MEET THE COACHES!!
Coach Nolan will be back with us this summer as Head Coach.
Ever since I was a freshman in high school I’ve worked with kids ages 4-11 on improving all aspects of their swimming. I love working with young athletes! I started my swimming journey when I was just 6 years old on a summer league team in Virginia, similar to Tiger Splash. When my family moved to Dripping Springs a few years later I was reluctant to join Tiger Splash because I had decided that “swimming was not for me”. Little did I know, 8 years later I would find myself as a team captain on DSHS’s swim team. I think that speaks volumes about trying new things, that might also be uncomfortable things, which is a lesson I hope every swimmer can take away from this season. Whether it be jumping in the pool for the first time, diving for the first time, or swimming the IM for the first time, it is okay to be uncomfortable. Seeking discomfort is how we grow as swimmers, and as people! Go Tigers!
My journey started like many swimmers at Tiger Splash. It began in a summer swim league, making new friends, and discovering my love for the water. I have swam for several years on the Tiger Splash team and I also served as a JAV for many of those years and look forward to taking the next step this summer. Swimming has taken me from Tiger Splash to the DSHS varsity team, and now to the collegiate level at Montclair State University. One of my proudest moments was setting state relay records for Tiger Splash with Coach Nolan and Coach Zach, and it taught me that with the right team, anything is possible. I’ve been blessed by this sport, and now I’m back to help the next generation of Tiger Splash swimmers find their speed, crush their goals, and chase their own dreams. Let's have fun and swim fast this summer!
Coach James will be back with us for the month of May! James Akers is a 20+ year resident of Dripping Springs where he and his wife Martha have raised 4 kids including two former Tiger Splash swimmers Molly and Maggie. James has coached Tiger Splash for the past 15 years helping to challenge, teach and have fun with the coolest kids in Dripping Springs. By day, he is a business owner of Streamline Business Solutions where he brings professional leadership and selling techniques to local businesses, just like Tiger Splash. We start by first understanding "Why" each swimmer is on the team and "What" every individual swimmer wants to accomplish. Every swimmer will have a chance to overcome fears, accomplish things not imagined, and make friends and memories that will last a lifetime
Coach Alexa will be back with us for the month of May and will be with us at our home swim meets! Alexa McGilvray is a 2026 graduate of Texas A&M University & will be continuing with her journey to becoming an occupational therapist working with cognitively and physically impaired youth. Alexa is beyond excited to coach Tiger Splash for the 4th year and continue her story with the team which began when she was six years old. Alexa swam with Tiger Splash for 12 years and volunteered as a JAV for 4 years. This is her fourth year as an assistant coach for the team. Throughout her time on the team, she competed at all levels and achieved her goal of competing at Nationals for a once in a lifetime opportunity. Tiger Splash was her favorite summer activity growing up and has fostered some of her greatest friendships and memories. She is honored to continue with Tiger Splash this summer as an assistant coach. Alexa is eager to share her passion for swimming by creating an upbeat and safe environment for swimmers to grow in their swimming ability and build relationships that will last a lifetime. When she is not coaching, you can find her lifeguarding at Founders, teaching swim lessons, reading by the pool or playing with her puppy, Dakota. Coach Alexa cannot wait for the season to start and looks forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones!
