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Doc Counsilman

Doc Counsilman
James Counsilman 1963.jpg
James Counsilman in 1963
Sport(s) Swimming
Biographical details
Born (1920-12-28)December 28, 1920
Birmingham, Alabama
Died January 4, 2004(2004-01-04) (aged 83)
Bloomington, Indiana
Alma mater Ohio State University
Playing career
1940–1942 Ohio State Buckeyes
Position(s) Breaststroke
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1952–1957 Cortland State Red Dragons
1957–1990 Indiana Hoosiers
1964, 1976 U.S. Olympic Swim Team
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973)
Awards
International Swimming Hall of Fame (1976)

James Edward "Doc" Counsilman (December 28, 1920 – January 4, 2004) was an Olympic and hall-of-fame swimming coach from the United States. He is perhaps best known for being the head swimming coach Indiana University (IU) from 1957 to 1990. He served as head coach for the USA's swim teams to the 1964 and 1976 Olympics; and was inducted as an Honors Coach into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1976.

Counsilman was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but grew up and learned to swim in St. Louis, Missouri. He swam collegiately for the Ohio State University under coach Mike Peppe; and while in college set world-bests in the 50 and 300 yard breaststrokes. During World War II, Counsilman served in the United States Army Air Forces in Italy as a B-24 Liberator pilot with the 455th Bomb Group of the Fifteenth Air Force.

Post Ohio State, Counsilman went on to earn a master's degree at the University of Illinois (1947), where he also served as an assistant coach, before pursuing doctorate degree in physiology from the University of Iowa (1951). Following getting his doctorate, the now-dubbed "Doc" began teaching and coaching at Cortland State University, where he would remain from 1952 to 1957 leading into his time at Indiana University.

At IU, Counsilman coached the men's team to 6 consecutive NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships (1968–1973), and 20 consecutive (1961–1980) and 23 total Big Ten Conference titles. While at IU, Doc coached over 60 Olympic swimmers, including Mark Spitz,


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