LOS ANGELES (AP) — Peter Daland, who coached the University of Southern California swim team to nine NCAA championships and mentored Olympic gold medal winners, has died. He was 93.
Daland died Monday in Thousand Oaks, according to a statement from the university. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the school said.
Daland spent more than 45 years coaching at the club and college levels. He coached the U.S. women in the 1964 Olympics as they won six golds medals and the U.S. men in the 1972 games as they captured nine golds — including seven by Mark Spitz.
In all, he coached 70 Olympians and 392 All-Americans.
At USC, where he coached from 1958 until 1992, Daland’s teams won nine titles and placed second 11 times.
“The world of swimming has lost one of its most progressive minds,” said current USC swimming and diving head coach Dave Salo. “He was about relationships and driving the process to championship performance through team work.”
Daland was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, the American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the USC Athletic Hall of Fame. The pool at USC’s new aquatics center bears his name.
“He was a rarity in college coaching, because he was equally concerned with his team’s academic and social growth as he was with his swimmers’ athletic accomplishments,” said John Naber, winner of four Olympic golds and 10 NCAA titles. “He knew every swimmer’s name, academic major and the names of family members and girlfriends. Although many of his swimmers achieved international acclaim, he never altered his style to accommodate any one individual. When Coach Daland was on deck, the pool at USC held no stars, only squad members.”
Originally from New York City, Daland was a 1948 graduate of Swarthmore College. His first coaching job was in Pennsylvania, where he took the Rose Valley club swim team to eight consecutive Suburban League titles between 1947 and 1955. He served as an assistant swim coach at Yale from 1950-54.
He was the founder of Swimming World magazine.
Daland is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Ingrid, and five children and eight grandchildren.
A public memorial service is planned at the university, but no date was set.
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