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Bartlesville
Posted: Jul 02, 2025 10:11 AMUpdated: Jul 02, 2025 10:45 AM
Splash Club Celebrates 75 Years of Swimming, Safety, and Community in Bartlesville
Tom Davis
The Bartlesville Splash Club is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Founded in 1950 by Ken Treadway as a swim team for Phillips 66 employees and their families, the club has grown into a community institution that offers competitive swimming and lifesaving lessons to local youth.
Appearing on Community Connection, Coach Chad Englehart and parent volunteer Tricia Richards talked about the club’s impact and shared exciting plans for a Labor Day weekend celebration. The anniversary event will include a Friday night alumni reception, a Saturday morning “fun meet,” a silent auction, and a picnic at Woolaroc capped off by a live performance from alumni band The Hot Links. Olympic gold medalist and NBC swimming commentator Rowdy Gaines will also attend as a special guest.
Beyond competition, the club has a deep commitment to water safety. “Structured swim lessons reduce a child’s risk of drowning by 88%,” said Englehart. “That’s why we see our program as lifesaving training.”
Splash Club also brings economic benefits to Bartlesville, hosting several swim meets annually (including five consecutive winter state championships) with an estimated $3 million in local economic impact over recent years.
Looking to the future, the club is launching a new endowment to ensure its swim lessons and water safety efforts continue for generations. “This endowment will help fund instructors, facilities, and outreach,” said Richards.
Tickets for the 75th anniversary celebration are available at SplashClub75.Eventbrite.com.
For more information about the club and its programs, visit the Splash Club website.
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