New Swim & Tennis Club Director Brings Wellness and Sports Programs to Seaside

Ann Grelling Foster has a history in Seaside, working in several positions over the years. Today, she’s the new Seaside Swim & Tennis Club director.

After graduating from the University of Texas in 2001 and working as a nursing assistant for almost a year in an ICU in Austin, Ann decided to move back home to Destin. “I had a friend who had worked at Perspicasity so I decided to apply,” Ann tells The Seaside Times. “I loved being outside and appreciated that Perspicasity (and Seaside in general) was unique. I felt like it had a little bit of what I missed about Austin.” 

Ann started as a salesperson at Perspicasity and was promoted to assistant manager after a year. She then moved to Atlanta, lived there for five years, and returned home to Destin in 2010. She ended up managing Perspicacity for five years, before being promoted to Director of Sales and Operations for Seaside Associated Stores. Ann attended nursing school in 2020 and continued to work in Seaside as the talent and culture coordinator. 

Now, she’s developing a health and wellness program, which perfectly utilizes her background in nursing and her knowledge from working in Seaside for so many years. Plus, it helps that she was a competitive swimmer growing up. 

“When Erica first approached me about the opportunity for developing health and wellness at Seaside Swim & Tennis, I got excited because I knew it had the potential to allow me to embody values that I’ve developed over my whole life,” Ann says. “Being outside, swimming, building successful teams, developing health and wellness initiatives, being among so many great people and having it all be in the supportive and innovative environment of Seaside seemed like a dream job.” 

Visitors can expect smiling faces and a lot of great new programming for both members and guests of Swim & Tennis. The club offers beach volleyball near the Coleman Pavilion on Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m. And plans are in the works for swim lessons, water aerobics, a walking club, and potentially a kids camp starting next summer. Plus, there’s a personal trainer on staff. 

They’re always looking for input from members from programming, and will be updating the calendar with exciting new activities.