Legendary Marin swimming coach Don Swartz dies at 79

Swartz coached Olympic gold medalist Rick DeMont and built Marin Aquatic Club into a national power in the 1970s.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Don Swartz, a legendary swimming coach in Marin County, California, passed away at the age of 79 while on vacation in Costa Rica. Swartz rose to prominence in the 1970s after coaching Terra Linda High swimmer Rick DeMont to a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Swartz's innovative coaching techniques like cycle training and negative splitting helped attract top swimmers to Marin, turning the Marin Aquatic Club into a national powerhouse. Swartz retired from coaching in 1976 but returned in 2005 and had been with the North Bay Aquatics club until his death.

Why it matters

Swartz's impact on swimming in Marin County was immense, as he helped develop the region into a national hub for the sport. His innovative coaching methods and ability to get the best out of his swimmers made the Marin Aquatic Club a destination for top talent in the 1970s. Swartz's legacy will continue to be felt through the many swimmers and coaches he mentored over his decades-long career.

The details

Swartz moved to Marin in the 1960s and began coaching the San Rafael Swim Club, which later merged with other clubs to become the Marin Aquatic Club in 1970. Under Swartz's leadership, the club became a national power, with swimmers like Rick DeMont, Doug Northway, Robin Backhaus, and Rick Abbott training with him. Swartz's techniques like cycle training and negative splitting, which involved swimmers going faster in the second half of a race, helped his swimmers reach new heights.

  • Swartz began coaching the San Rafael Swim Club in the 1960s.
  • The San Rafael Swim Club merged with other clubs to become the Marin Aquatic Club in 1970.
  • In 1972, Swartz coached Rick DeMont to a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle at the Summer Olympics.
  • The Marin Aquatic Club placed fourth nationally in 1974.
  • Swartz retired from coaching in 1976 but returned in 2005 and had been with North Bay Aquatics until his death.

The players

Don Swartz

A legendary swimming coach in Marin County, California, who rose to prominence in the 1970s after coaching Olympic gold medalist Rick DeMont and building the Marin Aquatic Club into a national power.

Rick DeMont

A swimmer coached by Swartz who won gold in the 400-meter freestyle at the 1972 Summer Olympics, though he was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.

Ken DeMont

The president and head coach of North Bay Aquatics, where Swartz was coaching until his death.

Bob Placak

A standout swimmer at San Rafael High who trained under Swartz and went on to win two gold medals at the 1979 Pan American Games.

Keith Strange

A former swimmer at Terra Linda High who trained under Swartz and spoke at a 50-year reunion event for Swartz's top swimmers.

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What they’re saying

“He loved the deck more than everything. He loved his wife (Madeline), his soulmate, but after that he was happiest on the deck coaching. His secret sauce was he got people to believe in themselves.”

— Ken DeMont, North Bay Aquatics president and head coach (marinij.com)

“Cycle training was revolutionary. It came from his research about track athletes. You could give athletes a day of rest and a day of work and you'd get more out of the day of work because you gave them a day of rest beforehand.”

— Keith Strange, Former Terra Linda High swimmer (marinij.com)

“In the first half of that race, you'd set the pace but in the second half you'd try to go faster than the first half. We always trained that way – always try to maintain your position but try to come back harder and faster.”

— Scott Dicker, One of Swartz's star swimmers from San Rafael High (marinij.com)

What’s next

The North Bay Aquatics team is working to determine how to move forward following Swartz's passing and continue his legacy of coaching excellence.

The takeaway

Don Swartz's innovative coaching techniques and ability to get the best out of his swimmers made him a legendary figure in Marin County swimming. His impact will continue to be felt through the many lives he touched over his decades-long career.