Memories of Jimmy-continued
I just received the following comments from two Swarthmore swimmers. Alden Bennett swam on my dad's first team and Colin Barnett on his last team.
I swam on the Swarthmore swim team from 68 to 72. My memories of your father are among the more vivid ones I have of life at Swarthmore. What I remember most about him is his concern for the swimmers and his ability to hold the team together through humor, cajoling, and understanding.
Coach McAdoo was not a man of the "sixties", a time when sex, drugs, and rock and roll dominated the campuses. He was understandably old-fashioned, but commanded great respect from his swimmers. After college, I eventually started swimming at the Masters level. The coaching I received there made me realize that your father's coaching on swim and racing techniques was just average. His real contribution was his wisdom, integrity, and devotion to the team.
Colin Barnett '72
Dear Jim, I only hope this reply will due justice to your father and the very fond memories I have of him.
I swam for him at Swarthmore during the winters of 1938-39 and 1939-40. I was certainly the
worst 440-yard swimmer he had during that time, maybe during his whole coaching career. I didn't really deserve my nickname then of "a-point-a-meet Bennett". (Maybe they averaged in the 5 points I won (just once, by default) when the other team had no entry in the 440.)But, God bless him, he never gave up on me. Near the end of our first season together, he took me aside and said, "Alden, I think your problem is that you let yourself get too far behind too soon in the race."
So we tried a new strategy for me at the next meet, - keeping up with the leaders. The 440 took 17 and 3/5 laps in Swarthmore's 25-yard pool. I stayed up with them for the first 12 laps and then had to quit and upchuck in the scuppers. Jimmy congratulated me as if I had won the race.
What a wonderful guy! And how often I've thought of him when trying to encourage younger colleagues to get up to speed. In fondest memory of Jimmy and with very best regards, - Alden Bennett, Class of 1940.
I swam on the Swarthmore swim team from 68 to 72. My memories of your father are among the more vivid ones I have of life at Swarthmore. What I remember most about him is his concern for the swimmers and his ability to hold the team together through humor, cajoling, and understanding.
Coach McAdoo was not a man of the "sixties", a time when sex, drugs, and rock and roll dominated the campuses. He was understandably old-fashioned, but commanded great respect from his swimmers. After college, I eventually started swimming at the Masters level. The coaching I received there made me realize that your father's coaching on swim and racing techniques was just average. His real contribution was his wisdom, integrity, and devotion to the team.
Colin Barnett '72
Dear Jim, I only hope this reply will due justice to your father and the very fond memories I have of him.
I swam for him at Swarthmore during the winters of 1938-39 and 1939-40. I was certainly the
worst 440-yard swimmer he had during that time, maybe during his whole coaching career. I didn't really deserve my nickname then of "a-point-a-meet Bennett". (Maybe they averaged in the 5 points I won (just once, by default) when the other team had no entry in the 440.)But, God bless him, he never gave up on me. Near the end of our first season together, he took me aside and said, "Alden, I think your problem is that you let yourself get too far behind too soon in the race."
So we tried a new strategy for me at the next meet, - keeping up with the leaders. The 440 took 17 and 3/5 laps in Swarthmore's 25-yard pool. I stayed up with them for the first 12 laps and then had to quit and upchuck in the scuppers. Jimmy congratulated me as if I had won the race.
What a wonderful guy! And how often I've thought of him when trying to encourage younger colleagues to get up to speed. In fondest memory of Jimmy and with very best regards, - Alden Bennett, Class of 1940.
posted by Jim McAdoo | 3:15 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home