Eddie Reese, Chris Plumb Honored For Coaching Accomplishments at USA Swimming Luncheon
At the annual USA Swimming Workshop Award Luncheon, one of the most accomplished coaches in the sport’s history was recognized for a career spanning nearly a half-century. Eddie Reese captured 15 NCAA team titles during his career guiding the men’s team at the University of Texas while leading the U.S. men’s Olympic team on multiple occasions, and he announced last September that he would step down as Longhorns’ head coach following the 2024 Olympic Trials.
Reese received the USA Swimming Award, considered the organization’s highest honor, Friday afternoon, with the honor bestowed upon Reese by one of his many Hall-of-Fame swimmers with the Longhorns, Brendan Hansen, a three-time Olympian who is now the organization’s Director of Team Services.
The award has been given since 1981 to an individual with “exceptional financial, material or service contributions to the sport of swimming and to the USA Swimming organization. Selected by past winners, it is considered the most prestigious award given to those who have made the greatest impact on swimming.” Reese, a nearly-universally popular figure in swimming, undoubtedly qualifies under that lofty criteria.
Reese spoke with Swimming World during this year’s Olympic Trials in June. He said that he had yet to fully acknowledge that he was retiring. “My vision is I can see ’til finals tonight,” he said. Reese guided Luke Hobson and Carson Foster to spots on the Olympic team, and both men won individual bronze medals in Paris, Hobson in the 200 free and Foster in the 400 IM, and they both swam on the Americans’ silver-medal-winning 800 free relay. Two others who have competed for Reese’s Texas teams, Kibler and David Johnston, also made the trip for competition in France.
Commenting on Hobson’s success, even before he finished behind only David Popovici and Matt Richards in a tight Olympic final, Reese said, ” Nothing phases him. I think the best way to describe him is he’s unflappable. Four weeks ago, he was 1:49.3 in a big meet in a suit getting beat. I wasn’t worried. I was scared to death. Everybody else was 1:47s three or four weeks out. When the gun goes off, the lights are on.
Meanwhile, the Developmental Coach of the Year honor went to Carmel’s Chris Plumb. The award is given annually to the coach who places the most athletes on the U.S. National Junior Team, and Carmel had three swimmers named to the team: Gregg Enoch, Molly Sweeney and Kayla Han. Enoch, Han and Andrew Shackell represented the U.S. at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, but even more impressive were the two swimmers Plumb guided onto the U.S. Olympic team.
Aaron Shackell qualified for Paris by virtue of winning the 400 free at Trials while Alex Shackell finished sixth in the 200 free and second in the 200 fly to book her spot in two events. Alex ended up winning two relay medals, one gold and one silver, as a prelims relay swimmer at the Games.
The full list of award winners from the luncheon is available here.
Eddie Reese, “a nearly-universally popular figure in swimming”. Very true. His entire life merits review and is covered in detail in Chuck Warner’s excellent book. If there was ever a Mt. Rushmore in the swimming world, it’s hard to imagine Eddie not on everyone’s list to be on it, and maybe at the top of the list for most. Excellent award to a most excellent coach and human being. We have all been blessed by this man in our sport.