Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 14, 1994 TAG: 9407140054
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
The self described "pool rat," who epitomizes swimming in the New River Valley, has spent his life diving off the deep end.
In addition to managing the Dedmon Center natatorium at Radford University, Beecher, a 27-year veteran of the sport, coaches the Pulaski YMCA Southwest Aquatic Team and Radford University swim club. From 1976 to 1978 he coached the men's and women's swim teams at Virginia Tech.
"I enjoyed my time at Tech but I didn't feel I had the experience to be a Division I head coach," said Beecher. "Thats why I voluntarily left."
Beecher, 42, has continued to have an impact on college swimming by sending six swimmers on to collegiate competition in the last two years.
"Under his direction for the first time we have begun sending swimmers to national meets. We had never been able to do that before," said Jack Leahy, the executive director of the Pulaski YMCA.
A Blacksburg native, Beecher dove into swimming during the summer of 1967. He went swimming and played golf nearly every day for nothing more than the enjoyment of the activities, but midway through the summer he began his competitive swimming career when Blacksburg Country Club formed its first swim team.
"The lady who was the pool manager told me I was going to swim," said Beecher, who swam for the club until 1974 . "I said, 'I don't want to' and she said, 'No, you are going to swim.' I did it and I liked it. ... I wasn't a very competitive swimmer until I went to college, and compared to what the kids do now, I didn't do anything."
Beecher first became involved in coaching in 1970, his first year as at student at Tech, when he worked as an assistant for a local swim club. In 1973 he assumed the title of head coach when he took over the reins of the Blacksburg Sunfish, a post he held until 1983, when he became the head coach of the Roanoke Valley Athletic Association Gators. He stayed with them until 1987, when he accepted the job as manager of the Dedmon Center's brand new swimming facility. Shortly after that, he took on the task of coaching the Pulaski Y's team.
Beecher, who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education from Tech, credited Paul Gunsten, Tech's former director of recreational services, for piquing his interest in coaching.
"He had a great love of swimming and kids," said Gunsten. "That's why he is successful. He was a real hard worker and a pleasure to work with."
Since taking over at the Pulaski Y, Beecher has watched the program triple in size and stature, growing from a small, local team into a regional club that includes members from the New River Valley and as far away as Galax, Hillsville and Wytheville. With many of the swimmers coming from outside the local area, the club changed its name to the Southwest Aquatic Team in the late 1980s.
Each year, SWAT sends large contingents to the summer nationals in Nashville, Tenn., the winter nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and the junior olympics meets in Richmond.
"We went from a small Y program that never thought about winning a championship of any kind and with Bill's help we won the Northern Piedmont State YMCA swim championship," Leahy said.
More important than the championships and the growth of the club is the rapport Beecher has been able to establish with the swimmers who have come under his guidance.
"He's a fun coach and wants you to have fun," said Brian Manning, a former SWAT swimmer from Dublin who now swims on the team at James Madison University and has been under Beecher's tutelage for the past seven years. "He wants you to enjoy practices and meets. He is a very positive coach."
Said Beecher: "The program is set up for the kids and that's where I get my enjoyment. As long as the kids are successful and having fun, then I am successful."
In a day and age where many believe winning is everything, Beecher teaches his kids differently.
"He doesn't put any undue stress on the kids as far as winning is concerned," Leahy said. "He is one of the few coaches I have seen who works extremely hard with all the children; whether it be the most skilled of the least skilled child of the bunch."
by CNB