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By Cecil Colwin
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 1. THE World of Swimming is mourning Coach George Frederick Haines, foremost producer of Olympic champions in the history of competitive swimming.
George Haines passed away in his sleep early on the morning of May 1, 2006, in Carmichael, California, four years after suffering the aftermath of a severe stroke.
Between 1960 to l988, George Haines, coaching maestro of California's mighty Santa Clara Swim Team, produced a total of 53 Olympic swimmers who won 44 gold medals, 14 silver and 10 bronze medals. Enshrined with Haines in the International Swimming Hall of Fame are fifteen Santa Clara Club swimmers, more than from any other club.
George Haines was three times Head Coach of the United States Olympic swimming team, and served on the support staff of four other Olympic squads. He was Head Coach of the United States team to the World Championships in West Berlin,1978, a team considered the most successful in United States Swimming history in terms of medals won.
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Obituary
George Frederick Haines
Competitor, Educator, Coach, Patriot
March 9, 1924–May 1, 2006
A Modest, Self-Effacing and Beloved Mentor
George Haines was one of history's great swimming coaches, and one of the most charismatic, inspiring and beloved mentors to tread a pool deck. His chief attributes were a vast knowledge of the sport, a shrewd strategic sense, and an ability to motivate and produce both male and female champions.
The handsome George Haines will always be remembered as a striking and genial man of unusual presence and ability, the type of person who stood out in any group, and above all, as a coach who cared. A man of high principles and strong moral fibre, Haines liked people, and people liked him too. It was not surprising that he attracted swimmers from every point of the compass. Not only did he draw them in, but he made many of them great.
Among his colleagues Haines was a popular, entertaining and beguiling raconteur with a wonderful sense of humor. To hear him talk about "impact people" was something to remember. Not for him were self-aggrandizement, pontificating, or the customary technical buzz-words. Without drawing attention to himself, George Haines spoke with the natural quiet authority of a great intuitive coach who had done it all.
Haines' stories, told in the flat, flinty tones of his native mid-West, were tinged with wry humor and a sharp eye for human foibles. Haines talked about other great coaches, great swimmers, their achievements, and the lessons he learned from them, yet he never personally sought the limelight, remaining modest and self-effacing about his own swimmers' successes, always giving his teams full credit for their achievements.
Throughout a 50-year career, Haines took the pressures of top-level coaching in his stride, remaining relaxed, outgoing, good-natured, and free of hang-ups. While Haines kept firm discipline in his teams, he never lost his sense of humor.
His swimmers too were relaxed and confident, just like their charismatic coach. The team T-shirt sported one of the cleverest slogans ever seen at a swimming meet. It said a lot in two words: "By George!" It also meant "best in the world."
It was commonplace to see a Santa Clara swimmer step to the starting block, look over at George, and give a wink. George would smile and wink back. Then the race would start, and yet another "By George" product was on the way to a championship medal, or perhaps another world record.
Haines Founded a Dynasty
George Haines was born to coach. His career took off in December, 1950, when he founded the Santa Clara Swim Club, a team destined to achieve a spectacular record, winning 44 US Senior National tiltles.
The Santa Clara Swim Club first competed in meets in the summer of 1951. The team started with only 13 swimmers, but ended the summer season with 54 age group swimmers.
Santa Clara's first major title came when winning the 1957 Women's Short Course National Championships at Hollywood High School. Thus was born the George Haines Dynasty, and from here the young coaching maestro took his club to a plethora of national titles.
Within the next three years, the Santa Clara Swim Club had impacted the world scene with such stars as Chris von Saltza, Lynne Burke, Anne Warner, Steve Clark, Donna de Varona, George Harrison and Paul Hait, all of whom made the 1960 Olympic Team to the Rome Olympics.
The addition of Don Schollander and Mark Spitz during the 1960's further strengthened the men's team while Claudia Kolb headed the powerful girls' team. Pokey Watson, a fast improving Donna de Varona, Sharon Finneran, and Terri Stickles and many others gave Santa Clara great depth. Never before was such an array of great stars assembled in one club.
