Local swimmers find a home with TekMasters Swim Club

Hannah Kennedy, 16, left, and Hailee Weeks, 14, right, joke around as they wait for the next set of 100s to start during practice with the Tekmasters Swim Club at the Jervey Gantt Aquatic Fun Center in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

Home » News

Posted January 14, 2022 | By Joel Bronson

joel@ocalagazette.com

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many athletic facilities and programs to shut down. Swimming programs were hit especially hard with closures of aquatic facilities in the area that negatively impacted both competitive and casual swimmers.

A group of swim coaches came together to form the TekMasters Swim Club. TMSC is registered as an AAU and USA competitive swim club and operates year-round from the Jervey Gantt aquatics facility.

Tarn Thompson, co-founder and coach with TekMasters Swim Club, said he believes in providing multiple programs for swimmers of all levels of experience.

“We are a family-centric, community service-oriented, competitive program for all swimmers,” Thompson said. “Our club provides programs for recreational and competitive swimmers alike.”

TMSC offers instruction via recreational and developmental programs, with an emphasis on stroke development, technique and an integrated competitive style of racing that offers time trials, low-key dual meets, recreational meets and gradual pro

gression toward more competitive USA swim meets.

In the first 18 months of its existence, TMSC has produced multiple top ten rankings in the state for age-group swimming. Several swimmers who participated at TMSC went on to captain their high school swim teams and also swim at FHSAA state-level competitions.

Members of the club also work with community service partners with multiple projects, such as litter clean-up at Jervey Gantt Park, stocking soup kitchens and many other volunteer activities.

Thompson credits the family involvement and support for the club’s early success.

“We are blessed and gifted with some exceptional people and families,” Thompson said.

TMSC operates at Jervey Gantt Aquatic Center year-round. Programs offered by the club include summer recreational, national development, senior age group and cross-training.

Jervey Gantt Aquatic Center is located at 2390 SE 36^th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471.

For more information on the swim club and the programs offered, visit www.tmsc352.com.

For more information on how you can contribute to TMSC, call Coach Thompson at 352-817-1470.