Metro Atlanta brothers dive headfirst into achieving swimming dreams

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Woodward Academy seventh grader Parker Wheeler took to the pool like a fish to water. Whether he swims flys or frees, Parker swims to his fullest, even with plenty of schoolwork to keep him busy. 

“When I was three, I started doing swim lessons because my mom wanted me to learn how to swim, because she’s from Hungary and that’s a very popular sport there,” Parker said. “I like being with my teammates and sharing this same space with them, but also seeing the hard work pay off in the meets.”

Parker’s middle school swim coach, Nikki Moody, said Parker and his older brother Preston leave their pride behind when they come to the pool. She said the two have brought more acclaim to a sport that typically doesn’t get the same attention as football or basketball.

“At this juncture, they’ve broken every single middle school record we have on the board,” Moody said. “They of course want to beat some records that have been on our boards for years and decades, but we really are telling them you’re here to have fun. This is an escape and time to be with your friends.”

Moody said as the brothers rewrite the record books, their humility and integrity set them apart from other swimmers eager to excel in the sport.

“They just come in and do the work,” Moody said. “It’s such a joy to coach them. They inspire other swimmers, which is really the greatest gift they bring to this program other than being fierce in the water and being able to swim every event we ask them to swim day in and day out.”

Michael Mahroum coaches the brothers at Swim Atlanta, where the Wheelers have made a splash honing their more competitive side. Swim Atlanta is a year-round program with seven locations across Georgia. The Wheeler brothers are part of the 180 swimmers, ages 6-18, who practice at Georgia Tech. Mahroum raved about the brothers’ ability to handle pressure.

“It’s really tough at that age to perform well,” Mahroum said. “The kids already have so much pressure on them with school and all their friends.”

Parker’s soaking up every piece of advice on his way to winning the 2025 Georgia Senior State Championships. He set three new state records and now holds 17 state records. Parker just posted the second-fastest time ever for a 12-year-old in two freestyle events last month, and he came within tenths of a second for several other national records.

“When I’m sad, my coaches help me up,” Parker said. “They also help me get better technique, because all my coaches have different perspectives and they help me find a better version of my stroke.”

Inspired by U.S. Olympian Michael Phelps, Parker hopes each stroke gets him one step closer to his ultimate goal of competing in five straight Olympic Games.

“His determination, he wants it, wants it more than anyone,” Mahroum said. “If he sticks with it, anything is possible.”