Richard Quick

Richard Quick (born January 31, 1943 in Akron, Ohio - died June 10, 2009 in Austin, Texas) was the head swimming coach at Auburn University from 1978 to 1982 and again from 2007 until his death. He coached for 30 years at the collegiate level and also served as head coach for the United States Olympic teams at the 1988, 1996 and 2000 summer games. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2000.

Quick swam competitively for Highland Park High School in University Park, Texas and at Southern Methodist University, where he was named to the All-Southwest Conference team while earning a bachelor's degree in physical education. He graduated in 1965 and went on to earn a masters in the physiology of exercise in 1977.

Quick began his coaching career at Memorial High School in Houston, Texas in 1965, winning the state championships each of the six years he was there before he returned to SMU as an assistant coach. He became head coach of the newly-created SMU women's swimming program in 1976 and then coached the men's team at Iowa State University in 1977. He came to Auburn as head coach of the men's and women's teams in 1978.

Quick won five consecutive NCAA titles at the University of Texas from 1984 to 1988, then went to Stanford University where he won seven more titles between 1988 and 2005. In 2007 he succeeded David Marsh at Auburn, winning his 13th NCAA title, enough to break a tie with Marsh for the most by any head coach.

Quick was named national coach for USA swimming in 1986 before going to Stanford. In addition to his three Olympics as head coach, Quick was an assistant for the 1984, 1992 and 2004 games. He also coached World Championship teams in 1986, 1990 and 1994, at the Goodwill Games in 1990, at the Pan Pacific Games in 1983, 1985 and 1987, at the World University Games in 1985 and at the Pan American Games in 1979.

In December 2008 Quick was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. He died from the disease six months later. He was survived by his wife, two children and two step-children, and two grandchildren.

References

• "Auburn swim coach Quick dies." (June 11, 2009) Birmingham News

External links

• Richard Quick profile at gostanford.com