Coach prioritizes adding more swimmers to MFHS program

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  Marble Falls High School swimming coach Elizabeth Coyle and daughter Kealin Alford, a swimming regional qualifier last season, are on a mission to add more Mustangs to the program. Contributed photo

  Marble Falls High School swimming coach Elizabeth Coyle and daughter Kealin Alford, a swimming regional qualifier last season, are on a mission to add more Mustangs to the program. Contributed photo
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  Marble Falls sophomore swimmer Kealin Alford represents the community in the pool and wants to add more athletes to the program. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

  Marble Falls sophomore swimmer Kealin Alford represents the community in the pool and wants to add more athletes to the program. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

New Marble Falls High School swimming and diving coach Elizabeth Coyle’s drive for program success started with someone living under her roof — daughter Kealin Alford.

Alford advanced to the Class 4A Region IV meet last season.

“When she was really little, she wanted to be on the Olympic swim team,” the coach recalled. “As she got older, she thought ‘maybe a college swim team. I’m going to try other sports.’ I really think (swimming) is her talent. When I moved to Texas, I wanted to pick a school that has a swim team.”

Coyle is a third-grade teacher at Spicewood Elementary School and spent time with Kelly and Mark Ashbaugh, the parents of former MFHS swimmer Taylor Ashbaugh. The elder Ashbaughs were instrumental in starting the MFHS swimming program in 2018. Youngest daughter Taylor was a swimmer and wanted to compete in the sport as a high schooler.

Coyle joined the Ashbaughs when they attended Marble Falls Athletic Booster Club meetings and assisted with other day-today responsibilities of the program.

“I got to know people that way,” Coyle said. “Kelly Ashbaugh wanted me to keep the program going.”

In May 2022, weeks before she graduated, Taylor signed a National Letter of Intent to swim at Illinois College.

For two years after she graduated, there wasn’t a MFHS swimmer. That changed last year with Alford. Coach Jamie Graham, a 1992 Marble Falls High School graduate, was appointed the swimming coach last year and wit- nessed Alford's talent first hand. That result propelled Graham to advise new athletic director Keri Timmerman to bring in a swimming coach who can better help the athletes reach their fullest potential and guide them to where they want to be.

Coyle was the answer. She has several goals for the program. Top of the list is adding more swimmers.

“Wherever I go, I probably make a fool of myself,” she said. “I ask, ‘Do you swim?’ They look at me like I have eight heads. I’ve been asking people, (Kealin) has been asking people. All the other teams have relays. If we have four kids in our team, we can do relays, too.”

The two set up in an information desk at a recent event for rising freshmen where families expressed interest.

Coyle sees there’s local interest in the sport. She pointed to the summer swimming program conducted by the City of Marble Falls’ Parks and Recreation Department as proof. Dozens of swimmers of all ages show up for practices and attend meets in different parts of the state.

“There are so many good swimmers,” she said.

When the high school program first started, the Ashbaughs drove to Nitro facilities that were about 45 minutes away for practices. Since then, Marble Falls has exclusive use of one lane to train at the YMCA of the Highland Lakes in Burnet. Training for the season begins in August. And swimmers won’t have to purchase a YMCA membership to attend practices.

“We’ll have eight hours of practice a week and eight meets in a season,” Coyle said, pointing out the high school swim season runs from November to February.

Realignment made the new district more challenging. The University Interscholastic League sent out a revised list of realignment within the last month. The new District 13-4A still has Belton New Tech, Bosqueville, Burnet, Fredericksburg, Georgetown Gateway, Salado and Waco Robinson and now has Liberty Hill Legacy Ranch, the newest addition to Liberty Hill Independent School District. New Tech will host the district meet Jan. 24.

And while she appreciates having a high school program, the new coach wants more.

“Obviously I’d love for Kealin to make it to regionals,” she said. “Again, Kealin will tell her friends. So many people don’t realize there’s a (swimming) team. Hopefully we’ll get more swimmers and make it bigger and stronger and keep it going.”

Jennifer Fierro publishes reports about area youth athletic events on her website TexasChalkTalk.com. To send her a note, email fierrojennifer@yahoo.com.