- James Counsilman
-
James Edward "Doc" Counsilman (December 28, 1920 in Birmingham, Alabama – January 4, 2004 in Bloomington, Indiana[1]) was an Olympic and hall-of-fame swimming coach from the United States. He is perhaps best known for being the head swimming coach Indiana University (IU) from 1957-1990.[2] He served as head coach for the USA's swim teams to the 1964 and 1976 Olympics; and was inducted as an Honors Coach into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1976.[3]
Contents
Pre-IU
Counsilman was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but grew up and learned to swim in St. Louis, Missouri.[4] He swam collegiately for the Ohio State University under coach Mike Peppe; and while in college set world-bests in the 50 and 300 yard breaststrokes.[4] During World War II, Counsilman served in the United States Army Air Forces in Italy as pilot of a B-24 Liberator with the 455th Bomb Group of the Fifteenth Air Force.
Post Ohio State, Counsilman went on to earn a masters degree at the University of Illinois (1947), where he also served as an assistant coach, before pursuing doctorate degree in physiology from the University of Iowa (1951).[5] Following getting his doctorate, the now-dubbed "Doc" began teaching and coaching at Cortland State University, where he would remain from 1952-57 leading into his time at Indiana University.[5]
Tenure at IU (1957-1990)
At IU, Counsilman coached the men's team to 6 consecutive NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships (1968–1973), and 20 consecutive (1961–1980) and 23 total Big Ten Conference titles.[2] While at IU, Doc coached over 60 Olympic swimmers, including Mark Spitz,
He served as the Men's Head Coach of the USA's swimming team at the 1964 Olympics (where the USA men won 9-of-11 events) and at 1976 Olympics (USA men won 12-of-13 events).[5]
In 1961, he was named Coach of the Year by the American Swimming Coaches Association.
In 1964, he led the Indiana team to its sixth straight USA national championships (AAU at the time).[6]
In 1979, at the age of 58, he became the then-oldest person to swim the English Channel.[7]
Swimmers who swam for Counsilman include: Jim Montgomery, Gary Hall, John Kinsella, Mike Troy, Charles Hickcox, Tom Hickcox, Don McKenzie, Chet Jastremski, Tom Stock, George Breen, Mike Stamm, Alan Somers, Ted Stickles, Larry Schulhof, John Murphy, Bill Heiss, Fred Tyler and John Waldman.
Post IU
Doc Counsilman is known as one of the greatest swimming coaches of all time, and a known innovator in the sport.[8][9] He was the pioneer of underwater filming, and even watching swimmers underwater, as can be seen in Royer Pool at Indiana University today.
Counsilman died in Bloomington, Indiana in 2004, after many years of suffering the torments of Parkinson's disease.[1]
He has been inducted into various Hall of Fames, including: the International Swimming Hall of Fame (1976), IU Athletics (2001),[10] the American Swimming Coaches Association[11] and SUNY Cortland (2005).[5]
Selected List of Publications
- The Science of Swimming, by James E. Counsilman, Prentice Hall, Juni 1968, ISBN 978-0137953851
- The Complete Book of Swimming , by James E. Counsilman, Atheneum, 1977, ISBN 978-0689105302
- Competitive Swimming Manual for Coaches and Swimmers, by James E. Counsilman, Counsilman Co., 1977, ISBN 978-0253313959
- The New Science of Swimming, by James E. Counsilman and Brian E. Counsilman, Prentice Hall, April 1994, ISBN 978-0130998880
References
- ^ a b Doc Counsilman, 83, Coach And Innovator in Swimming. Published by the New York Times on 2004-01-05; retrieved 2010-03-29.
- ^ a b 2009-10 Men's Swimming Media Guide p.123, from the IU Hoosiers website; retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ Counsilman's entry from the International Swimming Hall of Fame's website (www.ishof.org); retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ a b More about Doc page from the Doc Counsilman: Making Waves page of the WTIU; retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ a b c d Counsilman's bio from the SUNY Cortland Hall of Fame; published in 2005, retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ Swimming: Formula: Hurt, Pain, Agony, published by TIME on 1963-08-23; retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ James 'Doc' Counsilman from the Indian Hoosiers website; published 2004-01-04; retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ A Giant Has Fallen: Doc Counsilman Dies by Cecil Colwin for Swimming World Magazine online. Published 2004-01-04, retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ IU's legendary swim coach to be featured in WTIU special by Ann Wesley, Indiana University. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
- ^ IU Athletics Hall of Fame - 1991 Inductees from the IU Hoosiers website; retrieved 2011-02-02.
- ^ Counsilman's entry from the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame subpage; retrieved 2011-02-02.
External links
1976 USA Olympic Swimming Team Men's Team Jim Babashoff • Joe Bottom • Mike Bruner • Rick Colella • Casey Converse • Lawrence Dowler • Billy Forrester • Bruce Furniss • Steve Furniss • Brian Goodell • Steven Gregg • Bobby Hackett • Gary Hall, Sr. • Daniel Harrigan • Paul Hartloff • John Hencken • Bob Jackson • Charles Keating • Tim McKee • Jim Montgomery • John Naber • Douglas Northway • Peter Rocca • Tim Shaw • Rodney Strachan • Matt Vogel • Chris Woo
Women's Team Shirley Babashoff • Melissa Belote • Wendy Boglioli • Brenda Borgh • Lelei Fonoimoana • Maryanne Graham • Jeanne Haney • Janis Hape • Kathy Heddy • Jennifer Hooker • Linda Jezek • Nicole Kramer • Renee Laravie • Renee MaGee • Marcia Morey • Kim Peyton • Laurie Siering • Miriam Smith • Jill Sterkel • Karen Thornton • Tauna Vandewghe • Wendy Weinberg • Donnalee Wennerstrom • Camille Wright
Staff John Bogert • Doc Counsilman (Men's Head Coach) • Lawrence Dowler • Frank Elm • Carolyn Finneran • Don Gambril • George Haines • Jim Montrella • Jack Nelson • Charlotte Piper • Albert Schoenfield
Categories:- 1920 births
- 2004 deaths
- American swimming coaches
- College swimming coaches in the United States
- Ohio State Buckeyes athletes
- College swimmers in the United States
- Indiana Hoosiers coaches
- People from Birmingham, Alabama
- Deaths from Parkinson's disease
- American swimming biography stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
