By SCOTT PURKS | Special correspondent
Published: October 25, 2011
Updated: October 26, 2011 - 1:28 AM

TAMPA --For two years, Tampa Bay Tech swimming coach Kristen Mudd fought through inner-ear damage caused by a car accident. It wasn't until this past summer, with high school swimming season bearing down, Mudd gave into surgery and a gut-wrenching leave of absence.

"My swim team was my little baby," Mudd said. "I built it up from a total of eight swimmers (four years ago) to (almost 50). It killed me when I had to step away from it."

What to do?

It wasn't like there was a line of swim coaches at Tampa Bay Tech. In fact, there were none.

As it turns out, there was plenty of determination, and it began in the hearts of junior swimmer Sydney Bexley, Bexley's mother, Kris, and TBT girls soccer coach Autumn Dent.

"We couldn't let the season die," Sydney Bexley said. "All of us loved our high school team. Coach Mudd had created a program that we were all proud of."

That's why right before the season, the Bexleys talked with Mudd and set the wheels into motion – to pick out the team suits, sweat shirts and T-shirts, gather the paperwork, set the schedule, coordinate drivers for meets and what events may be swum by who, and …

And yet after all that, a big question remained: Who would coach?

Bexley, an accomplished club swimmer for most of her 17 years, told her mother, "I can coach the team."

Well … not exactly.

Under the school district's rules, an authorized adult must supervise organized school activities, or in this case TBT's swim practices and meets.

This is where Dent, who knows plenty about soccer but little about coaching swimmers, stepped in along with Bexley's mom, who got herself authorized to be an official assistant coach.

"I couldn't stand there and do nothing," Dent said. "It wouldn't have been fair to the kids. I had to do it."

From that day forward, Dent has been at every practice and meet, and every swimming function in between. She has not, however, coached strokes or strategies or workouts.

Junior Sydney Bexley has done that.

"I have watched her every day and I have to say she's done a great job (coaching 15 of her team members)," Dent said. "Every day she's gained respect."

Consider the case of junior teammate Selena Perez, who started swimming this season: "At first I was confused with all the changes with coach Mudd not being able to coach. But then everything was explained and Sydney came in and it was easy to see she knew what she was doing because she's had a lot of experience.

"In class she's my friend, but at practice she's the coach on the deck, and really, having it that way has been no problem at all."

It has, however, been a challenge for Bexley. Look no further than what she went through last Thursday: Wake up at 4:45 a.m., drive from Temple Terrace to her club swim practice at Tampa Bay Aquatics at Tampa Prep, swim for more than an hour, shower, change, drive to TBT where school begins at 7:25 a.m., attend classes (including three AP courses), coach at TBT's 3:30 p.m. practice, leave at 5 p.m. for TBAY practice, which ends at 7:15 p.m. before driving home to study until 11 p.m.

"I'm not going to lie to you, this is a lot for a kid her age, or a person of any age," said Bexley's Tampa Bay Aquatics club coach Jason Bowes. "I hear some kids complain about their tough schedules and then I say, 'Look what (Bexley) is doing,' and that puts some perspective on it."

This Thursday requires one final, huge push in the form of the Class 3A-District 4 meet, a convergence of 12 teams and hundreds of swimmers, hosted by none other than TBT at the New Tampa YMCA.

It is a meet that has given Sydney's mom, Kris, a whole new level of appreciation for Mudd. Kris Bexley, along with Dent and countless others, has helped line up more than 30 timers, 11 officials, dozens of volunteers, heat sheets, wristbands, concessions, T-shirts, and, as Kris Bexley says, "You name it."

"Seriously, my hat is off to coaches everywhere," said Kris Bexley, who also works full time in an IT computer department. "These coaches are truly heroes."

As for Sydney, what lies ahead?

She is preparing to qualify for the state meet in the 100-meter breaststroke and possibly as a member on TBT's 200-meter medley relay. Both are serious possibilities.

After that, she plans to joyously welcome back Mudd, who is scheduled to return full-time in a few weeks.

In the long term, she said wants to swim in college and one day, "I want to be a swim coach.

"I've really always wanted to coach, and now that I've gotten a little taste of it I want to do it even more. I've gained a great appreciation for coaching and for everyone who coaches."