What Makes George Tick?
In 1966, at a national championship meet in Lincoln, Nebraska, I quizzed Don Schollander, former Olympic champion, and one of Haines' greatest proteges, on the subject of his coach's psychological approach. His response was: "George Haines, in my opinion, is the best all-round coach, at least in the United States. George does somerthing that all the other coaches don't do nearly as well–that is a sort of father-companion to his swimmers. He knows each swimmer so well – it's almost a natural thing – that he can work with them individually as well as in his large team as a whole. This knowing each individual so well is, I think, Haines' forte in being able to work with them."
At the same meet, I asked Donna de Varona, another of Haines' Olympic champions, 'What makes George tick?". She replied: "Despite his large squad he knew how to handle the individual swimmer. His training sessions were fun and we never did the same workout twice. He knew when to make us swim hard and when to swim easily."
It was during these "easy" swimming periods that Haines would perform his spontaneous pool-side high-jinks, such as an accomplished soft shoe shuffle, or his favorite trick of chair-flipping, in which he tossed a chair into space on the tip of his toe, then caught it again on his foot and lowered it back to the floor.
On other occasions he suddenly demonstrated his own athletic ability by hurdling over a line of small deck chairs. His workouts were always fun, whether he was challenging or entertaining the team.
The Santa Clara Swim Club
With over 240 swimmers on the roster, ranging from 5-6 years old through to a senior group with the oldest swimmers about 22-23 years old, George Haines was one of the pioneers of the large super-club. Together with two assistant coaches, Haines would take teams of about 40 swimmers to national championships. Haines always acknowledged the work of the club's active Parents' Association, saying they did "a fantastic job" over the years in raising money in support of team travel and the club's general operation.
Organizational Gifts
Haines was highly skilled in organizing practices, training 55-60 swimmers in the 50 meters Santa Clara pool, using circle formation training to make best use of space. His swimmers trained using mostly 50's, 100's, 200's, and 400's repeat swims over even distances, so that the swimmers could start from opposite ends of the pool, using the newly-developed circle training method. Huge training clocks were placed at both ends of the pool enabling his swimmers to time everything they did, and even to time the total workout. In this way Haines ensured that his swimmers knew exactly what they were doing, whether they were swimming, kicking or pulling.
Quality Training Produced Quality Swimmers
While George Haines believed in providing a strong background of early season endurance training, he was one of the first coaches to concentrate on training swimmers for the pace of the race. Most of his training was done with quality-type swimming where he gave the swimmers a slightly longer rest, and asked for better times, saying that "we train most of the time in a slight state of fatique because if you don't, you are never going to build up a resistance to fatique and oxygen debt." Haines said that, two or three weeks before the nationals, swimmers should do "a lot more fast swims starting from a dive, at or near the pace they were aiming for in the championship."
Early Influences
During his successful career, George Haines witnessed over 50 years of modern swimming history, and was often an important part of it. The Haines saga started in Huntington, in northeast central Indiana, where George was born on March 9, 1924, the son of George Fremont Haines and Frances Mae Mow.
George Haines was a direct descendent of pioneer settlers, Richard and Margaret Haines of Anyhoe of ye Hill, North Hampshire, England, who set sail with their children on the ship "Amity" from Downs, England and arrived in America in 1682, where they settled in Burlington, New Jersey.
George Haines is survived by his brothers Richard, Schuyler and Edward, all of Indiana, and a sister, Eva Ervin of Arizona. Haines is predeceased by a brother, William, and sisters, Clara Bir, and Esther Patten.
"A Beautiful Redhead, Strong and Sure!"
On July 20, 1945 in Oakland, California, George Haines married June Elizabeth Carter, a lady whom George described through the years as "a beautiful redhead, strong and sure!". Their partnership was to last 61 years. They had four daughters: Kerry Derr (Walter), Janice Canfield (Robert), Jody Baer, Paula Baldwin (Randy) and one son, George Kyle Haines. They had nine grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Mrs. Kerry Derr, Haines' eldest daughter said "Mom is a beautiful California native. She was his 'rock' throughout his life, and was at his side daily in the four years after he suffered a stroke. She remains a wife and mother to emulate.
