Sun City Swimming is the premier destination for all things swimming in El Paso, Texas. It is home to the Socorro Ragin’ Gators, a summer league swim team for kids ages 5-18, Sun City Swim Lessons, providing swim lessons to kids and adults of all ages, Sun City Swim Team, a developmental swim team during the school year, and Sun City Masters Swim Club, a swim team for adults.
Sun City Swimming was founded by Annia & Alex Palacios and their love of swimming.
Coach Annia
Annia began her swimming career at the age of 9 years old for El Paso Aqua Posse. Annia was a fast learner and a natural born swim star, achieving age group tags times in a few short years and never looked back. She continued her distinguished swim career racking up every highpoint, sectionals cut, and award she could under the tutelage of the one and only Jeff Ellsworth!
Annia was only the second swimmer at Montwood High School and SISD to ever make it to state. She did so in the 100 yard Breaststroke.
From there Annia earned a swimming scholarship to Trinity University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology while helping the women’s swim team win 4 consecutive conference championship titles. She then went on to earn her master’s degree in counselling from NMSU.
Annia started coaching in 2009 and was THE FIRST coach hired when the Gators started. With her incredible work ethic and esteemed swim career she was a pivotal part in the early success of the gators swim team. Annia also coached 2 years for Aqua Posse alongside Jeff and Alex.
Annia wears many hats! She is the owner of Tightrope Therapy, her private practice where she provides mental health therapy to moms and women. She is also a mother herself to 3 amazing children Samuel, Lucas, Sophia, and one grown child (coach Alex).
Coach Alex
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Alex first started swimming at 6 years old on a summer league team just like this one called The Blue Dolphins! There he fell in love with the sport that would eventually lead to a life long career around the water. As a teen he swam summers at Vista Hills Country Club, where he began his coaching career at 15, and swam for EPAP during high school.
At 18, Alex started coaching USA swimming for El Paso Aqua Posse. He coached alongside his high school coach and first mentor, the renowned Jeff Ellsworth. This is where his knowledge and love for high quality swim instruction grew. Alex and Jeff co-founded the Gators swim team in 2009 where he coached until 2014 before moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth area where he continued coaching for 2 teams under his next two swimming mentors, coach Russ Eidman and international coach Gilberto Junior.
Annia and Alex have been married for 10 years, raise 3 children together, and are proud to deliver high quality swim instruction and training to all El Paso area families.
Sun City Swimming 