Jack Groselle

John "Jack" Groselle is a noted swim enthusiast and world record holder from Hiram, Ohio. After graduating from Hiram College as a member of the Class of '76, Groselle began coaching the Men's and Women's swim teams starting in 1988. Besides a brief foray into local politics during the 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 seasons, Jack; as many of his contemporaries call him; has been the ever-present Hiram College Swimming and Diving team coach. [http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/menssports/swim/guide/2006-07SwimGuide.pdf 2006-06 Swimming and Diving] , Hiram College. p. 7. ]

College Years

During his swimming years, Jack was both feared and respected. His freshman year the team began their annual training trips down to Florida to train over Christmas break. Even in this formulative time, though, Jack was an extremely talented individual. Jack is the only Hiram Men's swimmer to win nationals, which he did in the 50-meter freestyle event in 1976. This was also the year Jack was named the PAC MVP. In addition to these feats, Groselle once held six Hiram College school records, his 50-meter freestyle time being the only one remaining, as well as his pool 50 and 100-meter freestyle records. His 50-meter pool record, controversially, converted forms the Hiram Men's team record.

Twilight Period

Jack has excelled even more, however, as an old man. Continuing to swim competitively, Jack has at one time or another held 20 world and national Masters swimming records for his age group. He is also the oldest person ever to swim in the United States Open Championships and Sectionals for U.S.A. Swimming. His most notable recent meet was the FINA Masters' Swim Meet in Palo Alto, California, winning four gold medals and setting two world records for his age group.

Hiram College Coach

Jack's coaching experience has been somewhat less thrilling than his individual swimming accomplishments. His overall record at Hiram College is 41-128 for the Men's team, and 40-129 for the Women's team. The teams' highest Conference finishes were third for both teams during the 1993 OAC Championship Meet. The early 90s proved to be successful years with both the team and Jack's career, despite what his record shows. Jack was being named the OAC Men's coach of the year in 1991, as well as Women's coach of the year in 1994 and 1995. The team has had greater difficulty, though, since moving into the NCAC conference in 1999. Although this move has come with an improved overall record and another coach of the year garner in 2003, the women and men's teams have suffered and conference placement has been consistently low.

Despite these team setbacks, Jack has coached numerous Conference champions and even National swimmers and All-Americans. This does not outshine the fact that Jack has had four winless seasons between the Men's and Women's teams, as well as only 5 seasons with a winning record, the first being the 2001-2002 season. The first winning season for the women in the history of Hiram Swimming came during the 2006-2007 season. Jack is notable for this achievement and the recent turn-around for the programs. The men's team had four winning seasons in the past six years, as well as the women riding off their recent first. This should bode well for both teams in the future. [ [http://www.hiram.edu/athletics/menssports/swim/archive.html Swimming & Diving Archives] , Hiram College.]

Jack continues to be an inspiration to his swimmers. He makes sure to look at things in a sunshiny way and always counts individual accomplishments and best times over the team's poor finishes, even if the best time is because it was the first time a swimmer swum the event. Jack always experiences the speed, so he does not have to do 1000s. [Jack Groselle. "James E. Longnecker Grove City Invitational Speech," December 3, 2007]

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