Back in August 2007, 3-time Olympic gold medalist Sandy Neilson-Bell wrote, “Tex Robertson used to call me ‘champ’ and then he called me ‘coach’. He was coach to many, and to me he was a champ. I met Tex the same way many have. There was an introduction and then Tex was handing me a [University of Texas] Orange candy cane with ‘Attawaytogo’ printed on it. I heard him say that many times over the years and on many pool decsk. I came to understand, that was Tex: always encouraging, always bringing out the best in others, and forever applauding good and worthwhile efforts.
Among Tex’s many, many accomplishments, and many firsts Tex, in the mid 1930’, established and coached the University of Texas Swim Team. In addition, he also founded the Austin Aquatic Club. He used Deep Eddy Pool and Barton Springs as the team’s training sites. Following Tex, after a succession of coaches including: Bill Crenshaw, Wally Pryor, and Pat Patterson, my husband Keith Bell followed as Austin Aquatics head coach.
Later, Keith formed and volunteer-coached, the first Masters swim team at the University of Texas as well as coaching the Texas Women’s Swim Team in their first year as an official intercollegiate team. As the swimming world’s first sports psychologist, Keith helped both the UT men’s and women’s team members to success.
Fast forward to the 1990s — Tex’s 80s and 90s. It was a definite highlight of my swimming and coaching careers as I took over the UT Masters team that Keith founded. At that time, we had the privilege of coaching Tex. I saw in Keith and Tex, a reunion of two very inventive minds who always thought ‘outside the box’ and appeared to greatly inspire one another. Keith had great admiration for Tex and I believe Tex valued Keith’s contributions to the programs and pools he so clearly loved. Both held dear the special love of Austin Aquatics, Deep Eddy Pool, UT Swimming and the advancement of swimming and swimmers in general.
We were, and are still, privileged to have a friendship with Tex and his family. An abundance of swim trips together with Tex and his wife, Pat, or Tex and the guys, and the many lunches between swim meet sessions fulfilled my quota of gut-wrenching laughter. Had I not been sandwiched between Tex and his buddies at those lunches, I would have many times been rolling out on the diner floor with laughter. They were so fun and full of life. Their lives told a story of grit, humor, and historical longevity, in and out of the pool.
North versus South Texas All-Star Meet
90-year-old Tex, 89-year-old Jesse Coon, Sandy (43), 88-year-old Roy Bodine, and 85-year-old Ben Allen [shown above on left with 43-year-old Sandy Neilson-Bell] were the first 85+ year old relay in history and referred to themselves as the ‘dinosaur relay’, They may have been the senior group of the seniors (85-90 years), but they were definitely young at heart and projected that at every turn.
The event was the North versus South Texas All-Star Meet. When I was a kid I swam for the South in California’s North versus South meet. This event was in Texas. And, it too was an age group meet for swimmers 12-18.
So . . . what were these very seniors doing at this particular kids’ meet? The organizer, Steve Emmanuel, who also had a wonderful passion for documenting Texas swimming history, thought it would be nice to highlight the country’s oldest men’s relay and give the kids a chance to share in the novelty of a National Record being set by a different generation.
There had never been 4 men over 85 on one team before [in 1999]. Tex used to like to say something like ‘to win I just need to outlive my competition’. Well, he didn’t need to do that in order to win, as you can see by some of Tex’s performances – but, he did anyway. That’s Tex, always going the extra mile.
In the morning session of the All-Star Meet, the guys swam a U.S. Masters Swimming National record-setting 200 medley relay in 3:46.43, to minimal fanfare. The kids were pretty wrapped up in their own swims, warming down, questioning coaches and parents about what to do for lunch, and so forth — typical teenage concerns.
The meet, however, got quite competitive during the evening session. During a break in the meet, the guys were up for their freestyle relay and people then began to take notice. One by one Roy, Ben, Jesse, and Tex stepped forward from their seats on deck to be introduced. They began taking off their sweats and stood in speedos alone, no goggles no caps. One after another they climbed atop the starting block to wait for a teammate’s touch.
