Doc Councilman

While in high school, I had attended Doc's swim camp just about every year to improve my stroke technique. I swam for the Richmond Senior High School in Richmond, IN, and swam with varsity starting in Eighth Grade. My times and ranks were "AAA" or "AAAA" grades, and for a while, I was thinking of going for the Olympics, until I had a ruptured appendix in 1984, and lost all stomach muscles, and reasons for swimming ever since. Needless to say, I was disheartened to have found out that Doc died in '04 (of which, I never knew about, until a few months ago). I still have my signed copy of "The Science of Swimming", along with profiles analysis from Doc himself, about my stroke. He commented on my stroke technique, and at the same time, criticized it. What he found intriguing was that I had a limp on my right hand (left was OK). I dragged my right hand, letting it drag ever gently across the water. Local kids at the camps often referred to me as a "water albatross" (lousy takeoff/landing, but ever so graceful flying), and even Doc himself would snicker with the nickname (even though it was meant to be degrading). Doc spent as much quality time with each kid as he could, some more because of what he thought and felt that they were capable of performing. He tried to give one-on-one to everyone there. Some kids were naturals, other were there simply to get away from their parents. Nonetheless, Doc usually took it upon himself to help out each kid attending his camp. Mrs. Councilman was there, too, and helped out with food preparation, and even some counciling. When you were at swim camp, you were there to do a job, and Doc made it so. But you are also "family", and both he and his wife, made the kids feel at home. Before my ruptured appendix, I was still swimming. I swam several events at the IUPUI Natatorium at the state swimming meet, Indiana's state competition. I wasn't feeling well (probably because of what was going to happen a few weeks later). Our team had set a state record for one of the events (can't remember which one). I do know that I was the anchor. Doc came up afterwards, offered me an opportunity to come down to IU and swim for him. I had already signed up for Purdue University, and was going to study computer science. I had apologized and graciously refused his offer. I wonder what would have happened had I signed up with Doc... Good times were remembered from my days with Doc. He will be missed.

While in high school, I had attended Doc's swim camp just about every year to improve my stroke technique. I swam for the Richmond Senior High School in Richmond, IN, and swam with varsity starting in Eighth Grade. My times and ranks were "AAA" or "AAAA" grades, and for a while, I was thinking of going for the Olympics, until I had a ruptured appendix in 1984, and lost all stomach muscles, and reasons for swimming ever since. Needless to say, I was disheartened to have found out that Doc died in '04 (of which, I never knew about, until a few months ago). I still have my signed copy of "The Science of Swimming", along with profiles analysis from Doc himself, about my stroke. He commented on my stroke technique, and at the same time, criticized it. What he found intriguing was that I had a limp on my right hand (left was OK). I dragged my right hand, letting it drag ever gently across the water. Local kids at the camps often referred to me as a "water albatross" (lousy takeoff/landing, but ever so graceful flying), and even Doc himself would snicker with the nickname (even though it was meant to be degrading). Doc spent as much quality time with each kid as he could, some more because of what he thought and felt that they were capable of performing. He tried to give one-on-one to everyone there. Some kids were naturals, other were there simply to get away from their parents. Nonetheless, Doc usually took it upon himself to help out each kid attending his camp. Mrs. Councilman was there, too, and helped out with food preparation, and even some counciling. When you were at swim camp, you were there to do a job, and Doc made it so. But you are also "family", and both he and his wife, made the kids feel at home. Before my ruptured appendix, I was still swimming. I swam several events at the IUPUI Natatorium at the state swimming meet, Indiana's state competition. I wasn't feeling well (probably because of what was going to happen a few weeks later). Our team had set a state record for one of the events (can't remember which one). I do know that I was the anchor. Doc came up afterwards, offered me an opportunity to come down to IU and swim for him. I had already signed up for Purdue University, and was going to study computer science. I had apologized and graciously refused his offer. I wonder what would have happened had I signed up with Doc... Good times were remembered from my days with Doc. He will be missed.