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Dennis Pursley Wins USOC Coaching Award

Jan 4, 2001

USOC Press Relaease - Courtesy US Swimming
Dennis Pursley, USA Swimming's National Team Director since 1989, has been named winner of the U.S. Olympic Committee's Chair's Coaching Award. Pursley will receive his honor January 13 in New York City at the USOC's Coaching Recognition Awards Banquet. He will be honored along with 90 coaches from the USOC's Olympic and Pan American sports in a black-tie awards gala.

At a time when the U.S. supremacy in the sport of swimming was being questioned because of the excellent caliber of world swimming, the U.S. swimmers won a total of 33 medals, 14 of them gold, at the Olympic Games in Sydney. It has been described as the greatest team swimming performance of all time and it stamped the United States as the dominant swimming country in the world.

Pursley developed and led a strategy that was put into place nearly two years in advance of the Sydney Olympics. This strategy involved educating America's top athletes and coaches with a training and preparation philosophy that was designed to have U.S. swimmers ready to "be at their best when their best would be needed."

"I am very honored to be the recipient of this award," said Pursley. "But, I am only one of many who is committed to the Olympic effort. Without the generous support of the USOC and USA Swimming, our Olympic dream could not become a reality.

"Performances of the athletes and support staff were inspiring. But, most of all, I would like to accept this award on behalf of the personal coaches who were not chosen to serve on the Olympic staff. These coaches make the greatest sacrifices for the least recognition for our Olympic success. It is truly a team effort."

The following appears on the awards banquet brochure:

Dennis Pursley has been the National Team Director at USA Swimming since 1989. Since that time, he has been responsible for guiding the U.S. National Team program and ensuring that USA Swimming retains its stature as the #1 ranked swimming nation in the world.

This job has become increasingly difficult as other countries have been making significant improvements in their own national team programs. At the recent Sydney Olympic Games, it was predicted by many people that Australia was poised to take over the #1 world ranking.

Dennis Pursley developed and led a strategy that was put into place nearly two years in advance of the Sydney Olympics. This strategy involved educating America