KANSAS CITY, Missouri, April 5. OVER the weekend, Kansas City Blazers head coach Pete Malone announced his retirement from the successful club program. An ASCA Hall of Famer, Malone has a laundry list of remarkable achievements on his resume.
Malone served on the 2004 U.S. World Short Course Championships and 1999 Pan American Games coaching staffs. He has dominated the Missouri Valley LSC as coach of the year nine times spanning 1988-2001. His teams have also been named the Missouri Valley Team Champions from 1978-2008.
He posted the following retirement letter on the Kansas City Blazers web site, and distributed it to his team:
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD LEAD AND COACH FOR 35 YEARS THE FAMILIES AND SWIMMERS IN THEIR QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.!!!!!!.
I will pass on having my wife type this, so that you know it is from me Peter D. you will be able to tell by the lack of key board skills. THANKS
I AM FREQUENTLY ASKED WHEN WILL I RETIRE? Well I am announcing my retirement. I will not exercise the option in my parents association contracts to extend another year. The exact date will be determined by JCPRD and me following all the appropriate procedures. I am stepping down now as head program coach and head elite coach. Scott Bliss will assume this role for next 5 months and I will assist him in the transition period to insure the best program is available to all. Scott will also be assigning some of his duties to balance workloads to some of the other full time coaches. This will be coordinated and approved by the JCPRD leadership. It is the plan to hire a 3rd temporary coach for elite coaching on the deck, and at the meets starting may 15 to Aug. 15. The search will start now and be directed by JCPRD.
Denise and Pete will continue to guide and direct the business operations thru this transition period, this will insure stability and being ready for the new swim year in the fall of 2010. All this has been in the master plan for the transition from my leadership when I retire for quite awhile.
I will also be working with all parties during this period to insure stability and transition and selection of the new leader with JCPRD hierarchy.
My wife who is so insightful and full of wisdom said to me in our conversations so often "Peter there will never be right time." We decided it was time for my wife, my children and their families to come first and foremost. I have always promised that they would have a husband, father, and grandfather be first in all life decisions. This make me more available for many new assignments and the list is growing already. As I said IT IS THEIR TURN to be on the top of the list. They have always been on top in my heart. .
I am requesting a graceful and low profile exit. I do not care for ceremony but I am all about the legacy and what the future will be. Let's keep the eye on the prize. I will be living in the community with my wonderful family and will continue to work to make the world a better place.
CONGRATULATIONS to all who have played a part in building such an outstanding program and opportunity for the youth and families of this community. It has been a honor to build lead and coach and partner with the overall JCPRD and Blazer program.
Thank you for letting me be your first leader.
Sincerely,
Peter D Malone