Lighting Up the Neighborhood and the Pool Deck: Why Kirk Clear Keeps Investing in Masters Swimming

Kirk Clear has a way of filling space, whether it’s on a pool deck, in a volunteer meeting, or lighting up an entire neighborhood in December. At 58, swimming with Swim Melbourne Masters, Kirk carries decades of Masters swimming history with him, but he wears it lightly. What stands out most is not how long he’s been around, but how fully he stays engaged.

He didn’t grow up as a prodigy. In fact, he didn’t even start swimming until high school, after a detour caused by grades that needed fixing before his parents would let him near a pool. Once he got in, though, he stayed in. A strong high school career followed, along with scholarship opportunities, but Kirk chose a different path. He followed his father into the Air Force, a decision that shaped the rest of his life in ways that swimming would later reinforce.

Discovering Masters Swimming Early

Kirk’s introduction to Masters swimming came in 1990, at age 23, while stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Like many military bases, sports days were part of the culture, and Kirk found himself lining up for swim events. He did well enough to catch someone’s attention.

That someone was Alan Arrata, an Air Force Academy swimmer who saw potential and asked a simple question: had Kirk ever heard of Masters swimming?

He hadn’t. But once he did, it stuck.

Aside from a few breaks to raise his family, Kirk has been swimming Masters for more than 35 years. Meets, practices, records, friendships, service. It all became part of the rhythm.

Seizing the Moment

Kirk’s favorite swimming accomplishment dates back to the early days. In 1990, a rule change allowed flip turns in backstroke, replacing the old bucket turn. As a backstroker and sprinter who knew his strengths, Kirk paid attention.

The following year, he took advantage of the new rule and set a national Masters record in the 50-meter backstroke in the 19–24 age group. It was timing, preparation, and willingness to adapt all lining up at once.

That record came and went, as records do, but the pride remains. It wasn’t just about speed. It was about being present, aware, and ready when opportunity showed up.

Making Time, Even When It’s Full

Between work, volunteering at the local and national levels, and a full slate of hobbies, Kirk’s schedule is packed. Still, he finds his way to the pool four or five days a week. Swim Melbourne’s flexibility helps, but the real driver is his belief that improvement doesn’t stop just because life gets busy.

He’s honest about what still needs work. Strength training hasn’t been as consistent as he’d like. He knows it matters. He also believes progress is still possible, even as the years add up. That belief keeps him accountable.

For Kirk, staying involved in Masters swimming isn’t about chasing times anymore. It’s about staying connected to something that’s given him structure, purpose, and community for decades.

Lighting Up the Community

If you ask Kirk what he does outside the pool, be prepared for a surprise.

Every July, while most people are thinking about summer vacations, Kirk is attending Christmas conventions. He’s one of those legendary holiday light designers, synchronizing music, lights, and movement into full-scale shows that draw families, kids, and entire neighborhoods.

His Christmas and Fourth of July displays take months of planning and weeks of setup. Bucket trucks. Fifty-foot palm trees. Snow machines in Florida. It’s a production.

And it’s all for the community.

Kirk raises money for local charities, often veteran-focused, and treats the entire effort as a way to give back. His vacation time is spent installing lights. His reward is watching people show up, smile, and feel connected.

The same impulse that keeps him volunteering in Masters swimming shows up here too. Build something. Share it. Make people feel welcome.

A Lifetime of Comebacks

Kirk doesn’t frame his story around one defining comeback. Instead, there’s been a series of them.

Nineteen surgeries. Fifteen orthopedic. A wrist surgery just months ago. Each time, he dusts himself off and gets back to living. Not ignoring reality, but refusing to let setbacks dictate the story.

There was also a professional reset. A corporate merger led to an unexpected job loss at a senior level. Instead of getting stuck there, Kirk used it as a pivot. A better role followed. New opportunities. A chance to mentor younger colleagues and share what he’d learned.

Change, in his view, often arrives disguised as disruption.

Staying Active, Staying Curious

Swimming isn’t Kirk’s only outlet. He plays ice hockey one or two nights a week, even when games start late and practices come early the next morning. He golfs. He kayaks. He’s still chasing movement in all its forms.

He knows his body has paid a price for decades of activity. He also knows he wouldn’t trade it.

Doing things he loves keeps him feeling young. Keeps him engaged. Keeps him part of communities that matter to him.

Giving Back to the Sport

When Kirk talks about Masters swimming, his focus widens. He sees the challenges the sport faces. He also sees its value clearly.

His message is simple. If you love this sport, get involved. Volunteer. Help your club. Support your LMSC. There’s room for everyone, and the sport only grows if people step up.

That sense of stewardship runs through everything he does.

Kirk Clear’s story isn’t about one record, one comeback, or one role. It’s about staying invested. In people. In community. In the things that light you up, literally and figuratively.

If you enjoy Masters swimming stories that celebrate service, resilience, and finding joy through staying involved, you’ll feel right at home here. Share this with someone who gives their time generously or is thinking about doing more for the sport they love. Stay connected by joining our Mojo Messages, short encouraging notes delivered straight to your inbox to help you live well and swim well. What part of your swimming community could use a little more of your light right now? We’re cheering you on.

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice. Please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com