DALLAS — David W. Carter High School’s girls’ swim team reached new heights, and it started with senior Tonnie Nelson taking up a new responsibility.
“I was like yeah. I’ll be a manager. Pick some people up. Take them to practice,” Nelson said.
Even with a 7:30 a.m. start and a flat tire, Nelson is always willing to go the distance — no matter how deep it takes her.
“I’ve always just done track and cross country,” Nelson said. “I barely even knew Carter had a swim team.”
The team had just three swimmers when she joined. The school has no pool, so they practice off-campus at Lisbon Swimming Pool in Oak Cliff.
“When this year came, coach was like, ‘Yeah man, we need a bigger team,’” Nelson said, speaking of head coach James Spencer.
“My girls were kind of recruiting, and they were, like, all over the building trying to get as many girls as they possibly could to come on the team,” Spencer told WFAA. Nelson took the lead in recruiting. “She made sure that people were here, people depending on her for rides to get here,” Spencer said.
The girls built a full team and took many by surprise. “It’s not only because we have a swimming team. It’s because we can actually swim,” said Nelson.
For the first time in school history, the girls won the District 6-4A championship.
“They broke down a lot of barriers, you know, for the culture. They also broke down a lot of barriers for the school,” Spencer said. “You’ve got to beat that hurdle. You’ve got to beat that obstacle.”
Nelson along with her teammates have been beating the odds together.
“I started swimming last year and now look at me. I’m getting interviewed by the news. So, it’s like don’t doubt yourself,” Nelson said.
They are reminding others that if you don’t see a way, you make one.
