Texas high school reinstates legendary swim coach for boys’ team, but not girls

One of the most decorated high school swim coaches in Texas has been reinstated as the boys’ swim coach of Southlake Carroll High School, but not the girls’ team.

Kevin Murphy’s reinstatement comes nearly a month after the school reassigned him from the position he held for the previous 20 years.

A recent story from SwimSwam.com detailed the decision by Southlake Carroll and the school’s press release. Below is an excerpt from the SwimSwam.com article.

Justin Pudwill, the district’s aquatics supervisor and head water polo coach, will assume the role of the head coach of the girls’ team.

While in some states, especially midwestern states that have different boys’ and girls’ high school swim seasons, it’s not uncommon for the teams to have different head coaches. In Texas, where the teams have identical seasons, it is almost unheard of.

From the Press Release:

“We’re excited about the future of our swim program,” said Athletic Director Riley Dodge. “Having both Coach Murphy and Coach Pudwill in leadership positions allows us to provide the best possible support for our student-athletes. Their combined expertise and passion for the sport will elevate our program even further.”

Carroll ISD looks forward to continued success in the pool with both coaches working collaboratively to guide our student-athletes to new heights.

No explanation for Murphy’s reassignment, or the decision to bring him back as only the boys’ coach, has been given by the district, though local observers say that the complaints that prompted the move were brought forward by members of the girls’ team whose parents are influential boosters for Southlake Carroll’s football team.

The school’s athletics director is Riley Dodge, who is also a former star quarterback for the school and head football coach.

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One local parent says that they were told by the AD that there were no applicants for the position.

Murphy took over the programs in 2005 and was named to the Carroll ISD Athletic Hall of Honor in 2017. The Carroll boys have won 10 state titles in that era, including nine straight from 2011 to 2019, and the Carroll girls won five state titles from 2012 through 2022.

To read the full story from SwimSwam.com, click here.