"They were a handsome couple. She met my Dad during World War II, at a USO gathering in Oakland where he was stationed with the Coast Guard in Alameda, Treasure Island. She has copper red hair, and as she left the USO building my Dad approached her and called her "Red" and she turned around and smacked him in the arm and asked; "Who are you calling Red?". She is an independent woman who, like Dad, has a strong set of convictions. With her, giving up was not an option. She helped him stay the course. She took care of the house, raised five kids and handled their finances."
A Sporting Family
George and June Haines encouragd their children to participate in sport: Kerry Haines Derr was a member of the National Championship teams during 1961-1964, and a member of the gold medal 400 free relay team with Terri Stickles, Pokey Watson and Donna de Varona. She represented the US on a 30 day long trip to Japan in 1961 with Donna deVarona, Dick Roth and Tom Jamison, competing in various venues around Japan. Janice Haines Canfield competed in tennis in high school and at UCLA. Joanne (Jody) Haines Baer competed in gymnastics in high school and at college at Long Beach State. Following in her father's footsteps, she had a coaching career in gymnastics for many years. Paula Haines Baldwin was an all-city tennis player in high school. Kyle Haines wrestled and competed in track in high school, running the 200.
After retiring, George Haines played senior softball several times a week, and coached, managed and played third base on the 65 year olds' team that won the Senior Softball World Series in West Palm Beach. He was an avid golfer in retirement, playing three times a week into his 70's , and had just started coaching his then 12 year old twin grandsons, Brent and Clint Baer, to play golf when he became incapacitated.
The Influence of Coach Glen Hummer
Records at the Huntington YMCA show that a Haines has been a member of the "Y" since 1932, and this is where George and his brothers became interested in swimming under the spell of coach Glenn Hummer, coach-mentor at the local YMCA,who was also the high school biology teacher.
In the 1940s, George Haines was a member of the Huntington YMCA swim team that Hummer coached to two YMCA National Championships. Glen Hummer was to become the major factor in developing the young George Haines' interest in competitive swimming, and in the shaping of his character. Hummer's friendship and guidance continued as he assumed a mentor role for George when he began his competitive coaching career in the 1950's.
Even before he became a swimming coach, Haines learned the value of a good early distance background, because Glen Hummer first trained him to be a 1500 swimmer. (Haines was later to become the conference champion in the 50 freestyle at San Jose State College in California, a big drop from swimming the 1500!)
When Hummer died, Haines said.: "He was a great, great man, His techniques were ahead of the time. I felt his loss as if an arm had been cut off."
War Service
In World War II, George Haines enlisted in the US Coast Guard on December 12, 1942, at the age of 18. For two years, Haines taught swimming survival skills at the Crystal Plunge pool in San Francisco to Marines and Merchant Marines going overseas. He later served on the USS Casper which sailed out under the Golden Gate Bridge exactly when World War II ended, hearing shouts from the wharf-side crowds that the war was over! He received his honorable discharge on February 12, 1946.
Demobilized from the Coast Guard, Haines attended college on the GI bill, graduating from San Jose State University in 1950 with a Bachelor's Degree and a teaching certificate. He later earned an additional certificate in Administration.
A Natural Coach
Dr. Charles Walker, Haines' swimming coach at San Jose State University, was a big influence in Haines' choice of swimming coaching as a career. He advised Haines to accept a teaching post at Santa Clara High School in 1950, where he was to teach physical education, and coach football and swimming for the next 24 years.
It did not take the school authorities long to see that the young George Haines' coaching skills were not limited to the swimming pool, and they asked him to coach their light weight football teams. During the 1950's and 1960's, his football teams remained undefeated for seven years.
"The Greatest of the Great"
When the high school completed its pools in 1951, George Haines started his first swim team with nine members. Before long, his high school boys' swim team became the team to beat, both locally and nationally. At one time, his high school swimmers owned the national record in every event.
