 
 
Copyright 2007
Santa Clara Swim Club
|
|
|
::::: SCSC History :::::
Our Legacy
Santa Clara Swim Club has one of the richest
traditions in the history of amateur athletics. Swimmers
such as Donna de Varona, Pablo Morales, Don Schollander,
Mark Spitz and Chris von Saltza have trained and competed
for Santa Clara. Swimmers from the club have earned 71
Olympic medals. 42 Gold, 18 Silver, and 11 Bronze Medals
during its proud history.
However the brilliance of our legacy shines
even brighter than and beyond a magnificent medal count.
For every day, in the same lane, right beside each one
of those superstars, were thousands of other swimmers
who did not achieve Olympic glory. But what they did gain
from their SCSC experience has indelibly shaped and defined
their character with life skills that continue to serve
them well every day. Champions
in the water and champions in life; these
are the achievements SCSC is celebrating today.
From the days of legendary coach George
Haines to its current head coach John Bitter, Santa Clara
has remained committed to developing winners in all walks
of life. Discipline, sportsmanship, hard work, and team
involvement are stressed throughout the program. Through
the dedication of its swimmers, coaches, and parents,
Santa Clara Swim Club carries on this grand tradition,
and continues to positively impact the sport of swimming
in the United States.
|
|
 |
The club was founded in 1951 by George Haines. Starting
with just 13 swimmers, the team initially practiced at Santa
Clara High School and various other swimming holes, including
the Stevens Creek Reservoir. Swimmers recall that the distance
from the face of the dam to a specific tree was 500 yards,
and they had to share the water with frogs and tadpoles.
In 1966, the city of Santa Clara built the spectacular Santa
Clara International Swim Center, the club's new home. Haines
coached the club for 23 years, leaving Santa Clara in 1974.
During this time, SCSC rose to unparalleled prominence,
and was recognized around the world as the best swim club
and the best coach in history. In his honor, the center
was renamed the George F. Haines International Swim Center
in June 2001.
The facility has a history as prestigious as the club itself
and has hosted 39 Annual International Invitational Meets,
which still draw top athletes from around the world. In
competitions, 23 World records, 333 American records, and
64 Foreign National records have been set, including a World
record set by Michael Phelps in 2004. The Swim Center has
hosted Senior Nationals, Junior Nationals, Western Zone
Championships, Far Western Championships, and Masters Nationals.
Over the past fifty years, thousands of youngsters, teens,
young adults and Masters swimmers have flourished at
SCSC in their quest for excellence!
~~~
|
IM a part of the continued Coaching
Legacy of the Santa Clara Swim Club…
SCSC past coaches
and current head coach
| |
Mitch Ivey assumed the Head Coach
position at Santa Clara Swim Club in 1974 and led the club
for five years. Mitch was uniquely qualified for the challenge.
He was an Olympian under George Haines earning a silver
medal in the 200 meter backstroke in 1968, and bronze medal
in the same event in Munich, Germany in 1972. Mitch not
only swam under George, but he grew up right next door to
him. He knew first hand the rewards of mentoring youth for
success. Under Mitch's leadership SCSC finished second in
overall team standings at the Short Course Nationals in
Cincinnati and at the Long Course Nationals in Kansas City.
In 1976, he placed three swimmers on the Olympic team. Currently,
Mitch and his wife live in Florida where they are raising
their twin boys. Mitch continues to coach with passion the
sport he loves, swimming!
~~~
|
| |
Don King was at the helm of SCSC
from 1980-1981. During his brief stint as head coach, SCSC
placed an impressive 4th at the Senior Nationals in Clovis.
A native of Santa Clara Valley, Don graduated from the first
class of Sunnyvale High School and from Foothill College.
He coached for De Anza Swim Club, Kona Kai, Green Meadow,
and Santa Clara High School locally. Additionally he coached
for the Industry Hills Swim Club in Southern California.
After leaving SCSC in 1981, Don created the Mission City
Swim Club, and then moved to Portland, Organ. He coached
at Lewis and Clark for 13 years, and is currently coaching
Kings Swimming of Lake Oswego. Don and his wife, Christine
are very proud of there 23 years of marriage and their 18
year old son, Dustin.
~~~
|
| |
Jay Fitzgerald was named head coach
of SCSC in 1985. In his ten years with the club his goal
to build and manage a successful swimming program to produce
athletes that were competitive at all levels of swimming
was realized. The SCSC was ranked in the top five at the
USA Senior Nationals from 1989 to 1992, and took first place
in 1992. In addition, Jay coached several swimmers to the
Olympics between 1984 and 1996. Jay has had extensive international
coaching experience and has contributed as a technical assistant
for the Olympic Swimming coverage for NBC news. Jay and
his wife have been married for 32, and the couple are proud
parents of three sons. Jay is currently the Head Coach of
a USA Club Team in Florida, where he continues to coach
Olympic swimmers, and was recently been named Coach of the
Year by the Miami Herald.
~~~
|
|
|
Dick Jochums; SCSC Head Coach, July
1995 to 2007 is a veteran coach who has been successful
at all levels of swimming, and brings a wide range of professional
and educational skills to our club. Dick has held coaching
positions at University of Washington where he earned his
B.A and M.S., University of California at Berkeley also
his Ed.D degree earned there, and California State Hayward.
During his tenure at Cal-State Hayward, he founded the Concord
Swim Club (now known as the Terrapin Swim Club). Dick moved
from Hayward to Long Beach State and then on to the University
of Arizona in 1978. In his 20 year career in collegiate
swimming, his teams had 12 top ten finishes. His club programs
have won 5 national titles and were always in the top ten
with 18 top five finishes. At SCSC, he returned our club
to the title of National Champion with the 1996, 1997 and
1998 Summer Long Course Men's National Championship Titles.
Dick has trained a number of Olympians and his swimmers
have been awarded 12 Olympic medals, set 25 world records,
60 American records and 7 NCAA records. Equally important
a great family record as well, Dick and his wife Mara of
40 years have one son, three daughters, and three grand
sons. Dick acknowledges that swimmers are a unique breed
and the sport provides an opportunity to learn about the
value of oneself. He is proud to be a part of the swimming
brotherhood, a sport that enables athletes to take a challenge
of which they are never defeated. Dick stresses that "winning
is much more than taking first place…it's a lesson
that stays with a swimmer for life ~ Kids make coaches!"
~~~
|
|
|
John Bitter – Current
Head Coach
Considered one of the nations leading young
coaches, John joined SCSC in September, 1995. Formerly the
head coach of the Las Vegas Gold Swim Team, John also spent
one year as the head senior coach at Click Tucson. During
these two stints, he produced 6 Senior National qualifiers,
11 Junior National qualifiers and 1 Canadian champion; with
one Senior National Champion and one Junior National Champion.
John has also worked as an assistant coach at the collegiate
level at both the University of Arizona and at the University
of Nevada Las Vegas. At the University of Arizona, he trained
the 1989 NCAA champion in the 1650 freestyle. John has also
served as a coach at two USS Zone Distance Camps and USS
Select Camps. John has also served as a USA Swimming coach
representative at World Cup meets in Europe in 1999 and
2002. John swam for Dick and was the men’s team captain
his senior year at the University of Arizona. He has a B.A.
in history from the University of Arizona.
~~~
|
| |
|
|
|
|
