LIHU`E—Bill Smith, one of Hawai`i’s Olympic Gold Medalists, will be on Kaua`i on July 15 to help Mokihana Aquatics conduct a “Swimmer’s Clinic” which will run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Cost of the clinic at the Kaua`i High
LIHU`E—Bill Smith, one of Hawai`i’s Olympic Gold Medalists, will be on Kaua`i
on July 15 to help Mokihana Aquatics conduct a “Swimmer’s Clinic”
which will run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Cost of the clinic at the Kaua`i High
School pool is $10 and will include lunch.
A second clinic, also held on
July 15, will train and certify potential swim meet officials to the standards
of a national organization. The purpose of this clinic is to insure accuracy
and compliance with the most recent rules in competitive swimming.
This
clinic is sponsored by the USA Swimming-Hawai`i Local Swim Committee in
partnership with Mokihana Aquatics. Cost is $10 and includes lunch.
These
informational seminars are being presented as a prelude to the only USA
Swimming-sanctioned competition, “Mokihana Aquatics’ Fun Meet” which
will be held on August 5-6 at the Kaua`i High School Pool.
The Fun Meet is
being produced and hosted by Mokihana Aquatics and its 50 swimmers who are
ready to compete on their homeground after their victories at the Hilo Meet
earlier this year.
This meet is open to all USA Swimming members including
part-time residents and visitors to the Garden Island. Entry deadline is July
15.
For more information and registration forms, contact Mokihana Aquatics’
Head Coach Orlando Anaya at 823-9590.
Bill Smith, holder of eight world
records, and a dozen national records, got his start in swimming after
transferring from St. Louis High School to Baldwin High School after his father
decided to relocate his son to receive aquatic tutelage from Suichi Sakamoto,
coach of the Maui Swim Club.
“You need to have a coach to motivate
you, set realistic goals, and help you achieve these goals,” Smith said.
And, Sakamoto did that for the relocated O`ahu youngster.
“Olympics
first, Olympics always!” is the motto of Sakamoto’s club, the breeding
ground for Smith’s goal of Olympic competition.
But, World War II got in
the way as Smith remembers, “There were a lot of guys that could have gone
to the Olympics from when the (Maui Swim) Club started in ’37, but the ’40 and
’44 games were cancelled. 1948 was my last hope.”
Following a year at
Ohio State, Smith joined the Navy, doing his basic training at Great Lakes
before returning to Honolulu to work as part of special services at Makalapa
where he ran a swimming pool for the staff of officers.
His war effort
behind him, Smith did manage to get to the 1948 Games in London at the age of
24.
“Back then, that was considered old,” Smith muses. But,
Smith persevered and captured a Gold Medal in the 400-meter Freestyle with a
time of 4:41.
A second Golf Medal followed as part of the 400-meter
Freestyle Relay Team.
But, Smith didn’t stop here as he returned to O`ah,
and when Honolulu organized its first “Beach Boy Life Guards”
program, Smith was appointed its first supervisor, overseeing future aquatic
stars like Ralph Goto and Robert “Uncle Bob” Via.
Smith continued
to share his drive and enthusiasm for swimming as an age-group coach for over
20 years.
“I’ve known Orlando…let’s see…at least 15 years,
“Smith laughs. “Orlando is the type of person who is REALLY into
swimming. He’s been in the game a long time, and he’s trying to motivate the
kids to put forth the effort. I’m coming to Kaua`i to share my experiences
about goal setting, about sacrifice, about what it takes (to achieve goals).
There is no shortcut to success.”
For more information, and
registration for the July 15 swimmers clinic, contact Mokihana Aquatics’ Head
Coach Orlando Anaya at 823-9590.
