As a former UVA swimmer, this is really disappointing and the swimming alumni are up in arms. There's a Facebook page with a lot of commentary from former swimmers who question this "retirement". Here's the link. www.facebook.com/FriendsOfVirginiaSwimmingDivingForMarkBernardino
Many of us have written to President Sullivan and the athletic director among others. It's very out of character for Dino. Here's what I wrote to her:
Dear President Sullivan:
I am writing you today out of both concern and deep personal sadness regarding the recent announcement of Mark Bernardino’s “retirement” as the Head Swim Coach at the University of Virginia. As a little background, I was part of Mark’s first recruiting class in 1979, and swam on the team for 3 ½ years as a non-scholarship athlete until a shoulder injury left me unable to continue swimming. During this time, and mostly due to Coach Bernardino’s coaching and motivation, I became not only an ACC swimming finalist and school record holder, but also someone who has tried to always utilize the lessons regarding hard work, persistence, integrity and respect that he taught me to achieve what I have in the 30 years since I graduated.
I live in Greensboro, NC and had the fortune to watch Mark in action at the 2013 Men’s and Women’s ACC Championships this past March. Not only was I able to catch up with Coach Bernardino, but I was also able to watch him as he coached his current swimmers and exhibited the same enthusiasm and motivation for his teams and the individual swimmers as he had over 30 years ago. As I introduced him to my 3 year old daughter as part of his future generation of swimmers, I could only hope that if swimming were in her future, she would find someone who imparted to her the same values that Mark embodied and passed along to so many. Aside from my own parents, Mark provided me with more understanding of what excellence means than any other individual in my life.
I am very concerned that the events surrounding the recent “retirement” flies in the face of everything that Mark Bernardino stands for. The Coach that I know would have prepared a well thought out transition for his current generation of swimmers. He would have ensured continuity of the principals that have made the UVA Swimming program so successful by selecting a worthy successor and working with that individual over time. He would not have abruptly departed the program. I believe that the actions taken not only hurt the future of the UVA Swimming program, but also speak poorly about the UVA Athletics Department and the University in general.
In speaking for myself, as well as countless of other former and current UVA swimmers and athletes, I believe that it would be in the best interest to reconsider the recent decisions that lead to Coach Bernardino’s “retirement” and reinstate him as the Head Swim Coach until such point in time that the decision is his to make … on the terms that have made him and the entire UVA Swimming program so successful.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely
Bruce E. Procton (Commerce ’83
As a former UVA swimmer, this is really disappointing and the swimming alumni are up in arms. There's a Facebook page with a lot of commentary from former swimmers who question this "retirement". Here's the link. www.facebook.com/FriendsOfVirginiaSwimmingDivingForMarkBernardino
Many of us have written to President Sullivan and the athletic director among others. It's very out of character for Dino. Here's what I wrote to her:
Dear President Sullivan:
I am writing you today out of both concern and deep personal sadness regarding the recent announcement of Mark Bernardino’s “retirement” as the Head Swim Coach at the University of Virginia. As a little background, I was part of Mark’s first recruiting class in 1979, and swam on the team for 3 ½ years as a non-scholarship athlete until a shoulder injury left me unable to continue swimming. During this time, and mostly due to Coach Bernardino’s coaching and motivation, I became not only an ACC swimming finalist and school record holder, but also someone who has tried to always utilize the lessons regarding hard work, persistence, integrity and respect that he taught me to achieve what I have in the 30 years since I graduated.
I live in Greensboro, NC and had the fortune to watch Mark in action at the 2013 Men’s and Women’s ACC Championships this past March. Not only was I able to catch up with Coach Bernardino, but I was also able to watch him as he coached his current swimmers and exhibited the same enthusiasm and motivation for his teams and the individual swimmers as he had over 30 years ago. As I introduced him to my 3 year old daughter as part of his future generation of swimmers, I could only hope that if swimming were in her future, she would find someone who imparted to her the same values that Mark embodied and passed along to so many. Aside from my own parents, Mark provided me with more understanding of what excellence means than any other individual in my life.
I am very concerned that the events surrounding the recent “retirement” flies in the face of everything that Mark Bernardino stands for. The Coach that I know would have prepared a well thought out transition for his current generation of swimmers. He would have ensured continuity of the principals that have made the UVA Swimming program so successful by selecting a worthy successor and working with that individual over time. He would not have abruptly departed the program. I believe that the actions taken not only hurt the future of the UVA Swimming program, but also speak poorly about the UVA Athletics Department and the University in general.
In speaking for myself, as well as countless of other former and current UVA swimmers and athletes, I believe that it would be in the best interest to reconsider the recent decisions that lead to Coach Bernardino’s “retirement” and reinstate him as the Head Swim Coach until such point in time that the decision is his to make … on the terms that have made him and the entire UVA Swimming program so successful.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely
Bruce E. Procton (Commerce ’83
