The sports world lost one of the all-time great coaches this week as legendary swimming coach Jon Urbanchek passed away. He was 87 years old.
Urbanchek rose to prominence as head coach of the University of Michigan’s swim team from 1982 to 2004, but became a national hero for his work as a coach for Team USA in seven consecutive Olympic games between 1988 and 2012.
While at Michigan, Urbanchek won 13 Big Ten championships and a national title, including a run of 10 straight Big Ten titles in the 80s and 90s. On Friday, the university released an obituary dedicated to Urbanchek :
“Jon Urbanchek, the legendary former head coach of the men’s swimming and diving program at the University of Michigan (1982-2004), has passed away peacefully at the age of 87. One of the most successful American swimming coaches in history, Urbanchek was known throughout the swimming world and positively impacted countless lives.
“He passed away late Thursday in Fullerton, Calif., surrounded by his family.
“Urbanchek was a seminal figure in the world of U.S. competitive swimming, not only serving as the head coach for the University of Michigan’s men’s swimming team, but also as a U.S. Coach for the Olympic Team in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004, and special coach in 2008 and 2012, and a coach of a number of World Championship, Pan American Games and other U.S. International Teams.”
At the Olympics, Urbanchek coached 44 Olympians 21 total medals: 11 gold, six silver, and four bronze – in five Olympic Games.
Urbanchek was also an innovator in the sport, developing the revolutionary “color system” that allows athletes to more precisely align their training intensity with their heart rates.
The sports world truly lost an icon this week. Our hearts go out to Coach Urbanchek’s family and loved ones.