The Santa Clara Swim Club grew out of the original nine high school swimmers to become one of the most prominent and successful teams in the United States and the World. Santa Clara became the swimming mecca and the Santa Clara Invitational Meet one of the most important meets on the annual calender.
The Santa Clara Pool was recently renamed The George F. Haines Swmming Pool, and a statue of the famous mentor serves to remind all swimmers and visitors that here is the Place were one of the Greatest of the Great worked his magic.
Note: GEORGE HAINES WILL BE TRULY MISSED BY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. THERE WILL NO SERVICES BUT DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO THE HUNTINGTON INDIANA YMCA WHERE IT ALL STARTED FOR GEORGE.
HUNTINGTON INDIANA YMCA
607 WARREN STREET
HUNTINGTON, INDIANA 46750
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TRIBUTES TO GEORGE HAINES
Bob Duenkel, Executive Director International Swimming Hall of Fame: "George Haines represented the coaching fraternity at its best. He was revered as a brilliant coach and a major 20th century.force in the progress of American and World swimming. His influence continues today through his former swimmers who became professional coaches.
"George Haines helped start America's age group swimming by developing one of history's most successful grass -roots programs at Santa Clara, a program that was to produce more Olympic champions than any other team. Moreover, almost all his swimmers were 'home-grown'. A Hall of Famer himself, he coached more swimmers who were inducted into the Hall of Fame than any other coach.
"George helped promote all the aquatic disciplines and, in particular, recommended water polo as a training and competitive supplement for his swimmers."
John Leonard, Executive Director, The American Swimming Coaches' Association: "George Haines, to many, is the greatest American Swimming Coach. His deck presence in practice and competition was inspiration enough, his voice came like a command from heaven, in both meeting rooms and natatoriums. Photos of George on the deck coaching his athletes at Santa Clara, published in Life Magazine, then the most popular publication in America, inspired a generation of young people to become swimming coaches. There was no one else like him. There never will be again. George, we love you and we will miss you, and your voice will be in our minds every day we step on deck."
Peter Daland, United States Olympic Coach, Former Head Coach The
University of Southern California: "George Haines was a good friend, a great leader and the best coach in all categories: age group boys and girls, senior men and women. His teams dominated the World and USA scene for nearly twenty years helping California to produce 50% of the best swimmers on earth in the sixties."
"Under his guidance Santa Clara Swim Club became the best and most famous club in the world. This seven time Olympic coach had countless Olympic champions and world record holders. His is a name that we will never forget. We will long remember his words of friendship and wisdom. Thanks, George, for what you gave to our sport and its people."
Don Gambril, United States Olympic Coach, Former Head Coach, University of Alabama: "George Haines was at the top of United States swim coaches in the 20th Century. It was my pleasure to be a part of five Olympic Staffs with George who was a member of seven. The level of respect and confidence he inspired among the swimmers was obvious, and a large factor in our teams' domination of World Swimming in that era. My thoughts on George could fill a book."
Chris von Saltza Olmstead (George Haines' First Olympic Champion): "George had the capacity to transform lives. If you met him half way, you came away greatly enriched in all manner of living, even if you never reached Olympic heights under his tutelage. George has become part of me, and even now, he is in my heart encouraging me to go on, to embrace each day, and to keep a smile on my face."
Claudia Kolb Thomas: "I cannot separate my thoughts about George from my everyday life. For over 40 years now he has been a part of who I am. His dying will not change that. I cannot tell you how many times, when faced with a decision about something large or small, I have thought about George and what he would do or think. He, along with my mom and dad, have been the most powerful influences in my life and, have helped shape the person I am. Some people have all the luck, and I am one of those, for having had the best parents anyone could have and then having George in my life. The gift of belief in me is the most powerful gift he could have given to me. I was successful because he told me I could be. True, I worked hard, but it never felt like work and I always knew we were doing it together. Having worked with young people ever since I retired from swimming, I see daily the desire and need for them to have someone who inspires them to believe in themselves and to work hard to make something worthwhile of themselves. George did that for me and I will never be able to thank him enough for that."
Pokey Watson Richardson: "George Haines was a man loved by all of his swimmers, a man who was a second father figure to many of us, a gentleman who truely impacted the lives of those he touched in a positive and forever life altering way."
