This past Sunday, the Tsunami Swim Club transformed the Seward pool into a hub of laughter, splashing, and friendly competition. Kids ages 5 to 18 came out to give swimming a try, meet the coaches, and have some fun in the water. It felt more like a neighborhood pool party than a tryout, with plenty of encouragement and coaches on hand to answer parental questions and guide kids through swim tests.
Sunday’s session included a “can you make it down the lane?” challenge for new swimmers, plus plenty of free play and a swim store staffed by volunteers ready to help kids gear up for the season. Volunteers also registered swimmers and helped out on deck, making sure everyone felt welcome and included.
The Tsunami Swim Club gives families in Seward a healthy, active way to beat the winter blues. With rain and darkness settling in, the swim team offers a much-needed break from screens and a chance for kids to burn off energy, connect with friends, and build new skills. Tryouts will continue throughout the season, with children able to join at any time. Seward Swim Club Interest Form
This year, the club kicked off an exciting new partnership with Seward Sports and Recreation: now, the youngest swimmers, kindergarten through third grade, can ride straight from school to the pool, making it easier than ever for families to get their kids involved.
The club is a force in local youth sports. Last season, the Tsunamis had 82 swimmers, with one senior championship qualifier, fourteen age group championship qualifiers, and 27 brand new teammates. The 2024-25 season is already off to a strong start, with 40 kids signed up and ten more trying out just this past weekend. More are expected to join soon.
Tsunami Swim Club coaches know how to bring out the best in young athletes. Head coach Solomon D’Amico, currently on sabbatical, has led the club since 2014. Stepping in is Cara Maxwell, a four-year collegiate swimmer from the University of North Florida. The staff’s collective résumé is impressive: Tara Craytor, a Seward native and former Tsunami who captained her women’s team at Lewis and Clark College; Christy Phillips, who competed at the national level in synchronized swimming; Sylvia Ingram, retired pool manager and swim coach since 1988; Tracy Squires, a Seward grad and founding member of the Seahawks swim team, who swam for Washington State; and Katie Cornwell, who grew up swimming competitively in Arizona and played Division I water polo at Arizona State. And the veteran swim club board president, and USA Swimming certified coach, Leslie Jacoby, will also be on deck.
Parents are just as enthusiastic as the kids. Board treasurer Sarah Tougas, who has two children on the team, says, “I have my kids swim because it’s a healthy, good activity for them to do, especially during the tough winters in Seward.”
Jake Boulden, a former Tsunami himself, adds, “I was a member when I was the age of my children. Swimming is the best sport to form a solid background in sports. Participation in swimming will give my children more opportunities as they get older.”
The Tsunami Swim Club operates as a nonprofit, putting every dollar from registration fees, monthly dues, its Swim-a-thon, and local donations right back into the program—paying for coaches, pool time, equipment, or travel to meets as far away as the Lower 48.
And it’s about more than fast swimming. The Tsunamis are one of just two clubs in Alaska recognized as a Safe Sport club by USA Swimming, meaning athlete safety, respect, and a positive environment for all kids are at the heart of every practice and meet.
At the end of the day, the Tsunami Swim Club is about giving Seward’s kids the chance to dream big, and sometimes, those dreams lead straight to the Olympic podium. Lydia Jacoby, Seward’s own Olympic medalist, remains on the Tsunami Swim Club as a professional athlete and is coached by Solomon D’Amico.
So who knows? The next time you see a kid swimming their first length of the pool, you might just be watching a future gold medalist in action.
Practice begins on November 3rd. The Tsunami swim season kicks off with the Turkey Time Swim Meet in Homer, scheduled for November 22-23. The next meet, the Candy Cane Splash, will be held at home in Seward on December 6th. For more details, please visit the Seward Tsunami Swim Club website.
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