Sharon Parr jumped into the pool for her first swimming lesson when she was 5 and really hasn’t come out of the water since.

Many years removed from her glory days at Middletown High School and St. John’s University, the former Sharon Russell still swims every day. Her masters group in Darien, Connecticut is filled with an amazing group of people. She still loves the sport and its benefits to her overall well-being and health despite no longer competing.

Parr was the best female swimmer in Middletown High School history. End of discussion. Today, she is one of the newest members of the 2025 MHS Wall of Fame class, placing her among the very best athletes to wear the blue and white.

There are 10 non-diving events in high school swimming. By the time Parr graduated in 1986, she held school records in nine of them.

Pop into the high school natatorium some time and look at the records board on the wall. Parr still has Middletown records in the 200-yard freestyle, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle - nearly 40 years after she set them.

She won six Section IX titles and qualified for the state meet as a sophomore, junior and senior. She had four top-five finishes and placed ninth in another event at states. It helped her earn a full Division I athletic scholarship to St. John’s, where her success continued.

Parr broke five school records at St. John’s and was the 1989 Big East Conference champion in the 200 butterfly. She was a team captain and a three-time team Most Valuable Player.

It all came with a lot of hard work. She was raised in a swimming family. Her father, Gordon, was her club coach. Her mother, Belle, was a swimming instructor. Sharon used to practice after school for Middletown, get out of the pool - and then hop back in for her father’s team practices. Her brother and sister, Gordon and Audrey, often were right there with her and had fine MHS careers themselves. Gordon also remains on that Middie record board.

Sharon Parr, for your record-breaking achievements in the sport of swimming & diving, we officially welcome you to the Middletown High School Class of 2025 Wall of Fame.