About johnnie means aquatics
JMA is a competitive swim team based in Third Ward, Houston, Texas. Founded in 2022 to support the diverse community of central Houston.
JMA is a USA Swimming affiliated club and is a member of Gulf Swimming, one of five Texas Local Swimming Committees (LSCs).
about us
Our Team
Our swimmers come from all across the Greater Houston area to train. Our swimmers (ages 5-18) attend schools in Houston ISD, Pearland ISD, Fort Bend ISD, and Humble ISD. Our middle and high school swimmers also participate on the school swim teams.
OUR COACHES
Our Coaching team advances the legacy of Johnnie Means, Texas Hall of Fame Coach with over 60 years of experience. Our coaches have access to the most comprehensive training and certification program for youth coaches of any sport. Our culture of learning ensures that your swimmer is trained using the most current age appropriate programming.
NON-PROFIT STATUS
Johnnie Means Aquatics, a 501©3 non-profit club, is run by its elected Board of Directors which meets quarterly. All members are welcome at each meeting and encouraged to be involved in team activities and fundraisers.
Community Involvement
JMA has pledged to engage with the community we serve, partnering with local schools, neighborhood associations, government, and other nonprofit organizations.
Continuing the legacy
While Johnnie Means Aquatics was officially founded in 2022, our story stretches back generations — to a time when swimming wasn’t just a sport, but a stand for equity, access, and excellence.
- It all began in 1961, when Coach Johnnie Means launched an AAU swim team at Houston’s historic South Central YMCA. At a time when public pools were segregated, he courageously appealed to the AAU to desegregate swimming in Texas — opening doors that had long been closed.
- By 1963, Coach Means was leading the TigerSharks at Texas Southern University, establishing one of the first collegiate swim teams at a historically Black university. Under his guidance, the TigerSharks rose to national prominence in the NAIA, the first athletic conference to welcome HBCUs — breaking barriers in and out of the pool.
- In 1992, in partnership with educator Thurman Robins and Harris County Commissioner El Franco Lee, Coach Means co-founded a free, competitive swim program that would reach thousands of children across three decades. This program — known as the Harris County Aquatics Program — became a training ground for champions at every level: regional, state, national, and international. Its final meet was held in March 2020, leaving behind a powerful legacy.
- In 2022, that legacy entered a bold new chapter. Means Aquatics, Inc. — now proudly operating as Johnnie Means Aquatics (JMA) — was born to carry the torch forward. Today, Coach Means has entrusted that vision to two of his longtime mentees, Candess Tucker and Dominique Hamilton, who continue to train, coach, and lead with the same passion and purpose that has shaped the Houston swim community for over 60 years.
At JMA, we honor our past while building a future where every child has the opportunity to swim, compete, and thrive.
Our coaches
Our highly skilled and supportive coaching staff are here to guide your swimmer to achieve their best in and out of the pool. If you have questions related to workouts, meets, events, goal setting, and other swimming related needs, please contact us.
Training
Our goal is to provide a developmentally appropriate training progression from the youngest athlete up to the national competitor. We teach and perfect all four competitive strokes and emphasize the importance of streamlining, kicking, body position and body awareness.
COACHES
Johnnie Means Aquatics coaches are not just swim coaches. Our coaches hold certifications/licenses as Personal Trainer, USA Triathlon Coach, Youth Sports Specialist, Water Fitness Instructor, and Lifeguard Trainer. This means that our swimmers have access to a wide range of age appropriate modalities for their total development.
DRYLANDS
Each level of the dryland program (out of water training) is focused on physical literacy and technique first followed by progressive overload strength training where athletes are continually challenged and engaged.
THE WHOLE CHILD
JMA focuses on developing four critical athlete-centered outcomes: Competence, Character, Confidence, and Connection.
Coaching Groups: White Sharks, Black Tiger Sharks and Red Tiger Sharks
- Coach Candess Tucker has spent her life in and around the water — not just swimming, but creating lasting change in communities where access to aquatics has historically been limited. Born and raised in Houston’s Alief neighborhood, she got her start in a local summer swim league and went on to compete with the Harris County Aquatics Program beginning in 1990.
- Driven by a deep passion for increasing representation and access in the sport, Candess became a trailblazer. In 2008, she founded the Newark Piranhas Swim Team, the first USA Swimming-sanctioned team in the City of Newark, New Jersey. Just two years later, she launched the nonprofit Water Wings, Inc., dedicated to expanding aquatic opportunities for inner-city youth. For nearly a decade, she led teams across New Jersey and the nation — coaching, mentoring, and building a vibrant swim culture where there once was none.
- In 2017, Coach Candess returned home to Texas to continue the work she began. She rejoined the Harris County Aquatics Program, contributing to Learn-to-Swim programs, competition development, and coaching at the competitive level. Her approach is shaped by lived experience and a clear vision: aquatics should be inclusive, empowering, and financially sustainable — for every family, in every zip code.
- A Water Safety Instructor for over 22 years and a USA Swimming and ASCA Level 4 Certified Coach for more than 15, Coach Candess brings unmatched expertise and energy to every pool deck. She remains a student of the sport, constantly seeking out new ways to evolve programming, elevate coaching standards, and serve the next generation of swimmers. At her core, Coach Candess is a builder — of programs, of pathways, and of possibility — making waves that reach far beyond the water.
Coaching Groups: White Sharks, Grey TigerSharks, Senior TigerSharks
- Born and raised in Houston, Coach Dominique “Dom” Hamilton began her swimming journey at the historic South Central YMCA — the very same pool where generations of trailblazing athletes got their start. From 1995 to 2002, she trained under the visionary leadership of Coach Johnnie Means and Dr. Thurman Robins as part of the Harris County Aquatics Program.
- During her youth, Coach Dom made waves both locally and nationally. She earned honors from the State of Texas for her achievements in USA Swimming and as a standout swimmer at Houston Lamar High School. Her talent and tenacity took her to Florida A&M University, where she competed for four years and broke school records in the 100 and 200 Butterfly, 200 and 400 Individual Medley, and Medley Relays.
- Coach Dom’s dedication to the water extends far beyond competition. In 1999, she began teaching swimming to children in Houston’s Third Ward through the National Youth Sports Program. Whether at community camps or private sessions, she’s been a committed advocate for water safety and access ever since — proudly teaching swimming for more than 23 years.
- For the past decade, Coach Dom has brought her passion for movement into every arena of sport and wellness. As a Certified Personal Trainer, USA Triathlon Coach, Youth Sports Specialist, and Swim Coach, she has prepared athletes of all levels — from first-time swimmers to ultramarathoners and professionals — to train, compete, and thrive.
- What drives her? A belief that movement is medicine, and that athletic performance begins with understanding the body and the mind. She’s relentlessly curious, continually studying biomechanics, mindset, and the art of coaching — all in service of helping every athlete reach their full potential.
Swim Beyond Boundaries, Inspire Beyond Yourself.
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EVALUATIONS ARE ONGOING
Held at the TSU Recreation center where your swimmer can be evaluated by our coaching staff. Submit a request to schedule your child’s evaluation.
