Late coach's memory lives on with IU, former swimmers

Innovators.\nJames Naismith and Abner Doubleday were some of the few.\nA pair listed on a short list of sports' inventors and innovators. But for what the well-known Naismith and Doubleday meant to basketball and baseball, respectively, former IU swim coach James "Doc" Counsilman meant just as much to the world of swimming and IU, said athletic director Terry Clapacs.\nThat innovator died Jan. 4, 2004, at the age of 83.\nHis memory is remembered by a grateful University and honored by his former swimmers' memories.\nClapacs said the coach was a "genius" when it came to coaching swimming.\n"He was a world-wide innovator in the sport and changed the way the sport was coached," Clapacs said. "(Counsilman's) impact on IU is a reflection on his impact on the world of swimming. He broke swimming down in a mechanical way. He was a scientist, mechanic and coach at the same time."\nBehind the six national championships, 23 Big Ten titles, 18 undefeated seasons and 285-41 overall record, there was 33 years of "Doc" working with his most coveted prize -- his swimmers.\nFor "Doc's" swimmers, this is when the real memories were made.\nRick Dennen swam at IU from 1984-1988 at the tail end of "Doc's" career. Dennen said Counsilman was a father figure to every swimmer that ever came through the program.\nDennen recalls his fondest memory of "Doc."\n"No matter what was happening, that guy would stop practice and tell a joke," Dennen said. "We'd laugh and go back to work. He always told the same super rooster joke."\nCounsilman also supported excellence in the classroom. Dennen said Doc and his wife had every swimmer over for dinner if you made above a \n3.0 GPA.\n"(He was) a great influence on us all," Dennen said. \nDr. Dave Tanner swam for Counsilman from 1968-1972 and was an assistant coach from 1973-1974. Tanner swam for five of the six teams that won national \nchampionships.\nYet when asked to recall his fondest memory of "Doc," it wasn't during a national championship meet. It wasn't during a Big Ten meet. It was the memory of something Tanner witnessed and experienced countless times for two years: being "Doc" Counsilman's assistant coach \nat practice.\n"One of the most pleasurable moments I had is when I was an assistant coach sitting on a bench at Royer Pool and watching the skill at which he ran a practice," Tanner said. "He was a master at motivating and making hard work seem fun."\nCounsilman's memory motivated Tanner to carry on ""Doc's"" vision of studying swimming at the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming, based here at IU, where Tanner is a research associate.\nDuring his tenure, Counsilman attracted world-wide acclaim for published works on the science of swimming. While Counsilman published over 100 papers on swimming research, two of his works are known throughout the world. \n"The Science of Swimming" was published in 1968. Since then, the book has been printed in 20 different languages. In 1977, his work, the "Competitive Swimming Manual," was another best seller.\nThese books featured ""Doc's"" talents for the world to see. And Counsilman attracted the best swimmers from around the world to come to IU and learn from him.\n"There was a time when an all-star team from around the world couldn't beat the IU swim team," Clapacs said. \nThat legendary memory is still felt at IU. The swimming facility at the SRSC is named Counsilman/Billingsley Aquatic Center. Men's swimming coach Ray Looze uses coaching techniques inspired by Counsilman.\nWhile "Doc" has passed away, the innovator lives on.\n"I'm sure "Doc" will be honored again in some way," Clapacs said. "Truly, he was a legend."\n-- Contact sports editor John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.