KAYSVILLE—Davis High senior Lance Gillespie loves “everything” about participating as a member of the Darts swim team and this year he was thrilled to be voted as a team captain. Lance provides additional inspiration for his teammates as the 18-year-old, who has been swimming in the DHS program for the past three years, has Down Syndrome.

“Lance is in charge of team spirit which we really need right now because of COVID,” DHS head coach Kit Barker said. “If someone is feeling down, Lance will go over and try to cheer them up – whether it is saying something funny or pretending to steal their towel. You can’t help but smile when Lance is around.”

“Lance is very sweet and funny,” swimmer Stephen Simmons said. “He gets sarcasm and dishes it out too which is always lots of fun.”

“He is the leader of our morale and is so good for our team spirit,” swimmer Luke Deller said. 

Lance, the youngest of four children of Barry and Nancy Gillespie of Kaysville, began swimming when he was taught by a private instructor in Reno, Nev. during respite care when he was 5 years old. 

“When he was little, Lance would jump in off the dock a hundred times and make big splashes,” his mom Nancy Gillespie said. “Swimming comes easier for him than other physical activities.” When his family moved to Utah, he continued swimming with the Layton Surfers and in Special Olympics for years.

“Lance has more gold medals than we can count, including winning the 2019 state championship in the backstroke,” Nancy Gillespie said.  “He loves winning and getting the gold medal, but he doesn’t like things hanging on his neck so as soon as the pictures are taken on the medal stand, he takes the medal off.”

The two-time winner of DHS swimming’s “Most Spirit” Award swims the 50 freestyle, the 100 free and the 100 backstroke events for Davis High. 

“When he swims, the whole crowd will zone in on him and both sides get really excited for him,” Nancy Gillespie said. 

“It’s really high energy when Lance is in the race and it’s so loud,” Deller said. “He definitely gets the most cheers.”

“I hear the cheering and it makes me want to swim faster,” Lance said.

Nancy Gillespie said the experience with the Darts swim program has been so positive for her son who is “very social and loves being with his peers. Coach Barker talks about including everybody and having a place for everybody and they truly have all been very accepting and inclusive of Lance and have made a place for him. As a parent, I can’t produce that team. They are giving him something I can’t give him. It is awesome.”

An added bonus for the Gillespies is the independence this has given Lance. “He gets his swimming stuff ready, he gets himself a ride and he’s fine when we’re not there. He doesn’t even text me,” his mom said.

For Deller and his teammates, the last three years with Lance have provided them with a welcome outlook. “He helps us with our perspective all the time,” Deller said. “Most of us take swimming way too seriously at times and he keeps us remembering that it’s still fun as well.” 

“He is one amazing kid,” Barker said.