Lake County Sheriff’s Office shared a few photos on social media this past Friday of an alligator that interrupted a swim team’s practice after jumping into the pool and claiming the body of water for its own.
Florida wildlife officials said the incident took place at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida just as the swim team was about to practice. The gator jumped in and swam around holding its breath at the bottom of the pool.
The Florida gator took over the school’s eight-lane, 25-meter competition pool leaving the swim team no choice but to call the authorities to come and remove it so they could proceed.
“A 3-foot alligator … had decided to try out for the swim team, preventing the actual swim team from practicing,” Lake County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook. “Deputy Brownsberger was able to use a safety hook to bring him to the edge where Deputy Faust reached down and grabbed the gator. His mouth was then secured with electric tape and (he was) temporarily detained.”
The gator was later taken to Lake Apopka, which is further away, but still in the area, and it was released.
“No deputies or gators were hurt during the encounter,” the office said.
After sharing the photos to Facebook, the comments started rolling in and it got pretty comical.
“They should have kept the little guy in there! Would have made the team swim faster and help improve their times!” Danae Allen wrote on Facebook.
“Did the alligator make the swim team?” Lynda Cisco asked.
“Where there’s a baby there will be a momma somewhere,” Brenda Bolden Beal said.