Each swam their 50-yard leg of the 200 free relay — Ben swimming breaststroke as his breaststroke was faster than his freestyle. They were quickly on the way to establishing the first-ever 85+ USMS Men’s National Record in this event. With each leg of the relay, a larger group of young swimmers took notice and, on their feet, began loudly cheering. By the time Tex was up for the anchor leg of the relay, most eyes were on the team and the crowd noise more than filled the swim center.
Tex dove in and as he reached the 25-yard mark, ready to turn, the young swimmers and coaches were hooting and hollering. We were going to have a new national record tonight. Then, a wonderful thing happened. That 90-year-old swimmer, Tex Robertson — our Tex — flipped his turn.
Little did the crowd know that Tex invented the flip turn [and was an alternate on the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics water polo team and led the University of Michigan to two national collegi].
The noise from the crowd was deafening with most everyone whooping it up. Swimmers were actually jumping up and down in the stands. The screaming didn’t stop until minutes after Tex hit the finish and climbed out of the pool to another USMS National Relay Record of 3:38.91.
What a wonderful example and thrill for all those young swimmers, their coaches, and families.
Afterwards, the guys sat and enjoyed the meet. Swimmers came over to congratulate, chat, and ask for autographs. I am guessing that the experience of watching that men’s relay will stay with those youngsters forever. It was a special day for the boys too. And, also just a day in the life of Tex Robertson, who affected so many more, just like that, everywhere he went.
Neilson’s words were part of a eulogy that she wrote about Tex who passed away at the age of 98 on August 27th 2007.
Soon thereafter, Keith Bell and Sandy Neilson established the Tex Robertson Highland Lakes Challenge as the first stage swim in their beloved Austin, Texas – and they have been honoring Tex year in and year out since.
2025 Tex Robertson Highland Lakes Challenge
55-year-old Collis Williams topped the Weekend Warrior charts after three days and three stages of the Tex Robertson Highland Lakes Challenge – winning overall over a pair of 38-year-olds Jason Hauck and Nicholas Sterghos [shown below].
Day One was the 3.5-mile Travis Traverse stage. Day Two was the 2.2-mile LBJ Loop stage. Day Three was the 3.6-mile Swim The Canyon stage.
Tex Robertson Highland Lakes Challenge Days 1 + 2 + 3 Cumulative Results
- Collis Williams (55) 3 hours 36 minutes
- Jason Hauck (38) 3 hours 40 minutes
- Nicholas Sterghos (38) 3 hours 42 minutes
- Andreas Lorenz (64) 3 hours 54 minutes
- Rafael del Blanco (51) 4 hours 1 minute
- Chantal Miklosi (55) 4 hours 12 minutes
- Anna DeLozier (62) 4 hours 11 minutes
- Sandra Gliga (41) 4 hours 20 minutes
- John Batchelder (44) 4 hours 30 minutes
- Meaghan Suhich (36) 4 hours 31 minutes
- Angela Williamson (40) 4 hours 44 minutes
- Kathy McCarty (63) 4 hours 48 minutes
- Caroline Bloom (41) 5 hours 0 minutes
- Matthew McClellan (27) 5 hours 36 minutes
- Emma Blanco (52) 5 hours 53 minutes
- Marina Douenat (54) 5 hours 44 minutes
And true to Tex’s vision to coach and inspire swimmers of any age, younger swimmers participated in the weekend races.
On Saturday LBJ Loop race, young 16-year-old Varekai Owens won the 2.2-mile race in 47:22 while 15-year-old Ty Felan won the 1.1-mile LBJ Short Loop in 40:18 with 15-year-old Sophia Bartlett finishing in 41:11. 15-year-old Aaron Locker won Sunday’s 3.2-mile Swim The Canyon in 1:26:33.
For more information about the race, visit the Facebook page here or the Winning Isn’t Normal website page here.
© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
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