"George was a man who gave his swimmers the gift of belief and imagination; anything and everything was possible in George Haines world and he showed us how to unlock the key to so many wonderful and powerful doors."
"His legacy will live on in the many thousands of swimmers who are better people today because of how George chose to live his life."
Stephen E. Clark: "George Haines certainly knew swimming – both technique and training methods – and had to be one of the greatest coaches of his era, if not the greatest of all. I was with him on the Santa Clara Swim Club as my primary coach for about 12 years (from age 9 until 21), and I still marvel that, unlike many other coaches, he seemed to pick up his swimming knowledge intuitively or almost by osmosis – he just knew what worked.
"Maybe more importantly, however, was his amazing ability to understand and help swimmers of all types and ages — somehow it was his basic personality. He had almost a unique way about him which made each swimmer feel like he (George) was that swimmer' s personal and almost exclusive coach, despite George having many other swimmers, including teammate competitors, to look after. When I was competing with other sprinters on the Santa Clara Swim Club over the years (like Don Schollander or Gary Ilman or Ed Townsend) – both in training and in competitions – I just always knew that he genuinely wanted me to do my personal best, just like he wanted my teammate competitors to do their best. That was good enough
for me."
Dick Roth: "George Haines coached as I would like to live. He listened completely, understood deeply, and gave to his swimmers unstintingly. When I swam for him (in the 1960's) our closest competition, likely as not, was in the next lane in workout. Somehow, he was able to make us believe that we couldn't be beaten. Years later, when asked how he could make two competitors know that they were equally the best in the world, without lying, he replied, 'Easy, I only saw the best each of you could be.'
"Forty years later, I still carry George's profound affirmation of me in my heart, available whenever I need it. Thank you, George. I wish there were more like you. The world would be a better place."
Richard Jochums, Head Coach Santa Clara Swim Club: "George Haines was the best coach ever! George didn't write a lot of papers, didn't write books, didn't give great seminars, he just went out each day and coached."
"George always listened to everyone with knowledge and took the best from these folks, meaning his program was always cutting edge and scientifically sound. But it was more than that, George took what he heard and decided what was right and then made it work by communicating what he was doing to his swimmers and getting them to buy into what he was selling. George did this selling better than anyone ever."
"It was said of George that many of his swimmers didn't improve after they left him for college. Well, the fact is that George just communicated in such and open and honest manner that, when his swimmers went on to college, far too often they ran into coaches who weren't as open and honest, with the result that they just didn't buy into the college program. It's tough to follow greatness!"
"I get to walk his deck and I consider that an honor all by itself. George set the model I try to follow: that all kids count and winning is really about making yourself the best you can be. A huge majority of those who swam for George believed he cared for them and the truth is that he did. Each was better for having learned to make the sacrifices that allowed for each to realize their potential. It doesn't get better than that. The man just coached for the participants. He is the best ever!"
Phil Moriarty, Former Head Coach, The Yale University Swimming Team: "For a long time, one thought that keeps coming to mind is, I would have never been recognized as a swimming coach had George not taught his swimmers so well.and passed them on to me The fact that he was willing to put them into my care was the ultimate compliment. In that sense he was THE YALE COACH. May he go to heaven where he belongs in quiet peace.".
Jay Fitzgerald, Successor to George Haines as Head Coach of the Santa Clara
Swim Club": "When George retired we organized a grand farewell party bringing back several Santa Clara Swimmers to say thank you to George and it was a great night for everyone, George even said 'kid you did good', and that made my night.
"Later George and I would talk from time to time and he always came to see the Santa Clara International meet. I asked George, who was playing Senior Softball, how his game was going and he said, 'kid I hit a triple yesterday but could only turn it into a double, my legs just will not go as fast as before.'"
"George always had a warm smile and easy manner and he was one of the best athlete/coaches you ever saw, he had a commanding and dashing presence on deck, like a General. George was just grace and class, and he was the man who helped to guide young coaches and to challenge us to be better and help our swimmers first. George was always there for me and for anyone who ever had a question. George was unique and I am honored that I knew him and shared in his friendship."
