In the Fall of 2001 the Waterloo Sharks Swim Club and Cedar Falls Swim Club became the Black Hawk Area Swim Team (BLST).  The two teams merged facilities, coaching staffs, and athletes to form the premier swimming organization in the Cedar Valley.  The combination of the shark from the Waterloo team and the lightning bolt from Cedar Falls were combined to give us our current logo. 

BLST offers swimming lessons and competitive swimming for all ages and levels of swimmers.  Our groups are set up to make sure all our athletes get an age and ability based program designed to help them reach their long term potential. 

Our coaching staff is comprised of two full time coaches, and several part time staff members.  Our staff includes coaches that have experience at the college, high school, and club level.  Our coaches include two coaches that have coached at the Division 1 college level, along with a national high school coach of the year. 

Since its formation in 2001, BLST athletes have had success both in the pool and the classroom.  Athletes on the team have broken over 40 state records and 11 national records.  At the Speedo Championship Series (our regional championships consisting of all the clubs from North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa), BLST has been in the top 10 overall every year since 2005.  in 2005 our men's team brought home first place.  This marked the first time an Iowa team had won a division at Speedo Champs.  Then in 2010 BLST won both the men's and the combined titles.  This was the first time a team from Iowa had won the combined (both men and women) title in the history of Speedo Champs. In 2011, BLST again won the men's team title.  We have also had athletes compete at the 18/under National Championships, US Open, and Olympic Trials since 2001. 

Several BLST athletes have been named Academic All-Americans since 2001, and many of our athletes have gone on to compete for Division 1, 2, and 3 colleges throughout the country.  Schools attended include Iowa, Iowa State, UNI, Auburn, Lousiville, Nebraska, Maryland, Cal Berkeley, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and many more. 

For more on the recent history of BLST click here.

OUR MISSION is to provide the highest quality of competitive swimming to the families of Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Waverly and surrounding area. We are interested in both the accomplished, competitive swimmer, as well as those just beginning the sport. The opportunity to train under an experienced coaching staff encourages each swimmer to improve their individual skills and performance in a safe and supportive environment.

Our Goal is to offer members an opportunity: To promote amateur swimming; To assist children in their physical, social, emotional and character development by teaching them the values of physical conditioning, positive peer influence, goal-setting, team-building,  character development, positive self-esteem, and sportsmanship; To provide on-going support services to the coaches and adult volunteers who serve as mentors and positive role models in the lives of these children; To provide outreach programs within the community to expose the sport of competitive swimming and the life skill of swimming to the greatest number of children possible; To join with other swim clubs, swimming organizations, and athletic organizations in creating a climate of maximum human growth and development for these children and their families through common resources, education and action;  TO HAVE FUN!