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September of 1982, the location Oakland California, Dix Ozier,
Candidate Mills College Masters Degree in Music forms two US
Masters programs. One is at Mills College, known as the Mills
Aquatic Masters, and the other is at the Claremont Hotel and is
called Pisces Masters. Dix is the Coach Owner of these two
programs. The summer of ’87 arrives and circumstances
conspire to move these teams out of their homes and a search begins
for a new pool.
The search committee identifies free pool time at Holy Names
College and the two teams decide to move there and combine to form
one team, the Manatee Aquatic Masters. MAM inc. is a 501c.3
corporation, owned and operated by a Board of Directors. Dix
is hired as head coach, and the Manatees prosper in their new home.
In 1988, Dix is recruited by the Holmes Lumberjax Swim Club of
Florida, who put together an “unofficial” US Team for
the FINA Masters World Championships in Perth Australia. Dix makes
the journey and comes home with a World Record in the 50m
Backstroke (:24.7), and a new sweetheart (awww). Dix’s soon
to be spouse wishes to return to her home in New Zealand, and Dix
is up for the trip.
In 1990 Dix bids Oakland and the Manatees adieu, and sets sail
for points west, leaving the Manatees coach-less. Brian
Stack, an assistant coach for the Manatees, who started with the
team in 1986, applies for the job in November of 1990 and is
hired. The Manatees swim into the ‘90s as a growing
team, both in members and reputation. By 1997 we are swimming
about 22 hours a week at Holy Names and many of the practices are
at capacity.
That year the Manatees receive an invitation from the Aquatics
Director at Mills College to come and take a look at their new
pool. In 1998, the Manatees are on the road again, settling
at Mills’ new pool. The size of the Mills Pool allows for
more growth and soon the Manatees have hit 200+ members, making us
the largest Masters swimming team in the East Bay.
In April of 2008, after our contract was up at Mills, we made
our way back up Highway 13 to the friendly Holy Names campus, where
we again reside today. Currently, we run almost 30 practices
a week (morning, noon, and evening) to accommodate the schedules of
all of our members. We have members who swim for both fitness
and training for competition (swimming and triathlon; pool and
open-water events). We pride ourselves on being a friendly,
welcoming team for swimmers of all levels and swimming backgrounds.
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