The Aquaknights swim team, which had humble beginnings more than 30 years ago as a small group swimming in the Knightsen Elementary School pool, has grown into a powerhouse of about 300 swimmers now making a splash in the brand new pools at Diamond Hills Sports Club in Oakley.

The team took first place in the Twin-County Swim League Championships last month at which three relay teams broke league records and set four individual records. The Aquaknights have also been undefeated in league dual meets.

After leaving the Knightsen pool about four years ago, the team shared the Freedom and Heritage high pools with other teams, which can be awkward as the teams must juggle schedules for pool time. The partnership with Diamond Hills to provide a home pool once again and bringing on Cindi Coats as head coach this season have led to a major increase in the team’s quantity and quality of swimmers.

But with swimmers now required to join Diamond Hills to be on the team (in addition to the $250 team fee) the Aquaknights were hoping just to maintain last year’s number of swimmers. It turns out they nearly doubled that number, from less than 170 at the end of last year to about 320 at the beginning of the season that began in April. Coats, who has been coaching for 20 years, attributes it to the team’s allowing everyone to swim and compete.

“The Aquaknights in the past have not had the best competitive reputation,” she said. “The East County Stingrays has been the team for the elites or cream of the crop as far as league swimming, with the Dolphins behind them. The Aquaknights’ philosophy has been that even if your kid can’t swim competitive strokes, that’s OK; we will have them on the team. A lot of them were less intimidated because we have that philosophy.”

An e-mail sent out to Diamond Hills members expands on the program, which is open to ages 4 to 18: “The team is dedicated to providing a positive, family-oriented environment where each swimmer is motivated and challenged to achieve his or her potential, as well as build self-esteem by participating in a team sport. Aquaknights emphasizes teamwork, good sportsmanship, hard work, and fun.”

Although that’s the emphasis, the Aquaknights have also made great strides in competitiveness. They scored 3,487 points in the league championship, easily outdistancing second-place finisher Hercules, which scored 2,299. The Aquaknights placed in the top three overall in every age group.

Their success is all the more remarkable considering where they’ve come from. “Last year was the first time they ever won anything at a meet as far as team scoring in many years,” said Coats.

The Aquaknights will be celebrating their success at a season-end awards event for the swimmers and their families at Diamond Hills on Friday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. All swimmers will receive certificates of their fastest season times and medals for each level of achievement. For more information, go online to www.aquaknights.com.