The starter’s whistle pierced the cool morning air, and within seconds, the Olympic-sized pool at Coronado’s Brian Bent Memorial Aquatics Complex (BBMAC) churned with motion — arms slicing through the water, coaches shouting from the deck, stopwatches flickering by fraction of a second.
Since opening in 2006, the BBMAC has attracted collegiate and club teams from across the United States and Canada, many of whom return annually. According to Brianna Englehart, BBMAC’s director, the winter months are particularly busy, with teams cycling through two-a-day training sessions.
Between mid-December and mid-January this winter, BBMAC operated at full throttle, accommodating teams like Rutgers University, Colgate University and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which ran back-to-back practices throughout the day.
The BBMAC regularly hosts teams that bring anywhere from 10 to 75 swimmers at a time.
Englehart estimated that on an average day, around 300 people pass through the facility for swim lessons, water therapy and team training. That number can swell to 500 or 600 when tournaments and meets are in full swing.
These visitors fuel an economic undercurrent that extends beyond the lanes during the island’s slower tourism months; they stay in local hotels, dine in local restaurants and shop in Coronado’s stores.
BBMAC, named after former Coronado High School water polo player Brian Bent, began construction in 2006 with an $8.5 million plan and has since become a nucleus for high-performance swimming and water polo teams. The facility is operated as a department within the Coronado Unified School District.
Englehart said the teams come for the ideal conditions: a 50-meter pool that can be converted between short and long course, year-round warm weather and the kind of walkability that allows athletes to get around town without the logistical headache of transportation.
That last factor, Englehart emphasized, is a significant draw.
“Coaches have mentioned to me… that they have a great experience in Coronado, and they feel safe and their kids can walk to and from practice,” she said. “Most of the time, almost 99.99% of the time, they’re staying on the island, so that’s driving the local economy.”
Local businesses reflect
Melissa Miller, owner of the Croan City Inn, has been hosting BBMAC guests since the facility’s inception.
“BBMAC-related business is very important to our occupancy rates, especially because most swim teams reserve in the off-season when our occupancy is at our lowest,” Miller said via email.
Depending on the team, bookings range from seven to 25 rooms for five to seven nights.
Though Miller acknowledged that some younger teams can be rowdier than others, she said she appreciates the steady stream of guests that BBMAC brings to her business.
Beyond accommodations, visiting athletes funnel money into local businesses, such as Clayton’s Coffee Shop, during the winter months.
Mary Frese, owner and co-operator of the business, said it’s not unusual for 15 to 20 athletes to go to the restaurant at a time.
“The BBMAC, in particular, has a tremendous impact on us,” she said. “It is one of the year-after-year consistent flows of business that helps us remain as one of Coronado’s neighborhood eateries.”
The impact extends beyond economics. Christine Welsh, a senior lifeguard at BBMAC, has witnessed firsthand how visiting teams bring an elevated level of competition and camaraderie to the pool deck.
“When we host meets with professional swimmers, some of the local swimmers and coaches can learn from the different athletes that come in,” Welsh said. “It fosters a sense of community and collaboration.”
Indeed, BBMAC has a history of attracting elite talent. That includes 2022 World Aquatics Championships silver medalist Katie Grimes, 2016 Olympic medalist Michael Andrews and Micronesian Olympian Tasi Limtiaco.
The facility’s legacy is intertwined with Coronado’s own storied aquatic history — one shaped by former Coronado High School water polo coach Randy Burgess, whose players – including four-time Olympian Jesse Smith – have gone on to represent Team USA.
In the next six months alone, nine tournaments and four swim meets are scheduled at the complex.
“We’re always open to partnering with more hotels and businesses so that we can keep money in Coronado,” Englehart said.