Stan Tinkham, 1956 U.S. Olympic Swimming Coach: "George Haines was the greatest influence in World and U.S. swimming and a role model for all."
Forbes and Ursula Carlile, Australian Coaching Legends: "George was the most successful Olympic coach ever. He had been a swimmer, and he knew swimming. George was a no-nonsense coach. He oozed honesty and fair-play as he dealt with swimmers, parents and the Santa Clara Club. George knew what he wanted, was direct and uncompromising. George was a man who knew how to deal with people, with straightforwardness, respect and integrity."
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HISTORY AND COACHING CAREER of GEORGE F. HAINES
Swimming Coach of the 20th Century
(BORN – March 9th, 1924 in Huntington, Indiana. Swam for the Huntington YMCA under Coach Glen S. Hummer from the age of 9 through 21. A member of two National YMCA Championship Teams under Mr. Hummer.
SERVICE – U.S. Coast Guard 1942-46. Taught survival training 1943-1945.
COLLEGE – San Jose State – Graduated in Spring of 1950. Swam for three years.
COACHING CAREER
1950-1974
SANTA CLARA HIGH SCHOOL
Won 20 SCVAL League Championships. Won 215 straight dual meets. A record
W-284 L-4
Won 16 North Coast Championships.
The Santa Clara High School Swimming Team (boys) held every National High School record in every stroke and distance including relays in the late 1960's and early 1970's.
George Haines produced 300 High School All Americans who set over 200 National High School Records.
In the late l960's Swimming World Magazine said that the Santa Clara High School Swimming Team was capable of placing in the top five)at the NCAA Championships i
OLYMPIANS DEVELOPED AT SANTA CLARA HIGH SCHOOL
Don Schollander, Joe Bottom, Mike Bottom, Wayne Anderson, Donna de Varona,Terri Stickles, Claudia Kolb, Judy Reeder Mark Spitz and Mitch Ivey
OLYMPIANS
A total of 53 Swimmers coached by George Haines swam in the Olympic Games 1960 through l988.
————————————————————————–SANTA CLARA SWIM CLUB OLYMPIC HISTORY
1960 OLYMPIC GAMES, ROME, ITALY
George F. Haines, Head Coach, Women's Team
CHRIS von SALTZA – 3 Gold Medals:
400 Freestyle, 400 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay. 1 Silver in 100
Freestyle. World Record and Olympic records in all the Gold medal wins..
LYNNE BURKE – 2 Gold Medals: IOO Backstroke and 400 Medley Relay. World
record leading off in 100 Backstroke in the 400 Medley Relay.
ANNE WARNER – 1 Gold in 400 Medley Relay.
PAUL HAIT – 1 Gold Medal, Men's 400 medley relay, swimming the breaststroke
leg. World and Olympic Record. 8th 200 Breaststroke.
STEVE CLARK – Alternate on all Relays.
GEORGE HARRISON – 1 Gold, 800 Freestyle Relay.
DONNA deVARONA – Alternate on all Relays. Swam in heats.
1964 OLYMPIC GAMES, TOKYO, JAPAN
George F. Haines – Assistant Men's Coach
DON SCHOLLANDER – 4 Gold Medals:-400 Freestyle,100 Freestyle , 400
Freestyle Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay. All World and Olympic records.
WAYNE ANDERSON – 7th 200 Breaststroke.
STEVE CLARK – 3 Gold Medals: 800 Freestyle Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 400
Freestyle Relay.. All World and Olympic records World record leading off
in 400 Freestyle Relay.
GARY ILMAN – 2 Gold Medals: 400 Freestyle Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay . Both
World and Olympic records.
DICK ROTH – 1 Gold Medal ,400 Individual Medley, World and Olympic record.
ED TOWNSEND – Alternate on all Freestyle Relays, Swam in heats 800
Freestyle Relay, 1st..
MIKE WALL – Alternate on all Freestyle Relays. Swam in heats 800 Freestyle
Relay, 1st..
