NBA’s Reggie and Cheryl Miller. Track & Field’s Carl and Carol Lewis. SOR’s Seth and Abby. The Midway community is a family-oriented one with a history of athletic siblings but maybe none more successful than the brother/sister duo of Seth Hughes and Abby Bertram.
Seth graduated from MHS in 2014 where he was the one and only member of the Midway swim team. Swim team you say? Yes, swim team. Well, sort of. Seth fell in love with swimming in middle school and trained in Lenoir City and Oak Ridge – and possibly around Thief Neck island in the summer months. He represented Midway in competitions across the state, and qualified for the State Tournament his junior year. Seth’s success landed him a scholarship to Carson-Newman where he continued to make waves and set records. Last month, Seth finished in the top eight of the 100 Backstroke at the National Championships in Indiana, earning himself and Carson-Newman, All-American honors. He is only the 2nd Carson-Newman men’s swimmer in history to win All-American status.
Meanwhile, four states and more than 1,000 miles away, Seth’s little sister Abby was leading her Lee University team to the Gulf South Conference Championship in Florida and securing their spot in the Division II NCAA Tournament. This former Lady Wave was also named to the GSC All-Tournament Team. Abby graduated from MHS in 2016 where she surpassed the 1,000 point club as a junior, and lead the team to a District Championship her senior year. Abby accepted an offer from Lee University to continue her education and basketball career. And just like her time at Midway, she has continued to do nothing but win. This from Lee University’s website:
“Lee women’s basketball junior Abby Bertram led the Lady Flames to the program’s first Gulf South Conference Championship and third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 25-6 record, averaging 14.5 points per game and canning 73 triples.
Bertram, a 5-foot-9 guard from Kingston, Tenn, scored 19 points, grabbed nine rebounds and was named the tournament’s most outstanding player in win over Valdosta State in the GSC title game. Bertram was a first team All-GSC selection and lands on the all-region team for the first time in her career.”
We had a virtual sit-down with these collegiate winners to discuss their recent success.
SORSN: Seth, congratulations on a great career at Carson-Newman and your recent All-American award. When did you realize that you had accomplished All-American status? Tell us what went through your head when you saw your personal best time of 47:73?
SETH: After my race I stood staring at the results on the board waiting to see if my name was in the top 8. I was super anxious because there was still another final heat after mine. Usually the last heat is reserved for the fastest swimmers at the meet so I was sure they would swim faster and I just sort of waited to see the outcome. I didn’t truly realize I made it until I saw my teammate Chad who ran over with open arms and hugged me. I kept asking him if that was the right time because my name stayed at the number 8 spot after the final heat and though for sure they swam faster, but they didn’t! The next closet time was .01 behind me and I was officially an All-American!
I just tried to focus and stay calm during the entire process even if i didn’t make it I told myself I would be just as happy with the result.
Also the time was 47.47!
SORSN: Abby Bertram, Gulf South Conference champion. Tournament MVP. How great does that sound? Tell us about that championship game, the big shots from behind the arc and the free-throws to seal the win?
ABBY: It has a pretty good ring to it! Definitely something I’ve been wanting to hear since I’ve been at Lee. Having the opportunity to play in a championship game is such a surreal feeling. It’s hard to tell yourself to calm down and not make it such a big deal before the game, because it is just another game. But this being the first time being in the GSC championship, it was hard to keep the exciting nerves to a low. Once the game got going, and we all got settled in, it was like another game though. We played the way we knew how to play and executed on both ends. The big shots came from playing as a team and getting the shots we needed to get. If it happened to be me that shot it, it’s only because my teammates got me open and got me the ball. Down the stretch, when Valdosta started to foul, we knew we had to knock down free throws as a team. We talked about it on the floor as a group and together we did just that. I am so blessed to be able to be a part of such a great team and program and I’m very excited to see what next year holds!
SORSN: Many of us follow your success through social media thanks to your family. Tell us about that support system.
SETH: The support my family and friends showed me on Facebook was more than anyone could ask for. I couldn’t tell you how many comments, texts, and phone calls I got either congratulating me or wishing me good luck. The biggest promo I got was definitely through my mom Sarah Hughes and grandparents Michael and Karen Hughes. I had family and friends commenting who I’ve never even met before and just knowing their support was extremely comforting during the preliminary sessions.
ABBY: My family is a huge part of my support system. My mom, dad, and grandparents only miss games for can’t-miss events. I also have a lot of people from back home support me as well. The Midway community has always been such a committed group of people. No matter where you go, the Midway community will always support you. I am so thankful to have the family and fan base that is willing to support me no matter how far the drive.
SORSN: Competitive swimming, while growing in popularity, is still in its infancy in Roane County. How did you get into the sport?
SETH: I started swimming because of my best friends mom Laura Simmons who had messaged me on Facebook which now that I think about it is ironic because here we are again using Facebook to tell the tale. She wanted to know if I’d be interested in swimming with Luke and of course I knew swimmers were incredibly toned and conditioned athletes and I was always looking for the next edge plus I thought swimming would be great conditioning for coach Ruffner’s summer basketball practices.
