My name is Kathe McNutt, and I was born and raised in Coos Bay, Oregon, and had the great fortune to swim at the local high school, Marshfield High School, from 1968 until 1972. I loved the time I spent there, but little could I have ever known, I had just embarked on my life's greatest work.
In 1976, I returned to the Mingus Park Pool to coach, but at that time, it was only open in summers. I wanted more for my swimmers and sensed al of these new swimming parents wanted more for their swimmers as well. However, we ran head first into a brick wall when the city advised us that they wouldn't--and couldn't--fund a year-round pool, regardless of the good it might serve. Pools, as you know, are not profitable endeavors, at least not in dollars. But I knew my swimmers needed and deserved more, and that at some point, their skills would serve the greater community. The city told us that, in the unlikely event we could fund the unprofitable months of the year, we could stay open.
Looking back, I realize this was the crossroads of my life, even though I know now, just as I knew then, this was my calling. Together with the "swim team" parents (which later became known as "Gold Coast Swim Team"), we did just that. We kept that pool running year in and year out, with minimal contribution from the city, often taking crow bars and generators down to boiler myself, together with parents, to keep swim practices open during the winter months.
Even with the combined efforts of myself and my Swim Team parents, it often seemed like we wouldn't survive another season. In one of our darkest hours, an angel came forward to fill the gaps...a woman who lived just above our pool and valued our work and made sure my work could continue. Vera Richter's contribution was invaluable, and despite my own efforts and those of our dedicated parents, she bridged a gap that kept our pool running, and I am humbled to think my own dedication to the pool and its community contributions helped inspire her loving gift.
And we flourished! It wasn't easy, but we started teaching and coaching the youth of the south coast to swim...and to race...and to win! Even under spartan training conditions, I was able to coach successful high school national top 16 athletes, college scholarship athletes, and even an athlete who competed in the Olympic Trials. All from a little under-funded 25-meter outdoor pool and an unheated pool house...a facility I drenched in my love...love that was matched by my swimmers, their families, and eventually a community that came to embrace the importance of strong swimming skills and a strong swimming community.
Now, forty-eight (!!!) years later, we remain an incredibly unique aquatics facility...run by a dedicated non-profit organization that is only partially funded by the city but serving the community.
Of all "my" accomplishments, I'm most proud of the fact that a group of people in our community originally came together to run this facility as a year-round endeavor to provide me the opportunity to coach all year long, and coach the children I love, from preschool through high school, al year round.
With respect to my coaching career, I have been involved with several Zone teams, both as a head coach and an assistant coach, throughout my career. I have coached many swimmers onto the next level of college swimming, including Division I athletes and All-Americans. I have coached swimmers at both Junior and Senior National competitions and have also coached an Olympic trial qualifier. I like to think of these kids as my successes, but I enjoy the children I coach at entry level as much as the young adults.
While my endeavors have never been driven by accolades, I was honored to receive the Coach of the
Year for Oregon Swimming in 1984, along with the Outstanding Contribution to Oregon Swimming by a Coach in 1984 and Girls Coach of the year for high school swimming 1992-1993 season. I enjoy and have always enjoyed coaching, but not just turning out top notch swimmers. I enjoy that as well, but only because I love seeing my past swimmers succeed in life and/or pass the gift forward...to see my past swimmers at meets in a coaching position, to see my past and present swimmers coming to me to share their life achievements and how swimming helped them through difficult times in their lives.
The awards have been an affirmation of my coaching career. But no award could replace the gratitude and joy I have derived ni the unexpected career I embarked upon 48 years ago. Little did I know I was creating my life, rather than just getting a job.
In 1976, I returned to the Mingus Park Pool to coach, but at that time, it was only open in summers. I wanted more for my swimmers and sensed al of these new swimming parents wanted more for their swimmers as well. However, we ran head first into a brick wall when the city advised us that they wouldn't--and couldn't--fund a year-round pool, regardless of the good it might serve. Pools, as you know, are not profitable endeavors, at least not in dollars. But I knew my swimmers needed and deserved more, and that at some point, their skills would serve the greater community. The city told us that, in the unlikely event we could fund the unprofitable months of the year, we could stay open.
Looking back, I realize this was the crossroads of my life, even though I know now, just as I knew then, this was my calling. Together with the "swim team" parents (which later became known as "Gold Coast Swim Team"), we did just that. We kept that pool running year in and year out, with minimal contribution from the city, often taking crow bars and generators down to boiler myself, together with parents, to keep swim practices open during the winter months.
Even with the combined efforts of myself and my Swim Team parents, it often seemed like we wouldn't survive another season. In one of our darkest hours, an angel came forward to fill the gaps...a woman who lived just above our pool and valued our work and made sure my work could continue. Vera Richter's contribution was invaluable, and despite my own efforts and those of our dedicated parents, she bridged a gap that kept our pool running, and I am humbled to think my own dedication to the pool and its community contributions helped inspire her loving gift.
And we flourished! It wasn't easy, but we started teaching and coaching the youth of the south coast to swim...and to race...and to win! Even under spartan training conditions, I was able to coach successful high school national top 16 athletes, college scholarship athletes, and even an athlete who competed in the Olympic Trials. All from a little under-funded 25-meter outdoor pool and an unheated pool house...a facility I drenched in my love...love that was matched by my swimmers, their families, and eventually a community that came to embrace the importance of strong swimming skills and a strong swimming community.
Now, forty-eight (!!!) years later, we remain an incredibly unique aquatics facility...run by a dedicated non-profit organization that is only partially funded by the city but serving the community.
Of all "my" accomplishments, I'm most proud of the fact that a group of people in our community originally came together to run this facility as a year-round endeavor to provide me the opportunity to coach all year long, and coach the children I love, from preschool through high school, al year round.
With respect to my coaching career, I have been involved with several Zone teams, both as a head coach and an assistant coach, throughout my career. I have coached many swimmers onto the next level of college swimming, including Division I athletes and All-Americans. I have coached swimmers at both Junior and Senior National competitions and have also coached an Olympic trial qualifier. I like to think of these kids as my successes, but I enjoy the children I coach at entry level as much as the young adults.
While my endeavors have never been driven by accolades, I was honored to receive the Coach of the
Year for Oregon Swimming in 1984, along with the Outstanding Contribution to Oregon Swimming by a Coach in 1984 and Girls Coach of the year for high school swimming 1992-1993 season. I enjoy and have always enjoyed coaching, but not just turning out top notch swimmers. I enjoy that as well, but only because I love seeing my past swimmers succeed in life and/or pass the gift forward...to see my past swimmers at meets in a coaching position, to see my past and present swimmers coming to me to share their life achievements and how swimming helped them through difficult times in their lives.
The awards have been an affirmation of my coaching career. But no award could replace the gratitude and joy I have derived ni the unexpected career I embarked upon 48 years ago. Little did I know I was creating my life, rather than just getting a job.