03/20/2024
COACH THOMPSON ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION & CREATION OF AQUATIC SCHOLARSHIP
After nearly 15 years of coaching and teaching, Aquatics Director/Instructor Steven Thompson has announced his resignation from Tipton Community Schools as well as the creation of a new Aquatic Scholarship to benefit future generations of Tipton-area students, swimmers, and lifeguards
Included below is the resignation letter and scholarship information:
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Dear TCSC School Board, Administration, and Community:
It is with profound respect and reflection that I write to offer my resignation as the Aquatic Director/Instructor and Head Swimming & Diving Coach of Tipton Community Schools, at the conclusion of the 2024 school year. This has been my dream job and moving on from it does not mean that dream has somehow diminished – it means I have been grateful and fortunate to have lived the dream fully. Since 2010, I have been dedicated to the development of our students, athletes, and aquatic programs – resulting in the following achievements:
Aquatics Director Achievements
• Created and implemented comprehensive K-12 water safety curriculum serving over 1,200 students annually. An estimated 3,500 students have learned water safety at Tipton Schools since 2010
• Certified approximately 75 lifeguards since 2010 and facilitated employment pathways in partnership with the City of Tipton and Tipton City Pool, providing reliable annual summer employment for Tipton students.
• Established Power Aquatics Swim School, the largest learn-to-swim program in Tipton County history, with enrollments of over 350 participants annually; additionally created employment opportunities for approximately 35 different area students as instructors and staff.
• Reconstituted Power Aquatics Swim Club in 2012 (previously established and operational at Tipton from 2003 – 2009), providing year-round competitive USA Swimming opportunities for Tipton and North Central Indiana student-athletes. Through recruitment and acquisitions, increased Power Aquatics portfolio and Tipton’s competitive swimming and training influence within the region.
• Expanded the Tipton Middle School and Tipton High School Physical Education swimming curriculum to include the following Aquatic Sports & Recreation topics: Lifeguarding, Surfing, SCUBA Diving, Synchronized Swimming, Rowing, Water Polo, Aqua Zumba, and Competitive Swimming & Diving
• Created Tipton High School Advanced Aquatic course offerings including: Aquatic Facility Operations, Aquatic Sociology, Biology of Swimming, Lifeguard Management, and Water Safety Instructor
Head Swimming & Diving Coach Achievements
• 2015 Hoosier Conference Boys Champions, 2023 Hoosier Conference Girls Champions
• 2017 & 2024 MIC Middle School Conference Champions
• 4x IHSAA State Qualifiers, 1x IHSAA State Finalist
• 5x 4th Place Sectional Team Finish, 5x Sectional Coach of the Year Recognition
• 6x NCAA Athletes (Hanover, Manchester, Anderson, Georgia Southern, Franklin College)
• 55x Individual and 20x Relay Conference Champions, 1x Sectional Champion
• 10x International/Foreign Exchange Student-Athlete team members representing the following countries: Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Germany, and Spain.
• 6x Undefeated Regular Seasons, 195 Team Wins, 17 Championship, 42 Meet/Invitational Records.
• 79 of 82 School Records broken on over 200 different instances.
• If classified by school enrollment (similar to basketball) the Tipton High School Swimming & Diving Program would hypothetically have achieved 4 Team State Championships and over 15 Individual State Champions within the last decade.
Of all of these accomplishments, the greatest in my estimation is the proof of what is possible with the right people, in the right place, at the right time. As a former Tipton student-athlete, my predecessor and mentor Shawnna Lancaster (TCSC Aquatics Director 2003-2007, 2009-2010), provided me with the classroom – the pool – as a place to learn, grow, compete, fail, and succeed alongside a group of peers, teammates, and coworkers who became lifelong friends. This has always been my guiding compass while reinvesting in and leading this program; that aquatic education, recreation, and sport can create unique opportunities and a community for those who value the process, the program, and the people. The people and the relationships have and will always be the most meaningful part of this experience.
As an advocate of aquatic safety, I continue to believe in the importance of available access to aquatic educational opportunities and encourage the TCSC School Board and Administration to make exhaustive effort to continue providing this life-saving curriculum to its students. It is my strong belief that a disservice would be done, a unique amenity of this school lost, and the safety of our community’s children compromised, if the opportunity to advance upon the successes we’ve proven possible thus far was not explored or extended. While I cannot expect the person who replaces me to be me, I am hopeful that they will be surrounded and supported by an equally inspiring group of impassioned individuals working together to make our small corner of the world a better place. In support of that hope, I am proud to announce the creation of the Steven T. Thompson Aquatic Scholarship; a $1000 privately-funded, annually-available scholarship awarded to Tipton High School graduates who embrace the aquatic opportunities afforded to them as part of a community of which, for the nearly 20 years, I have been fortunate and grateful to be a part
“At the end of the day, it's not about what you have or even what you've accomplished. It's about what you've done with those accomplishments. It’s about who you've lifted up, who you've made better. It about what you've given back" - Denzel Washington
- Steven T. Thompson
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Aquatic Scholarship
What is the Steven T. Thompson Aquatic Scholarship?
Established in 2024, this privately-funded scholarship offers $1000 to Tipton High School graduates who have immersed and invested themselves in the aquatic offerings and opportunity of the Tipton community with plans to attend Ball State University.
This aquatic scholarship is designed to invest in those individuals who embrace the aquatic opportunities afforded to them as part of the Tipton community; those individuals who have exemplified the dedication and sportsmanship as a Tipton Blue Devil swimmer or diver; those who have served their community by providing safety and surveillance as a Tipton City Pool lifeguard; those who aspire to further their education (aquatics-related or not) at Ball State University.
Who can apply?
Applicants must meet the following requirement:
- Graduate of Tipton High School | must have minimum 2.5 GPA or better at time of graduation
- Member of Tipton Blue Devil Swimming & Diving team | must have minimum 1 year/season as a member of the Tipton High School Swimming & Diving team.
- Tipton City Pool Lifeguard | must have minimum 1 year experience as a member of the Tipton City Pool lifeguarding staff.
- Enrolled at/Accepted to Ball State University | must provide proof of acceptance/enrollment
What is the deadline for the scholarship application?
- The application must be submitted no later than May 1st
Google Form Application
Link: https://forms.gle/2k4tLYaUTVgzoja99
