WORDS: Sheri Roca
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
The Lakewood Ranch Swim Association, or LRSA “Lightning,” began in 2004 as a co-ed summer recreational program at the Lakewood Ranch Athletic Center and has blossomed into a year-round competitive USA swim team and a proud member of Florida Swimming, Inc.
In fact, in 2021, more than 20 kids on the team qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics, approximately 10 of which made the trip and competed in Houston, Texas. A few team members even placed in the top 10, like 13-year-old Molly Braybrook, 12-year-old Kim Ley Meislahn, and 14-year-old Danielle Weathers.
Behind every great team, you will usually find great leaders, which certainly seems to be the case with the Lighting. This team of mentors includes Head Coach Steve Lubrino, Coach Amanda, Assistant Coach Amy, and Coach Jacob.
Head Coach Steve, also the Lakewood Ranch High School swim team coach, has been the Head Coach of the Lightning for several years. When he took over, the Lightning was a team of only 45 kids, and now he leads a team of 140 kids with a waitlist. Although it is still a small team in comparison to their competition, many of which have 300 to 400 kids on a team, a surprising number of swimmers place in the top 25 consistently in the USA Swimming sanctioned swim meets they compete in. Coach Steve would love to continue to grow the team but understands that pool space is limited, and so for now, they are at their capacity.
Coach Steve is not just a hero to his swim team; he is a hero to our country. A transplant from Brooklyn, New York, and a retired New York City Fire Officer, Steve is a survivor of the collapse of the world trade center and the horrific events of 9/11. If his background has molded his coaching style in any way, it seems to have contributed to the relaxed and laid-back coaching style he is known for. He prefers to train with the stress on technique, and he doesn’t believe in yelling, stating: “It doesn’t get the kids anywhere but frustrated. Each team member has a different personality, and they all require lots of nurturing.”
Coach Amanda has been swimming competitively since she was eight years old. And after relocating to Florida from her home state of Pennsylvania, she continued to swim and competed on the Southeast High School Swim Team. She is ASCA Level 2 certified and coaches the silver and gold levels.
Assistant Coach Amy also started swimming at a very young age and was team captain of her high school swim team both her junior and senior years. She has been coaching the Lightning for two years, is ASCA Level 2 certified, and is responsible for new swimmer evaluations and making sure each swimmer is placed at the proper level.
Coach Jacob swam with the Lightning for several years and has been coaching the team since December 2020.
One of the main draws of this team is its laid-back atmosphere and the fact that, as a smaller team, there is a sense of family to it. And while they are a serious and competitive swim team, they also like to have fun. They have contests and run relays regularly, just to mix it up. Each year the coaches like to create a Polar Bear challenge, where each swimmer who does not miss a day of practice during the challenge gets their name on the Polar Bear Challenge T-shirt. During the holidays, they exchange secret Santa gifts and wear swim caps provided to the team, depicting the recognized colors of individual holidays, like Halloween, Christmas, and the 4th of July.
It is evident how much Coach Steve, and the entire coaching team, care about the swimmers personally. They seem to know each of the 140 team members by name and age, and they even know many of their parents and siblings. And Coach Steve recognizes that the kids have other demands on their time. Some have family responsibilities, and some are also in other sports or even have jobs. It won’t be a problem if another commitment means that you need to leave early now and then or miss an occasional practice.
“The team is whatever you make of it,” Steve acknowledges. “Some have dreams of making the Olympic team, others are hoping for a college scholarship, and some just want to be part of a team. There are even several team members that just want to swim. I just want them to do their best and work hard when they are here.”
Coach Amanda added: “Everyone is improving, and they all seem happy to be really here.” The “Elite” swimmers swim as much as five to six days a week, and many are among the group hoping for scholarships, while divisions two and three have fewer demands.
The Lightning is the only competitive swim team in Lakewood Ranch and possibly in Manatee County. Swimmers have two locations to practice, the Athletic Club in Lakewood Ranch and John Marble pool on SR-70, and practices are held on various days and times.
The team members are also encouraged to attend local swim clinics. There are clinics dedicated to speed or a particular stroke. And, according to Coach Steve, any encouragement and advice coming from another coach is always a good thing.
In 2022 they are hoping to make some exciting new changes, including venturing into their first triathlon. Coach Steve enjoys competing in triathlons and is an avid cyclist, so it will be a natural addition to his coaching skills. And some of the team already has some experience with triathlons as well, like Danielle Weathers, 14, who is already an avid triathlete. “We are going to start small with a 100–200-yard swim, biking for five to 10 miles and running half to two and a half miles, dependent on age and capabilities,” revealed Coach Steve.
When asked if he had any advice that he would like to give to kids thinking about joining the Lightning swim team, Coach Steve added: “Don’t be afraid to join or to think that you have to be an awesome swimmer. That is what we are here for.”
According to the LRSA Lightning website – “the mission of the Lakewood Ranch Swim Association is to provide a supportive environment in recreational and competitive swimming for children and young adults to develop self-esteem, increase swim skills, create lifelong friendships, and a true love for the sport of swimming. We are committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle, sportsmanship, self-discipline, and character qualities necessary to succeed in life.”
