University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, March 6, 1973
7
'For the sixth consecutive year, K U dominated the Big-8 swimming and diving championships as...'
Coach Dick Ream (left) plans strategy for the 800-yard relay team during a competition event held Saturday night in the Robinson Natatorium. Reamon (right) keeps a sharp eye on each of his swimmers.
REAMON REARED A WINNER
When Dick Reamon took the job as coach of the University of Kansas swim team, all he had with which to start was an old bathhut-like pool and the girl on anyone he could off the hilt to form a swim team.
Reamon walked around the poolside with an air of assurance during Saturday evening's final competition. His team had entered the night with a sizable lead, a lead that would to grow the largest ever in a Big Eight meet. The 'Hawks finished with 565 points. The closest competition came from MIssouri with 327.
Those days are gone. Last weekend, Reamon's swim team, for the sixth consecutive year, easily won the Big Eight swimming and diving championships in Robinson natatorium.
For Reason, the evening was one of sheer delight. He pranced about talking and joking with anyone who would come rear him. It would be hard to guess from first glance that this man who seemed to be just one of the swim team, believed in and enforced a tough mental and physical swimming philosophy.
Since Reason became coach of the 'Hawk swimmers in 1962, the team has never placed lower than fourth. The fourth place finish was during his first year. Since the completion of the Robinson natatorium six years ago, the team has placed first in Big Eight competition every year but one.
As the events for the evening started, Reamon's tough coaching principles paid off in final results
Gary Kemp set a pool record at 1:59.188 in the 200-year backstroke, and the 400-yard freestyle relay team set a pool record of 3:08.865. Ream awarded awards to the team, along with hugs and handshakes for everyone.
During the evening, Reasonon took on the role of head cheerleader. As he jumped and screamed for his teammate to come to the sideline, he
Story and Photos by Ed Lallo
close tie with each member of the team. His stopwatch recorded the time of each of his swimmers.
At the end of the meet, Reamon and his team received the trophy as if they knew it belonged only to them. Reamon was then thrown into the pool by the team for the traditional victory lap. Reamon swam the length of the pool under the handicap of being given every two or three yards by members of his team.
Next year, Reamon will have a new bunch of swimmers, along with some returning veterans. It may be a different story at the end of next year's Big Eight competition. Yet the ability and skill that they will generate in his swimmers will undoubtedly put KU in the position of being the team to beat once more.
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Reamon keeps a close tally of all the times of each swimmer in each competition event.
Rick Heidinger, a member of the 800-yard relay team,
breaks into jibblation when the official results of the meet
are announced.
Reamon, after a traditional dunk in the pool, horses around with the members of his swim team after officially winning the Big Eight title.
After the horse play and formalities are over,
Reamon, sweeting wet,
takes time to talk with friends and relax from a hectic three days.