Giving from the Heart

Different Strokes Swim Team has always been more than just a swim team -- it is a thriving community of caring, generous and supportive individuals.

San Diego Pride Parade & Festival

The San Diego LGBT Pride Parade is the largest civic event in San Diego. In celebration of our city’s annual Pride weekend, DSST proudly participates by marching in the one-mile-long procession down University and 6th Avenue. We typically perform at least 6 different kick-board routines, while over 150,000 spectators line the streets in a dramatic show of diversity and support.

As a way to bring new members to our team, each year DSST rents a booth in the San Diego Pride Festival. Members of DSST staff the booth to meet, educate, and answer questions asked by potential new swimmers. We need your help .... email our Social Director at social@dsst.org to get involved!

IGLA Founders & 10th Anniversary Host

DSST hosted the 1st and 10th annual International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) Championships. In 1997 DSST hosted the championship at which over 800 swimmers, water polo players and divers from around the world met for a long weekend of friendly swimming competition, dancing, sight seeing, private hosted dinners and aqua-tainment!. Volunteers were thanked by DSST with a a Volunteer Appreciation Party, where the co-chairs acknowledged the contributions of all those who helped in the effort.

DSST 2010 Bart Hopple Swim fundraiser distributed over

$1,700 to Christie's Place

Bart Hopple Memorial Swim

In 1991, DSST ran its first Annual Bart Hopple One Hour Memorial Swim to honor its co-founder, Bart Hopple, who passed away due to complications from AIDS. The objective of this event is for individual team members to complete as many lengths of the pool as possible in a continuous one hour swim. Team members collect pledges from family and friends, who donate money on a per length or per hour swim basis.

Bart Hopple (pictured above) is remembered as a funny, energetic tri-athlete who was always ready for his next challenge. This swim provides an opportunity for current team members and members of the community to continue his legacy.

Every year, volunteers from Front Runners help to time and record the yardage achieved by each individual swimmer.

It's a fun event, not a race. All monies raised benefit programs at non-profit AIDS support agencies in San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico.