20 Years and Counting...
Follow @MiamiRedHawks and @MiamiOHSwimDive on Twitter
Nov. 21, 2001
For 20 seasons, Dave Jennings has dedicated his life to the advancement of Miami's swimming program. Through the years, changes in the program, facilities and athletes have brought about new challenges and new forms of excitement to a team rich in tradition and success.
Beginning at Miami in the fall of 1982, Jennings fondly recalls his practices in the old Billings Natatorium. With only six lanes, Jennings could keep careful watch over all his athletes. Now practicing in the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center at the Recreational Sports Center, Jennings' team has three spacious pools in which to work.
"I did have to change my coaching style when we changed facilities," Jennings said.
Jennings now can target specific types of swimmers separately, a definite improvement over the old way, according to Jennings.
This is the first time in 20 years that Jennings has worked solely as a coach, relinquishing his former teaching and computer technician duties. This has allowed him to dedicate all his time and energy to his team and the advancement of the program.
"He is the first one in the office in the morning and the last one to leave at night," head diving coach Todd Spohn said.
Jennings is driven by his love for Miami and his desire to see his athletes succeed not only in the pool but also in an academic and personal setting.
"I like to challenge my athletes every day about why they are here, and to make sure they are (swimming) for the right reasons," Jennings said.
Jennings takes as much care in working on interpersonal relationships between his athletes as he does on the competitive aspect. With 40 women under his watch, Jennings knows that the team members can have a great affect on each other personally as well as athletically.
"Coaching the athletes outside the pool may be more important than the coaching I do of the athletes in the pool," Jennings said.
He firmly believes in the opportunity to affect a person's life, and that is what excites and drives Jennings to coach every day. This, though, is never stronger than his desire to mold a strong team, where he can push his swimmers to excel and reach their personal bests.
One of Jennings' long-held goals is to put a winning team in the water. This has led to his 70-21 Mid-American Conference record entering this season.
"I always want to be in the hunt," Jennings said.
The ultimate goal, of course, is capturing the MAC Championship. The RedHawks have seen the title slip out of their grasp the last two years, since their four-year streak came to an end in 1999.
Jennings said he is extremely pleased with this year's team and hopes to reclaim the title. According to him, the team has a good work ethic, a talented freshman class and good chemistry, which Jennings believes are all essential ingredients to a winning season. When the MAC Championship rolls around on Feb. 28-March 2, it should come down to who Jennings refers to as the "Big Three": Miami, Ohio and Toledo.
Through the season's first four meets, Miami has a 5-1 record and is 2-0 in the MAC. Upcoming is the Miami Invitational, in which 19 teams will compete for three days at the Recreation Center.
Finishing up his second decade of coaching at Miami, and living out his childhood dream, Jennings could not be any happier with his station in life.
"Miami has been good to me. It's a great place to coach and recruit from. But, it's hard to believe I've been here 20 years," Jennings said.
Jennings' tendency to blunder names and the many philosophies he repeatedly discusses with the team are affectionately known as "Daveisms." These remind his team of the heart of his program: his goals, dreams and belief in the team.
His favorite one, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of one, but sometimes the needs of one outweigh the needs of the many," deals with the duality of coaching swimming: the advancement of the team versus the advancement of the individual.
With 11 MAC titles under his coaching belt, Jennings would like see another of his athletes compete and place at a national level.
A man who is intensely dedicated to improving athletes in the rigorous sport of swimming and looking out for their well being, Jennings possesses a fiery attitude toward further improving Miami's swimming program through hard work.
He said, "There are always personal goals that I have for the team. My most important goal, though, is striving for the kids to improve, because I always feel that there is the ability to improve in some way."