DONNA deVARONA – 2 Gold Medals:400 Individual Medley, 400 Freestyle Relay.
5th.100 Butterfly
SHARON FINNERAN – 1 Silver Medal . 400 Individual Medley.
CLAUDIA KOLB – 1 Silver Medal 200 Breaststroke. First American woman to win
a medal in Olympic breaststroke event.
JUDY REEDER – Alternate 400 Medley Relay.
TERRI STICKLES – 1 Bronze Medal, 400 Freestyle.
POKEY WATSON – 1 Gold Medal, 400 Freestyle Relay.. World and Olympic record.
1968 OLYMPIC TEAM, MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
GEORGE F. HAINES HEAD COACH MEN'S TEAM
BRENT BERK – 8th 400 Freestyle
GREG BUCKINGHAM – 1 Silver Medal 200 Individual Medley, 4th 400 Medley.Relay.
BRIAN JOB – 1 Bronze Medal , 200 Breaststroke.
MITCH IVEY – 1 Silver Medal 200 Backstroke.
RAY RIVERO – Alternate.
DON SCHOLLANDER – 1 Gold Medal, 800 Freestyle Relay.,1 Silver Medal, 200
Freestyle.
MARK SPITZ – 2 Gold Medals: 800 Freestyle Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay, 1
Silver Medal 100 Butterfly, 1 Bronze Medal 100 Freestyle, 8th 200 Butterfly.
MIKE WALL – Alternate in Relays.
LINDA GUSTAVSON – 1 Bronze Medal 100 Freestyle, – 1 Silver Medal 400
Freestyle, 1 Gold Medal 400 Freestyle Relay.
JAN HENNE – 2 Gold Medals: 100 Freestyle, 400 Freestyle Relay. 1 Silver
Medal 200 Freestyle, 1 Bronze Medal 200 Individual Medley.
CATHY JAMISON – 5 th 200 Breaststroke.
SUSAN JONES – Swam in 100 Breaststroke
CLAUDIA KOLB – 2 Gold Medals: 200 Individual Medley.
400 Individual MedleyI Both World and Olympic records.
JANE SWAGGERTY – 1 Bronze Medal 100 Backstroke
LYNNE VIDALI – 1 Silver Medal 400 Individual Medley.
POKEY WATSON – 1 Gold Medal- 200 Backstroke .World and Olympic record
1972 OLYMPIC GAMES MUNICH, GERMANY
GEORGE F. HAINES, ASSISTANT WOMEN'S COACH
JOHN HENCKEN – 1 Gold Medal 200 Breaststroke – World and Olympic Records, 1
Bronze Medal 100 Breaststroke.
BRIAN JOB – 9th 200 Breaststroke.
MARK SPITZ – 7 Gold Medals: 100 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle,
100 Butterfly, 200 Butterfly, 400 Freestyle Relay, 400 Medley Relay, 800
Freestyle Relay.
MITCH IVEY – 1 Bronze Medal 200 Backstroke, 4th I00 Backstroke.
TOM BRUCE – 1 Silver Medal 100 Breaststroke, 1 Gold Medal 400 Medley Relay.
KEENA ROTHHAMMER – 1 Gold Medal 800 Freestyle, 1 Bronze Medal 200
Freestyle, 6th 400 Freestyle.
KAREN MOE – 1 Gold Medal 200 Butterfly, Olympic and World Record, 4th 100
Backstroke.
LYNN VIDALI – 1 Bronze Medal 200 Individual Medley, 7th 400 Individual Medley.
JENNIFER BARTZ – 4th 200 Individual Medley, 4th 400 Individual Medley.
JENNY WYLIE – 5th 400 Freestyle.
1976 OLYMPIC GAMES MONTREAL, CANADA
GEORGE F. HAINES – ASSISTANT MEN'S COACH
JOHN HENCKEN -2 Gold Medals 100 Breaststroke, 400 Medley Relay, 1 Silver
Medal 200 Breaststroke.
JOE BOTTOM -1Silver Medal 100 Butterfly, 6th 100 Freestyle.
