2021 Jesse Coon Award Winner
Presentation at the Conroe ISD Natatorium during the 2022 SC Zones Champs meet:
History
In 2006, a volunteer spirit award was created to be given annually to a person that exemplified the spirit that Jesse Coon portrayed, namely a person who joyfully encouraged fellow swimmers in their aquatic pursuits. He encouraged swimmers at every level and promoted the sport to all around him. Past winners represent the heart of Masters Swimming and have been chosen because of their care and concern for others involved in the sport. Honorees are chosen annually from one of the LMSCs in the Zone.
Jesse was a great swimmer and a pioneer; setting national and world records as the first person in the 90 year old age group by swimming the 200 IM, 200 Butterfly and 400 IM. Some of these are South Central Zone records that stand, even today.
But more importantly, he loved our sport, and loved encouraging others. He worked tirelessly to promote Masters Swimming and to help it grow. Past recipients include Graham Johnston, Bruce Rollins, Dirk Marshall, Renee Prottopapas, Sandy Cattarin, Bud Jackson, Tom and Carolyn Boak, Judy Wagner, Dave Young, Susan Ingraham, Baker Shannon and DeEtte Sauer. Today we welcome and recognize a new member who represents the values Jesse Coon demonstrated.
Now
The winner of this year’s Jesse Coon award has, in the words of the person who nominated her, a larger-than-life personality. She exemplifies the spirit of Jesse Coon with her love of Masters swimming and her efforts to get swimmers more involve in the sport.
She has been participating in Masters swimming since the early 1980s and has never met a stranger on the pool deck. She spends her majority of time on deck interacting with and cheering on her fellow competitors.
She is a certified USMS coach and has earned her level 1 & 2 certifications in 2012 and her level 3 in 2016. As a highly accomplished competitor, she has 178 individual and 95 relay Top Ten rankings. She has also achieved All American status 3 years as an individual and 12 years on relays.
In addition to what she has done on the pool deck, she has also given back to USMS at both the LMSC and national levels. She has held several positions, including chairperson, in the North Texas LMSC. On the national level, Lynn has volunteered as a member of the Fitness Education Committee, the Championship Committee and the LMSC Development Committee.
Her most recent effort to get more people involved and having fun in Masters swimming was the creation of the Lone Star Masters swim group. The description of Lone Star Masters on their webpage demonstrates the cohesive spirit of the team. “LONE STAR MASTERS is a collection of swimmers who like to attend meets and especially swim RELAYS. Our members all train at various locations, some with a group and some on their own. But when we go to meets, we are all one and have a built in ‘support system’.”
For those of you who do not know and have not already surmised, our 2021 recipient of the Jesse Coon award is none other than North Texas’s Lynn Morrison, founding member of the Lone Star Masters.
