The Value Of Coaches 14

Kirk Ciapella, my first coach, oversaw the Berkeley Barracudas and was part of my daily life until about 8th grade, a period covering 1977 to 1982.  The Barracudas was a rag tag group of committed swimmers and personalities - Kirk himself a holdover from the hippie era or at least carried that vibe - in a sport many would consider intense, everything with Kirk was chill and fun, a perfect attitude for my early career.

Next came Bill Gaebler who guided me from 7th grade through High School where he coached the men and women's water polo and swimming teams. When I started doing double workouts from 7th grade (age 11) Bill opened the King pool, 6:30AM sharp, for the Berkeley lap swimmers and provided me a lane and individual workouts every day of the school week. I believe Bill took particular pride in my high school class given those were his early years of coaching and the squad set a number of school records, a few which stick today.  Bill recently retired as head of BHS Aquatics after 40-years and generations of athletes.

Then came Kim Musch who headed the Golden Bear Aquatics program for the all-year age-group swimmers and local Cal swimmers who needed a summertime club.  Under Kim I qualified for "short course" Junior Nationals in the 500 yard freestyle (consolation finals) and 1650 yard freestyle (top 10) in 1984 and Senior Nationals in the 4x200 freestyle relay in 1985.  Because of Kim I trained senior-year with the California Gold Bears and the late, great, Nort Thornton who was Head Swimming Coach from 1977 to 2007 winning NCAA Championships in 1979 and 1980. Nort had a collapsed left lung and could only whisper making him even more formidable than he already was.

Photo of Bill Gaebler on the sideline from the BHS 1985 year-book; Ivor, touching chin, a Berkeley and cycling friend to this day.