While competitive swimming is hard to get into here in Roane county if you have the drive and passion you can easily find the right stepping stones to succeed. I did that through word of mouth
Through LC and eventually Oakridge which are the closest indoor training facilities.
At one point I was even driving a jetski to practice with my friend Adam Klinker! You find creative ways to wake up sometimes because let me tell ya swimming in the cold water in the mornings can be rough!
SORSN: When did you start to realize that basketball was your sport, your passion?
ABBY: I was about four years old when I started playing basketball. It was always something that came very natural to me. My dad is a basketball coach and I practically grew up in a gym so I always had a ball in my hand, always practicing. When you find out that you’re good at something and want to work to get better at it, it sort of becomes your passion. That’s how basketball was for me.
SORSN: Your sister just helped lead Lee University to their first ever Gulf South Conference championship and was named Tournament MVP. Tell us about Abby, what drives her, what contributes to her success, what her success means to you, etc.
SETH: I think at a young age my sister and I both knew that our options for college financially would be a big problem. Anyone who knows our family knows that we sort of grew up in a Dave Ramsey type household. The idea of coming out of school with tons of student loans or worse having our mother or grandparents having those burdens, I think was the ultimate factor. Don’t get me wrong, our family would’ve have helped us in a heartbeat but after everything they’ve already done for us, it was time for us to do our part. We both knew that we could do more with our lives and have better opportunities to succeed with a college degree and athletics seemed to be the clear path for us to be able to do that. I would say my sister and I both have similar things that drives us. Financial opportunities, discipline, making our family and friends proud, and ultimately us having fun and being happy.
For me it was clear that swimming had more opportunities and gave me the best results out of all the sports I’ve played before. Quitting basketball my sophomore year for swimming was very difficult for me. Coming from the Hughes basketball household, it was something I thought I could fall in line with and succeed at. I’m so glad my sister and I chose the path we did.
Abby’s success for me lets me know that we’re exactly in the right place. I’m proud that we both have our respected fields of talent and I’m proud to be known as her older brother. Part of the reason why I think she turned down a full-ride scholarship at Carson-Newman to play basketball was because of me. She didn’t want to be known as “hey aren’t you Seth’s little sister” and wanted to make a name for herself somewhere else. Sometimes I wonder if it would’ve have been the other way around as in “hey aren’t you Abby’s older brother?” with the amount of success she’s had.
SORSN: Your brother is a NCAA All-American swimmer. Tell us about Seth, what his success means to you, what drives him, what has contributed to his success, etc.
ABBY: I always thought it was impressive that Seth started swimming so late and accomplished more than swimmers who had been swimming their whole lives. Being an All-American was always his goal and I think that’s what was driving him to get better over the years. It never came easy and I’m sure he would tell you that himself. To get the recognition, you got to put in the work and he did just that. Hard work and perseverance equals success and to see him succeed at a goal he set is pretty amazing. I’m a proud sister!
SORSN: What was it like growing up with Abby?
SETH: Growing up with Abby was interesting to say the least! We’ve always been competitive against each other at everything we do! I remember she wanted to everything that I did even if that meant using the bathroom standing up! I think we have a really good relationship now though when we were younger that was not the case.
When we were little opening the pool for the summer was a huge event. We constantly nagged our grandparents about opening it all the time and when it finally did open we were in it nonstop playing games like Marco Polo and sharks and minnows. Around the back of the house we played horse or 1v1 basketball on our make shift court. It was the same place, same goal, and same old dirty concrete where our mom and aunt Amanda practiced growing up. There were many skinned elbows, knees, arguments, and three’s shot on that court. We have since moved away from there but thinking back to all of the things we did “for fun”, actually turned out to lay a pretty good foundation for both of us.
SORSN: What was it like growing up with Seth?
ABBY: It was your typical big brother/little sister relationship. Anything he did I wanted to try and do it and do it better. Sometimes I could and sometimes I couldn’t. We weren’t this closest of siblings, but as we have gotten older, we have learned to appreciate each other more.
SORSN: Who has the better hair?
SETH: When it comes to the hair….. I think abby has me beat. Of course, I’m only saying that because she’s rocked the style a lot longer than me and would probably start an argument to claim the title.
ABBY: Our hair is very similar, but I think my volume and afro is much better. He has just recently started growing his out to try and catch up with me, but we’ll have to see if it can be better than mine.
SORSN: What’s more impressive and why…..knocking down a clutch free-throw with a college championship at stake or swimming 100 meter backstroke in under 48 seconds next to some of the best swimmers in the country?
SETH: Sorry Abby you might have me beat on the hair but I think I take the crown when it comes to competing in the pool!
ABBY: Though swimming to the other side of the pool is a little more tasking than hitting a free throw, I’m going to say hitting that clutch free-throw is a little more impressive. Free- throws always seem like an easy shot to some people, but at that point in a championship game, it’s not an easy shot. It’s mind over matter at that point.
SORSN: Last question, Abby how often have you had to ask Seth to put some board shorts on?
ABBY: More often than not! Hopefully now that he’s done with swimming he’ll retire the Speedo as well.
Thank you Abby & Seth for your time and we wish you continued success.