Coach Ray Bussard passed away last evening in Knoxville, Tennessee. If anyone had the pleasure to know Coach Bussard, he was a very colorful, loud, and gracious man. His opponents both feared and loathed him. He was always looking for a loophole in the rules to gain an advantage. Respected and loved by his swimmers, he will be missed.
"The strong oak bends to sudden wind,
and strengthens in the calm.
But you my friend
must climb those limbs,
and pluck the fruit from spoil."
Rest in peace Coach Bussard.
I attended Coach Bussard's funeral this past Monday in Knoxville. Here are a couple of things that come to mind. 1) YOU CAN! YOU WILL! YOU MUST!, and 2)PERSISTENCE TRUMPS GENIUS ON ALL COUNTS.
I remember one time during practice it began to snow. Nice thick, fluffy, packing snow. He stopped workout, instructed us all to immediately get outside to have a snowball fight. Ran around the outside of the building once and then finished workout. He did things a different way, and "it made all the difference."
My coach is a UT graduate but after Bussard left. I can see some Bussard influence in him, though. Like a snowball fight, for example.
I attended Coach Bussard's funeral this past Monday in Knoxville. Here are a couple of things that come to mind. 1) YOU CAN! YOU WILL! YOU MUST!, and 2)PERSISTENCE TRUMPS GENIUS ON ALL COUNTS.
I remember one time during practice it began to snow. Nice thick, fluffy, packing snow. He stopped workout, instructed us all to immediately get outside to have a snowball fight. Ran around the outside of the building once and then finished workout. He did things a different way, and "it made all the difference."
My coach is a UT graduate but after Bussard left. I can see some Bussard influence in him, though. Like a snowball fight, for example.
