year period and entering the 2022 state tournament as the threetime defending champs, the Spartans fell in four sets to Bayside Academy,
See VOLLEYBALL | page A31