Michigan Masters Legend Jewel Cooke Passes Away

By Skip Thompson

ANN ARBOR, Michigan, January 26. ON Jan. 21, Jewel Cooke passed away at 98 years of age. Jewel swam in competition with swimming legends such as Johnny Weissmuller and Gertrude Ederle. As Jewel Cheatwood, she was a Canadian breaststroke champion while attending the Margaret Eaton School in Toronto where she majored in physical education.

"I never swam on an Olympic team, but I did earn my way through college during the depression of the 1930's by winning money prizes, especially for long distance swim events," Cooke said. "Unlike today's much longer marathon swims, our distances then were usually 10 miles".

A native of Chicago, she returned there after graduation and taught physical education in the school she had attended as a girl. During World War II, she and her husband Horace moved to Detroit. She began coaching swimming at Greenfield Village. The team needed a sponsor and Garden City agreed to lend the team its name. In 20 years of coaching, Jewel became a national authority in age group swimming. At her retirement in the spring of 1976, no Michigan coach had developed more age group champions. Her Garden City girls won 15 straight AAU State championships. Also during this time, she served as Michigan chairperson for the national committee of age group swimming as well as secretary and board member of the Michigan AAU. She also was chairperson of western Wayne County American Red Cross.

After her retirement from coaching in Garden City, she continued as volunteer in the Michigan AAU as the age group top 10 swimming tabulator. She began to teach swim lessons at West Bloomfield High School by day and Livonia adult education by night. For the next 20 years, she passed on her exquisite stroke technique to her students. In 1981, while taking a water aerobics class, she heard about the Masters swimming program. She had always known about the program but never had time to pursue it. Carol Rhudy and Lynn Weir inspired her to try swimming in a local meet in 1981 at the age of 72.

In 1984, after aging up to the 75-79 age group she set two National Records and achieved three first places in the National Top 10. In 1989, in the 80-84 age group, she set four National records in the 50 breast, 200 breast, and both the 200 and 400 IMs. In 1995 and 1996, in the 85-89 age group set 13 World Records and 17 National Records. In 1999 and 2000, in the 90-94 age group set 11 World Records and 23 National Records. In USMS pool competition, her accomplishments include the following: 10-time USMS All American, three-time USMS All Star, 74 Number 1 National Swims, and 33 Number 1 World Swims. Jewel set 47 USMS National Records and 24 FINA World Records. She is the only swimmer in Michigan Masters' history to set a National and World record in every stroke. At the 1996 USMS Long Course Nationals (the only National Championship Meet in which she swam), she won five National Championship Meet Titles in the five events she competed in. At the present time, Jewel holds 12 National Records and two World Records.

In her lifetime, Jewel has collected an impressive list of honors throughout her coaching, teaching, and swimming career. Some additional accomplishments include: being honored as a nominee for the United Foundation Sports Women-of-the-Year Award; named Michigan AAU Coach of the Year 3 times (1967, 1968, and 1971); and honored by the American Red Cross for 75 years of volunteerism and having taught more than 2000 swimmers in the Red Cross program. She received a bronze plaque and a certificate of appreciation from the Garden City Commission. In 1976, when she retired from coaching she received a Letter of Commendation and congratulations from President Gerald Ford.

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