By Madeline Folsom on SwimSwam
Alabama swimming senior Sydney Blackhurst recently competed at the SEC Startup Competition and won the grand prize of $10,000 for her adaptive swim lesson foundation, Beyond Barriers.
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SEC Startup is a competition designed specifically for student-athletes at SEC schools to “foster entrepreneurship”. The contest, which is televised, sees student-athletes present their businesses to a panel of judges, who decide awards based on the business plans and pitches presented.
Blackhurst took the top prize for her pitch for the Beyond Barriers Swim Foundation, which was created to offer adaptive swim lessons in a one-on-one environment for children with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
The foundation aims to teach students about water safety while developing their motor skills and mobility in the water. The water can also be used as a relaxation tool and sensory-safe space for children.
Their website states, “We specialize in one-on-one adaptive swim lessons designed to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Our passionate instructors focus on enhancing the child’s life through the transformative benefits of swimming.”
Blackhurst started the foundation after she was diagnosed with several chronic conditions during her high school career after she became extremely fatigued during her sophomore year of high school.
She was eventually diagnosed with “hyperadrenergic POTS, Neuropathy, Von Willebrand’s disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, GERD, CAEBV, and more,” according to the BBSF website.
Before her senior year, Blackhurst stated she was stuck in bed for days at a time and was even put on heart failure medication at one point. Eventually, she got back in the water and began training again, stating “swimming became a form of therapy.”
She started the Beyond Barriers Swim Foundation to “ensure that every child has access to opportunities for progress, even when traditional paths have fallen short.”
The foundation currently has three active locations in Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Athens, Ga.; and Tucson, Ariz. They also have a 4th location in Jacksonville, Fla. coming later this year.
Blackhurst said, “Winning SEC Startup means so much to me. It was such an incredible experience, and I truly feel like I’ve been able to grow in many ways. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to share my story and showcase all the amazing work that is happening with Beyond Barriers Swim Foundation.”
Blackhurst raced at the 2026 SEC Championships, swimming the 100 breast (29th — 1:01.62) and the 200 breast (27th — 2:12.96).
The 2nd place finisher at the competition was Stuart Higdon, another swimmer and a recently graduated senior from Louisiana State University.
Higdon’s company, Tactical Elite Drone Spraying, utilizes “AI and drones to spray farmers’ fields through mapping and surveying for accuracy and precise routes.” He took home the 2nd place prize of $8,000.
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