THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 9, 1994 TAG: 9406070169
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940609 LENGTH: Medium
Steve Bialorucki was personable, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and a star on the rise. Chang, a senior at Cox and one of the nation's hottest swimming prospects, said nobody had ever motivated her to work harder than Bialorucki.
{REST} ``I learned so much from him in a short time,'' Chang said. ``He showed me how to start (a race). . . . He's the kind of coach anyone would want to swim for.''
Problem was, Bialorucki was not a college coach. He was head coach for a Pensacola swim club, one that he'd built from four members into more than 100.
After leaving Colorado Springs, Chang figured she'd never even see Bialorucki again.
But Chang got the surprise of her life last week when the Old Dominion Aquatic Club, her swim club for more than a decade, hired Bialorucki as its new head coach.
Unfortunately for Chang, she won't see as much of Bialorucki as she'd like. She has signed a grant with Texas and will be headed to Austin by the time Bialorucki takes over at ODAC later this summer.
``But I'm so happy for the kids in ODAC,'' Chang said. ``They've got a great coach.''
Bialorucki says he was attracted to ODAC by its ``national reputation.''
``Everywhere you go,'' he said, ``people have heard of'' ODAC.
The ODAC selection committee found much the same to be true about Bialorucki. Everywhere committee members called, they heard great things about him.
``People kept telling us, `You'll never get him,' '' said Jim Morrisette, who chaired the search committee. ``Everyone who'd ever worked with Steve said he was one of the top 10 coaches in the country.
``When we called (Pensacola), we were told the kids there had never worked any harder than they had under him, but they loved it.''
ODAC president Joe Pieczonka said the club received 67 applications.
``We narrowed it to three finalists,'' he said. ``But after we spoke to Steve, we didn't need to speak to anyone else. He's the type of guy you've want to coach your kids.
``We want this to be the best swim club in the area. Now, we think we're headed back in that direction.''
Bialorucki, a Toledo, Ohio, native, previously coached swim clubs in Cincinnati and Jefferson City, Mo. While coaching the Cincinnati Pepsi Marlins, he also managed the Wyandotte Complex in Columbus, Ohio, a complex of eight pools, 20 tennis courts and three party houses with a budget of $250,000.
The 1981 graduate of Kent State University will be a full-time coach for ODAC, which is based at the Old Dominion University pool but has numerous swimmers in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. And he plans to be here for the long haul.
Bill Peak was with ODAC for 10 years before leaving a year ago. Bialorucki says he and his wife, Cheri, and three children, Craig, Brenton and Kristin, could be here as many years.
``This is a terrific job in a great area,'' he said. ``I will try to bring together a coaching staff that will be here for quite a period of time.
``We want to create an environment of success and excellence. . . . We want to get everything refocused. We have a good parents group, the start of a good coaching staff and great kids in the program.''
Bialorucki also brings great family support. He met his wife at Kent State, where they were both swimmers.
``She hated me at first,'' he said with a laugh. ``I had long hair, and she probably thought I was obnoxious. We really didn't get along well at all at first.''
Eventually, he cut his hair, and the two started dating. They married while still in school.
She left swimming after graduation to become an accountant, but is experienced enough about athletics to know what to expect as the spouse of a coach.
``Coaching is a 70-hour per week job,'' he said. ``Her understanding of swimming helps a lot.''
Bialorucki says his top priority is to hire assistant coaches. Eventually, he hopes ODAC will raise the funds to build its own 50-meter pool, something lacking in South Hampton Roads, which has no pools capable of hosting a national meet.
And like all coaches, he hopes that one or more of the young ODAC swimmers will become an Olympian.
``But we want our swimmers to grow as people, too,'' he said. ``This isn't just about swimming. It's about preparing them for life.
``They're not going to be in a pool forever.'' by CNB