History
The Aquahawks celebrated their Silver Anniversary in 1993. Before the founding of the Aquahawks in 1968, Lawrence had four small swim teams, each working at a private club in the city with a separate coach for each team. These teams scheduled dual meets during the summer and the season was capped by the Douglas County Age Group Swimming and Diving Championships held at Holiday Park Pool. In the summer of 1968, the parents and swimmers of these teams combined to form the Lawrence Swim Club, the original name of the Aquahawks.

One of the first tasks for the new club was to become actively involved in the campaign to support a bond issue for a new municipal pool. The passage of the bond issue provided a facility where the entire team could train together. When the new municipal pool opened for the 1969 season, it was quickly hailed as the premier facility in the Missouri Valley.

Bill Barnes served as the first coach for the new club and was assisted by Bob Hines and Bob Russell, two KU swimmers. Bill’s son, Brent, is credited with inventing the club mascot, the Aquahawk, while Bill’s wife, Jo Barnes, was the first to put green and yellow trunks on the waterborne Jayhawks. By 1973, the team was well established with approximately 100 registered swimmers.

In 1977, Gary Kempf became head coach. Under Gary’s leadership, the team began to expand beyond a summer program by swimming at the KU pool during semester breaks and in the late spring.

By the late 1970’s, the lack of an indoor pool in Lawrence was a serious constraint on the ability of the club to improve and expand its programs. Once again, Aquahawk families played an important role in promoting the construction of an indoor facility. Finally, in 1980, the Carl Knox Natatorium was opened at Lawrence High School under the combined direction of USD 497 and the City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department. With the addition of an indoor practice facility, the Aquahawks became a year round program.

The Aquahawk board of directors hired Dorothy Kempf in 1988 as the club’s first full-time head coach. The club continued to expand in size under Dorothy’s leadership, but the lack of pool space at the high school pool became a serious constraint. In 1991, Haskell Indian Nations University permitted the club to use the HINU pool on a limited basis.

In 1992, Bryan Beatty was hired as head coach. With his guidance and added pool space, the team grew from 100 members to about 160 members.

Several significant events occurred in 1998 for the Aquahawks. In October, 1998, after a nationwide search by the Board of Directors, Brian Barnes was hired as the Aquahawks new Head Coach. For primarily financial reasons, the Aquahawks dropped the diving portion of the program and became a swimming only program. Also in 1998, the Aquahawks became active and vocal supporters of a plan that resulted in the City Commission approving a new Indoor Aquatic Center to be built at Free State High School. The Indoor Aquatic Center opened in June 2001 and includes a 50 meter pool as well as a family/recreation pool. The Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center now serves as the main location for practices and swim meets sponsored by the Aquahawks.