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Directions to the Branson RecPlex
  Exit on the Branson Hills Parkway/Bee Creek exit off of Hwy 65.  Turn west and pass the Wal-Mart Super Center and the Target store and continue about 1 mile.  The Branson RecPlex is located on the left.

 1500 Branson Hills Parkway
Branson, MO  65616
(417)335-2368

 

























































































Branson Waves Swim Team Manager

The Branson Waves is lead by swim team Manager Alicia Bates. To contact Alicia about how to join the swim team or to learn more about the program, call Alicia at 335-2523 or e-mail her at abates@cityofbranson.org.

 

Branson Waves Swim Coach Michelle May

Michelle May grew up in Claremore, Oklahoma and swam for ten years, on both a recreation league and on a high school team. She has been swimming from a very early age, swimming every day during the summers in her parent's pool. She has always loved the sport of swimming as both a hobby and a sport. She swam the 200 Backstroke and the 200 I.M. as her specialty events when competing.
She has taught swimming for the last two summers at different camps and has been a Red Cross certified lifeguard for over four years. Coach May has worked at a variety of summer camps, two of which include Camp Lookout and Kids Across America (a division of Kanakuk). Michelle graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education from College of the Ozarks in May 2008. She is currently serving as a K-12 school counselor at Chadwick school district, about 45 minutes from Branson.

Michelle coached the Branson Waves in 2008 for one season before accepting a position to coach the Monett Waterthrashers in 2009. Michelle is now returning to once again coach the Branson Waves for the 2010 season.

She has a passion about working with kids and can't wait for summer to get here so that the swim season can get started. Michelle describes her coaching philosophy as she strives to push each swimmer to a new level of personal excellence. She does not accept that past times or the ability level that a swimmer is performing at is where they should stay, rather each swimmer must constantly be challenging themselves to do better as to not become stagnant. You should continually strive to do your best, to be the most gracious competitors, and to leave each practice and meet knowing you tried your best. We are going to have a great season, come ready to make some waves!!!!

If you would like to contact Michelle about the Waves, feel free to email her at Drinkmywake@gmail.com.

 

Branson Waves Assistant Swim Coach James Grimmer
James Grimmer grew up in Peoria, IL and has been around the water all his life. He started when he was in the "7 and under" group during the summer and winter swim programs. He continued in the sport of swimming throughout high school, with freestyle as his main discipline. He ended up swimming at the Illinois State meet 3 out of 4 years. After high school, he was blessed to receive a scholarship to swim at Butler University, a Division 1 school. There he started with the emphasis of freestyle sprints and butterfly, and eventually became the middle distance specialist swimming the 100, 200, and 500 yard freestyle.

After college, James spent a year at the Kanakuk Institute, where he gained the biblical knowledge and tools to go into youth ministry. From there, he went to work for K-Life Ministries. He started as a staff guy in Dallas, TX, then started a K-Life in the middle of Kansas, where he served for 3 years. In the summer of 2008, James and his wife moved to Branson, so that he could serve as a Regional Director, overseeing 8 other K-Life chapters. In the past 5 years, he has had the opportunity to coach Jr. High basketball and football, High School basketball and track, and hold swim lessons for kids of all ages. James has been married to his wife, Erika, since 2005, and has one daughter, Briley, who turned one in March 2010. James loves influencing kids and watching them grow not just in their sport, but in their lives as well. He is looking forward to the time with Branson Waves, getting to know all the kids and parents involved, and watching both the swim program and the kids grow.