About us

A youth center, which was used as a community center and recreation building, was constructed on the property. Sometime before 1957, a Boy Scout house was also built.

Following the recommendations of Louis Cutrer, plans were created for a swimming pool and a kitchen for the youth center. The Lions Club donated funds for the kitchen project and the new pool officially opened on June 12, 1953.

The first pool was 33-1/3 yards in length and included a one-meter and a three-meter diving board. Before the summer of 1956, a bulkhead was installed to make the distance 25 yards for AAU-sanctioned swimming competition. There were five lanes. Dressing rooms and bathrooms were also constructed and shared with the community center.

Thanks to Bill Baker, the outdoor pool was heated and enclosed. The pool was the only indoor pool in Houston with competition diving boards through the early 1970s. For this reason, divers from the Shamrock Swim Team trained here in the winters, and Kuni Schultz helped coach them.

The indoor 25-yard pool became a reality through a generous donation from the Bill Williams Capon Dinner Group. Parents and coaches worked diligently to make it a fast, efficient pool. John Dickinson, father of three swimmers, designed the gutters and specified the depth to minimize backwash and enhance swimmer performance. The lanes were wide and the lane ropes were cutting edge. Large sliding doors on both the north and south sides provided ventilation and kept the water temperature cool enough for workouts. The areas beyond the pool deck included a coach's office, a storage area, a pump room and bleachers on the north side. There were no dressing rooms or restrooms in the new pool building. Both pools were used for training, but the majority of swim workouts were held in the new pool, leaving the 33-1/3- yard pool for lessons, synchronized swimming and diving practice.

The Dad's Club Swim Team donated 10 acres to the YMCA. The YMCA took over management of the facilities and added buildings over a period of years.

Construction began and was completed on the 50-meter outdoor pool. Richard and Ann Quick, along with R.B. Little (father of two swimmers), were the momentum behind the project. The Quicks donated $1,000 toward the cost, and swim team families underwrote the financing for construction.

The Dad's Club Swim Team became an independent entity, separate from the YMCA, although still steered by nine board members. The swim club continued to use the YMCA pools, as well as share swimming and fitness facilities with the YMCA, on the north side of the Katy Freeway at Voss Road.

The 25-yard indoor competition pool was demolished during the expansion of the I-10 Katy Freeway. The Dad’s Club Swim Team signed a seven-year lease agreement with the YMCA for $1.00 per year for the remaining six acres, two pools, gym, locker rooms and offices. At the end of seven years, and if Dad’s Club Swim Team was still operational, the YMCA would give the property back to Dad’s Club.

The YMCA lease had a provision to purchase the land for $1,000,000 and terminate the lease. The Dad's Club Swim Team signed an earnest money contract to buy back the land it donated to the YMCA in 1964, and the Westside YMCA sold six acres back to Dad's Club. The sale had a provision in it that if Dad’s Club Swim Team was still operational after five years, the Westside YMCA would return the $1,000,000 to the Dad’s Club Swim Team. This action occurred in July 2012 and the $1,000,000 bank loan was paid off. The City of Spring Valley passed a resolution to help the Dad's Club remain at 1006 Voss Road, its home for 54 years.

A two-phase project began with funding provided through generous donations from local foundations, fundraising events with contributions from members, swim parents, and local businesses, as well as personal donations by board members. The renovation of existing facilities to maintain good working conditions took place. This included re-roofing of the office buildings, complete renovation of the changing rooms, new air conditioning, replacement of windows and doors, and code-compliant electrical wiring.

Construction was completed on a new 25-yard outdoor community pool. It served as a neighborhood pool during the summer and as a training and competition pool during the rest of the year. Included in the project was a building with washrooms, a place for pool equipment, and recreational areas for patrons to enjoy during the summer months. The pool has an L-shaped design with a zero-depth entry set away from the seven swim lanes.

A capital campaign allowed for the 50-meter outdoor pool resurfacing and updated pool equipment. Today, a new property and facilities master plan has been created to make the Dad’s Club right for the present and the future, bringing the pools and buildings up to the same standard of excellence as the programs that Dad’s Club provides.