Tex Robertson
Encyclopedia
Julian "Tex" Robertson was an Olympic bronze medalist
for the 1932 US Water Polo team and former swimming coach for the University of Texas. He is best known for inventing the flip turn.
. While young, he learned to swim in a nearby creek and often practice his technique in a horse trough. He attended the University of Michigan
where he was a starting varsity swimmer and won the NCAA Big Ten championships. While attending Michigan, he participated in the 1932 Summer Olympics
as a member of the US Olympic Water Polo
team. The International Swimming Hall of Fame credits Tex with the invention of the flip-turn, a pivotal technique used by all modern swimmers, while he was training Adolph Kiefer
for the 1936 Summer Olympics
in which Kiefer went on to win a gold medal for the back stroke. In 1935, Tex founded the swimming team at the University of Texas. While he coached from 1935–1950, the University of Texas swim team won every Southwest Conference Swimming Championship.
in Burnet, Texas
. He shut the camp down for three years when World War II
broke out so he could join the United States Navy
, where he trained Underwater Demolition Team
s. When he returned, he spent all his time coaching the Texas swimming team and running Camp Longhorn, using his swim athletes as counselors. Robertson continued to run the camp until he died at age 98 and passed the camp down to his children. Today, Camp Longhorn hosts over 4000 campers every summer. Also, Indian Springs was founded in 1975. Pat Robertson visits both during the camp sessions since Tex has passed away.
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
for the 1932 US Water Polo team and former swimming coach for the University of Texas. He is best known for inventing the flip turn.
Swimming career
Tex Robertson was born April 23, 1909 in Sweetwater, TexasSweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater is the county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2000 census.-History:Sweetwater received a U.S. post office in 1879. The Texas and Pacific Railway started service in 1881, with the first train arriving on March 12 of that year, beginning...
. While young, he learned to swim in a nearby creek and often practice his technique in a horse trough. He attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he was a starting varsity swimmer and won the NCAA Big Ten championships. While attending Michigan, he participated in the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
as a member of the US Olympic Water Polo
Water polo at the 1932 Summer Olympics
-Medal summary:-Round-Robin:All of the five teams played each team once.Germany vs. Brazil4 August 1932USA vs. Brazil6 August 1932Hungary vs. Germany6 August 1932USA vs. Japan7 August 1932Hungary vs. Japan...
team. The International Swimming Hall of Fame credits Tex with the invention of the flip-turn, a pivotal technique used by all modern swimmers, while he was training Adolph Kiefer
Adolph Kiefer
Adolph Gustav "Sonny Boy" Kiefer was an American swimmer and the first man in the world to swim 100 yards backstroke under 1 minute. His backstroke records stood for 15 years...
for the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
in which Kiefer went on to win a gold medal for the back stroke. In 1935, Tex founded the swimming team at the University of Texas. While he coached from 1935–1950, the University of Texas swim team won every Southwest Conference Swimming Championship.
Non-Swimming career
Robertson founded Camp Longhorn with his wife Pat in 1939 on Inks LakeInks Lake
Inks Lake is a reservoir on the Colorado River in the Texas Hill Country in the United States. The reservoir was formed in 1938 by the construction of Inks Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority. Located near Burnet, Texas, the lake serves to provide flood control in tandem with Lake Buchanan...
in Burnet, Texas
Burnet, Texas
Burnet is a city in and the county seat of Burnet County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,735 at the 2000 census.Both the city and the county were named for David Gouverneur Burnet, the first president of the Republic of Texas. He also served as Vice President during the...
. He shut the camp down for three years when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out so he could join the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, where he trained Underwater Demolition Team
Underwater Demolition Team
The Underwater Demolition Teams were an elite special-purpose force established by the United States Navy during World War II. They also served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War...
s. When he returned, he spent all his time coaching the Texas swimming team and running Camp Longhorn, using his swim athletes as counselors. Robertson continued to run the camp until he died at age 98 and passed the camp down to his children. Today, Camp Longhorn hosts over 4000 campers every summer. Also, Indian Springs was founded in 1975. Pat Robertson visits both during the camp sessions since Tex has passed away.