Brazadas Families,

On June 2, 2025, we held our first practice.

This June, Brazadas celebrates its first birthday.

One year ago, we dove into the water together for the very first time. Looking back now, I can honestly say I couldn't be happier with how our first year has gone.

Before anything else, thank you.

Thank you to every swimmer who has ever put on a Brazadas cap. Thank you to every parent who has trusted us with your child. Thank you to every volunteer, official, coach, community partner, and supporter who has helped make this first year possible.

This club would not exist without you.

Many of you may not realize that when Brazadas launched, our home pool wasn't even open yet.

East Side Aquatic Center was still under construction, and while we knew something special was coming, we had to find a way to get started. Thanks to the Kern High School District, we were able to begin our journey at the Kern Aquatic Center while East Side was being completed. We remain incredibly grateful for that opportunity to rent space at KAC.

When East Side Aquatic Center officially opened on September 2, it finally gave us a place to call home.

Like any new relationship, there have been learning moments along the way. Scheduling has had its ups and downs, but we've learned a lot together. We are thankful to the Kern High School District for providing us the opportunity to operate at East Side Aquatic Center. We appreciate the District's willingness to listen and collaborate as we continue to grow. We are fortunate to train in one of the most beautiful aquatic facilities in California.

And grow we have.

In just one year, Brazadas has grown to more than 80 year-round members, built a blossoming Masters program, welcomed more than 70 swimmers to Summer Rec Team, and expanded partnerships throughout our community.

This week, we officially launch Swim School. Teaching children how to swim has always been a core part of the vision for Brazadas, and we're excited to begin serving even more families through lessons, water safety education, and learn-to-swim opportunities.

We've watched swimmers compete in USA Swimming for the first time. We've watched athletes qualify for championship meets. We've watched parents become volunteers and officials. Most importantly, we've watched friendships form, confidence grow, and a community begin to take shape.

A year ago, none of this existed.

Today, hundreds of swimmers and families call Brazadas home.

For a club that is only one year old, that's pretty incredible.

More importantly, we've done it together.

Every swimmer, parent, volunteer, official, coach, and community partner has helped shape what Brazadas has become during its first year.

As we celebrate this anniversary, I also want to share a little bit about why I'm here.

More than two years ago, while consulting on aquatic projects around the country, I met a Bakersfield native who believed this community deserved something special. Swimming had changed his life, and he wanted to create opportunities for future generations through aquatics.

As we talked, we shared a belief that swimming can be so much more than competition. Swimming builds confidence, creates friendships, teaches accountability, saves lives, opens doors, and strengthens communities.

I knew immediately that I wanted to help.

When I moved to Bakersfield, there was no guarantee any of this would work. There wasn't a pool lease agreement in place. There wasn't a swim club. There wasn't a paycheck waiting for me at the end of the process.

There was simply a vision.

I believed in that vision enough to take the leap.

What followed were months of meetings, negotiations, paperwork, and problem solving. Some of the toughest professional work I've ever done went into helping secure the long-term agreement that allows Brazadas to operate at East Side Aquatic Center. We don't own the facility. We are proud tenants of East Side Aquatic Center, and I don't take that responsibility lightly.

I didn't come to Bakersfield to be a swim coach.

I came here to help build something from the ground up: a club, a culture, and a community that could serve Bakersfield for generations.



My focus was on building the foundation: creating a nonprofit organization, developing programs, establishing partnerships, and creating opportunities for swimmers of all ages and abilities.

Then, last September, I found myself back on the pool deck.

What started as helping with a small group of 13–14-year-olds quickly reminded me why I fell in love with swimming in the first place.

Those athletes may not realize it, but they helped reconnect me with the reasons I entered this profession decades ago.

They reminded me that swimming isn't really about facilities, budgets, contracts, or schedules.

It's about people.

It's about helping young athletes discover what they're capable of.

To those swimmers, and to every swimmer I've had the opportunity to coach this year, thank you.

You have given me far more than I could ever give back.

As Brazadas continues to grow, my role will continue to evolve. I won't always be the coach standing on deck every day, and that was never the original plan.

But I will continue doing whatever Brazadas needs from me because I believe in what we're building together.

One of my favorite moments this past year happened shortly before East Side opened. My childhood swim coach, who coached for more than forty years before retiring, made the trip to Bakersfield to see what we were building. My brother joined us, and we spent hours sharing stories about swimming, family, and life.

As I listened, I was reminded that swimming was never really about times, medals, or championships.

It was always about people.

My coach changed my life.

If I can help provide even a small part of that experience for the swimmers and families of Brazadas, then I'll consider my career a success.

Over the last two years, Bakersfield has welcomed me, challenged me, taught me, and ultimately become home.

And this is home.

I didn't move here for a job. I moved here because I believed this community deserved something special.

I also want to recognize Coach Jay. In just a few short months, he has already made a tremendous impact on our swimmers, families, and staff. We are fortunate to have someone with his experience, leadership, and passion helping us build the future of Brazadas.

Looking ahead, our work is far from finished. We want to teach more children to swim, expand our community partnerships, create scholarship opportunities, develop future coaches, and continue building pathways for athletes at every level. Whether someone joins us for their first swim lesson, their first swim meet, or their first Masters practice, we want Brazadas to be a place where they can belong and grow.

As we enter Year Two, I want you to know that I'm committed to this club and this community for the long haul.

We're here to build something meaningful, sustainable, and lasting for generations.

I often say that success is doing something that's never been done before.

That's what we're trying to do together.

So as we celebrate our first birthday this June, let's take a moment to appreciate how far we've come. Then let's get back to work building what comes next.

We'll have a special anniversary treat available for swim club members on Tuesday, and we'll be celebrating throughout the month with a few surprises and special guests.

Thank you for believing in us.

Thank you for being part of our first year.

And thank you for helping build what comes next.

Here's to Year Two!

With gratitude,

Craig

Craig Charlson 
Director, B-Town Brazadas Swim Club