Dive into competitive youth swimming this summer
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
BURNET — Krystal Lunsford wants children to experience what she did when she was their age: fun and success in the pool as a competitive swimmer.
Lunsford is the head swimming coach at the YMCA of the Highland Lakes at Galloway-Hammond in Burnet
“I’m excited to be here and am excited to spread the love of swimming,” she said. “I want to help them out and help them grow as individuals.”
She leads three teams: the Burnet Water Dawgs, the Marble Falls Tsunami and Tex’s Waves.
The Water Dawgs and Tsunami are summer teams that introduce children to competitive swimming. Tex’s Wave’s, named after former resident and Camp Longhorn founder Julian “Tex” Robertson, allows more experienced swimmers to compete throughout the year.
The entry fee to join the Water Dawgs is $157 for the summer, while the cost to became a member of the Tsunami is $189, which includes the rental cost of the Marble Falls city pool. In all, both teams will compete in three meets in June, two in July and one in August.
The Water Dawgs will practice each Monday and Wednesday morning at the Tex Robertson Natatorium inside the YMCA, 1601 S. Water St. (U.S. 281) in Burnet.
The Tsunami will practice each Tuesday and Thursday morning at the Marble Falls city pool, 305 Buena Vista in Marble Falls.
Lunsford said she has a couple of prerequisites: swimmers must be able to freestyle swim at least 25 yards and have knowledge of the other three strokes.
Since the teams serve as an introduction to the sport for the swimmers, Lunsford said each practice will end with the athletes doing something fun as they work to keep dropping their times in each race and improve endurance.
“I want them to enjoy it,” she said. “Because if they’re not enjoying it, they won’t want to continue to do it.”
Lunsford began swimming when she was 6 months old thanks to her mother, former Burnet High School swimming coach Nancy Moore. By age 3, she was swimming all four strokes and was often the model of perfect technique for each stroke when her mother needed a demonstrator.
At 4, Lunsford was swimming competitively. As a high school swimmer, she qualified for the state meet in the butterfly and freestyle short-distance events and earned a scholarship to swim for Henderson State University.
“The butterfly is my stroke,” she said. “I love it.”
Call the YMCA at (512) 756-6180 for more information.
jfierro@thepicayune.com