TAUNA VAN DEWEGHE – Swam in 100 Backstroke.
KAREN MOE – 4th 200 Butterfly.
1980 0LYMPIC TEAM MOSCOW (Boycotted)
George F. Haines was selected the Head Coach of both the Men's and Women's Olympic teams to go to Moscow in 1980. However, President Carter chose to boycott the Moscow Olympics. (This US Olympic Team was considered the best team ever selected to represent the USA. This was to be the first time a USA team was to consist of men and women in one team with one head coach of the combined team.)
Swimmers coached by George Haines selected to the 1980 Team.
Mike Bottom – Swam for coach Haines at Santa Clara High and the Santa
Clara Swim Club
John Hencken – Swam on the 1972 and 1976 Olympic teams as well.
Libby Kinkead – Swam for Coach Haines with the Fox Catcher Swim Club.
Other members of the 1980 team who swam for Coach Haines at the Santa Clara
Swim Club: Pokey Watson and Linda Burton selected as Assistant Managers of
the 1980 team.
1984 OLYMPIC TEAM LOS ANGELES
GEORGE F HAINES ASSISTANT COACH
CHRIS CAVANAUGH -1 Gold Medal 400 Freestyle Relay.
SUSAN RAPP -1 Silver Medal 200 Breaststroke.
1988 OLYMPIC GAMES SEOUL, KOREA
SUSAN RAPP – 200 Breaststroke.
1974-1978 UCLA Head Men's Swim Coach
1979 Foxcatcher Swim Club
1980-81 De Anza Swim Club
1982-1988 Stanford University Head Womens' Swim Coach.
1988 George Haines retired from coaching.
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GEORGE F. HAINES
LIFETIME HONORS AWARDS
2000 George Haines voted The Swimming Coach of the Century by USA Swimming
2001 George Haines inducted to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
2002 George Haines was inducted into the Stanford University Sports Hall
of Fame
1974.
GEORGE HAINES WAS ENSHRINED IN THE INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME,
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA
George Haines was named American Swimming Coaches Association's Coach of
the Year in 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1972.
THE FOLLOWING SWIMMERS COACHED BY HAINES WERE ALSO ENSHRINED IN THE
INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME:
WOMEN
CHRIS VON SALTZA – LYNNE BURKE -DONNA de VARONA -SHARON FINNERAN- CLAUDIA
KOLB – POKEY WATSON – JAN HENNE – KENNA ROTHHAMMER – KAREN MOE – SUSAN RAPP
MEN
STEVE CLARK – RICHARD ROTH -DONALD SCHOLLANDER – MARK SPITZ – JOHN HENCKEN.
A TOTAL OF 15 SANTA CLARA SWIM CLUB SWIMMERS, COACHED BY GEORGE HAINES,
ARE ENSHRINED IN THE INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME. IN ADDITION, JOE
BOTTOM HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE HALL OF FAME
Olympic Medal Distribution for swimmers coached by George Haines
Year GOLD SILVER BRONZE
1960 8 1
1964 13 2 1
1968 9 7 5
1972 11 1 4
1976 2 2
1980 (BOYCOTT)
1984 1 1
TOTALS 44 GOLD 14 SILVER 10 BRONZE
GEORGE HAINES' TRACK RECORD
In a remarkable career Gerorge Haines was an Olympic Coach on many occasions.
1960 US Women's Coach
1964 US Mens' Assistant Coach
1968 US Men's Head Coach
1972 & 1976 US Women's Assistant Coach
In 1980 Haines was appointed Head Coach for both Men and Women, but the US
did not compete in the Moscow Olympics.
George Haines was named The American Swimming Coaches Association's Coach of the Year in 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1972. Only Mark Schubert (5) and Richard Quick (4) have equaled or surpassed Coach Haines' number of awards.
Between the years 1957 to 1974, his Santa Clara Swim Club won a remarkable total of 43 national titles; developed 55 Olympians who won 44 Olympic Gold medals, 14 Silver medals, and 10 bronze medals.
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copyright Cecil Colwin and "Swimnews" 2006. Printed with permission.