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Swim coach David Fry retires

16 years and 30 AUS banners later, Fry looks back on a great run

- April 23, 2012

David Fry has one of the greatest varsity coaching records in Dal history. (Photo Daniel Abriel)
David Fry has one of the greatest varsity coaching records in Dal history. (Photo Daniel Abriel)

By the numbers alone, David Fry would easily rank among the most outstanding varsity coaches in Dalhousie history.

In his 16 years as head coach of the Tigers swim teams, his squads have brought home 30 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship banners. An impressive run by anyone's standards. Add to that over 20 podium finishes at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships, four Dalhousie coach of the year honours, 20 AUS coach of the year awards (10 for each swim team), two CIS coach of the year titles, and you have a record that's legendary.

ā€œI had a great run, largely because had great athletes to work with,ā€ says Mr. Fry, who announced last month that he will be retiring at the end of this season.

ā€œFor me, the most gratifying thing is to see the growth in the program. Every year, the level of excellence is bumped up a notch. After a while, that becomes part of the culture, and the athletes just expect themselves to perform at a certain level. What you see around you is often what inspires you.ā€

He adds that what has inspired many of his swimmers is knowing that for all those AUS championships, the top goalā€”a CIS titleā€”is still something Dal has yet to claim.

ā€œWinning at the conference level is great, and itā€™s been a wonderful thing to win so many championships, and weā€™ve been as high as third in the men and fourth in the women [nationally] in the modern day. But weā€™ve never won ā€“ never been in the top two. So we still have work to do.ā€

He corrects himself, realizing that his work is coming to an end. ā€œWell, I donā€™t,ā€ he laughs. ā€œBut the team does. And the athletes buy into that: somebodyā€™s got to finish first, so why not us?ā€

A storied career

It was a similar line of thoughtā€”ā€œwhy not me?ā€ā€”that got Mr. Fry into coaching in the first place. He swam for Acadia as an undergrad, with four different coaches of varying skill levels in four years. ā€œThe universityā€™s commitment to swimming was less than stellarā€¦[the coaches] were all great people, but I began to realize that, hey, I could do this.ā€

After completing his BEd at Queenā€™s, he began developing a two-lane career: teacher and swim coach. He coached for the Dartmouth Crusaders off and on for 12 years while also working as a teacher in the city. The days were longā€”14, 16 hoursā€”but worth it. ā€œI was young and wanted to do it, so I found a way to make it happen.ā€

During that time, he was also a regular assistant with the Tigers, and led the teams on two occasions (81-82 and 92-93) when coach Nigel Kemp was on sabbatical. In 1998, he was named as Mr. Kempā€™s replacement, and cut back his teaching load to 50 per cent. (He continued to work as a resource teacher at Clayton Park Junior High until just two years ago.)

Immediately, his easy-going-but-direct rapport struck a chord with Tigers swimmers.Ā  Indeed, itā€™s remarkable how warm and inviting Mr. Fry comes across in conversation, while still remaining refreshingly direct.

ā€œThe one thing I demand of athletes is that we both be on the same page,ā€ he says. ā€œIf our goals donā€™t match up, we have to get them to align. I donā€™t believe in dictating what I believe the athlete needs to do; weā€™ve got to find that common groundā€¦they communicate to me where they want to go with their career, and I try my hardest to get them there.ā€

Building a championship team

You might think that itā€™s the body that makes a great swimmer, but Mr. Fry explains that itā€™s attitude thatā€™s been key to Dalhousie winning so many championships during his tenure.

ā€œIā€™ve had tall people, short people, broad people, thin people all be pilipiliĀž»­ful swimmers,ā€ he says. ā€œBut theyā€™ve got to constantly be looking for personal improvement, be hungry to get better.

ā€œAnd theyā€™ve got to learn to deal with stress, because a swimming raceā€”for someone whoā€™s never experienced high-level athleticsā€”can be rather intimidating. Youā€™re standing on the starting block. Thereā€™s nobody there to help you: your coach canā€™t do it with you; your team canā€™t do it with you. Youā€™ve got to dive in the water and do it yourself.ā€

What does Mr. Fry say that heā€™s proudest of during his time at Dal?

ā€œCertainly, the run weā€™ve had at the AUS level has been great. And coaching several athletes to the top of the podium, individually, at the CIS level was very rewarding.

ā€œBut itā€™s also about those athletes who arenā€™t the ā€˜stars,ā€™ but who take a lot of pride in how far theyā€™ve come from where they started. Itā€™s so great to be part of that, and to know how well-balanced are swimmers are as people: they have some time for fun, and most of them are solid students ā€“ which our high number of Academic All-Canadians reflects.ā€

As he looks ahead to the next stage of his life, he says that in addition to working with the swimmers, heā€™s going to miss the sense of drive and accomplishment that comes from working with athletes day-to-day. But as for the pool, he doesnā€™t expect it to leave his life entirely.

ā€œIā€™m retiring as the Dal head coach, but I hope to never retire from the sportā€¦just find something where it can be two or three practices a week instead of 11 or 12, be it with the Dal team if I feel that I can be helpful, or elsewhere in the city.ā€