The Missed Turn: Before Tragic Death, Eric Namesnik Sculpted Superb Career

In this installment of Swimming World’s series, The Missed Turn, honor is paid to the career of Eric Namesnik. A two-time Olympian, Namesnik became a star at the University of Michigan and developed a reputation as a tough-as-they-come grinder who found a way to tap into every ounce of talent he possessed.

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He’s been gone for almost 17 years now, a tragic accident stealing the life of Eric Namesnik. He was a father. A husband. A son. A friend. A teammate. A coach. And during his days in the pool, he was a tenacious worker, one of those guys who was clearly talented, but whose work ethic elevated him to another level. In Namesnik’s case, he soared to the pinnacle of the sport.

On January 8, 2006, Namesnik should have handled duties related to his head-coaching position with Wolverine Aquatics. But the previous day, “Snik,” as he was commonly known, was involved in an automobile accident on icy roads in Michigan which left him with a traumatic brain injury. Three days after the crash, Namesnik was taken off life support and passed away, his death at the age of 35 a devastating blow to the sport.

At the time of his passing, Namesnik was a rising star on the coaching scene, having substantially grown the profile and size of Wolverine Aquatics. Before that, he was the right-hand man of Jon Urbanchek for seven years at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Urbanchek was first Namesnik’s coach, but the two developed a special bond, a relationship that was more father-son than coach-pupil. In Urbanchek’s eyes, there was no doubt “Snik” was on the path to big-time success on the coaching scene.

“You know, he swam with me for eight years and then he was the best assistant coach I ever had,” said Urbanchek, an inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. “If he were alive today, he would be a damned good college coach.”

While Namesnik seemed destined to become one of the United States’ premier coaches, what he managed in the water initially defined his elite status in the sport. Hailing from Western Pennsylvania, Namesnik arrived in Ann Arbor in 1989 and was an immediate factor for the Wolverines, his determination and work with Urbanchek paying major dividends.

At the 1991 World Championships, Namesnik claimed silver medals in the 200 and 400 individual medley events, the titles captured by legendary Hungarian Tamas Darnyi. A year later, at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Namesnik replicated his silver-medal finish to Darnyi in the 400 IM. If nothing else, Namesnik proved he belonged with the Big Boys, additional evidence found in the four American records he set in the 400 medley from 1990-93. In 1991, “Snik” picked up gold in the 400 medley at the Pan Pacific Championships, the lone time he stood atop an international podium.

The pursuit of Olympic glory is known by a miniscule percentage of individuals, and the path to success can be easily derailed. Not only must training programs be precisely constructed and meet the specific needs of the athlete, the environment, too, requires attention. For Namesnik, already with an Olympic medal on his ledger, his journey toward a second Olympiad featured a unique dynamic.

In 1993, Tom Dolan arrived on the University of Michigan campus, where Namesnik continued to train with Club Wolverine. His presence meant Urbanchek would oversee the preparation of two athletes chasing the same dream – gold in the 400 I.M. at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. These situations can be delicate and spark animosity, as was the case when legendary coach Richard Quick was forced to separate the training of Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres during the 2000 campaign.

Urbanchek, though, spun magic while mentoring his charges, and Namesnik and Dolan benefited from their practice battles, even if they were never close friends. At the 1994 World Championships, Dolan delivered a breakthrough performance, setting a world record in the 400 medley, with Namesnik securing bronze. At the next year’s Pan Pacific Champs, Dolan and Namesnik went gold-silver, a showing that set the stage for the Atlanta Games.

On home soil, Dolan and Namesnik engaged in an epic duel. Sitting in second and third after the opening butterfly leg, the Michigan Men were even during the backstroke leg, touching at the midway point of the race in identical times of 2:02.87. While Dolan took the lead on the first half of breaststroke, Namesnik answered on the second lap of the stroke and took a lead of .44 heading into freestyle. Over the final 100 meters, Dolan and Namesnik went stroke for stroke, with Namesnik ahead by .03 at the 350-meter mark, but Dolan able to pull ahead over the last length to prevail in 4:14.90, “Snik” winning silver in 4:15.25.

“One of the reasons I came to Michigan was because ‘Snik’ was the American-record holder in the event that I swam,” said Dolan, in a past interview with the Go Blue website. “So, what better place to go to try to be the best? The relationship Snik and I had was very special and unique in that we were different personalities, but definitely challenged each other on a daily basis. And that’s difficult for two people who are the best in the world training right next to each other. But I credit Snik with a lot of the organization I learned about daily workouts and training.”

Once Namesnik wrapped up his competitive career, he fittingly moved to the coaching ranks, looking to impart his wisdom and experiences on developing athletes. On deck with Urbanchek, Namesnik helped Michigan maintain its status as a national power and was able to use his background to get the most from the Wolverine athletes.

In 2004, when Urbanchek stepped down as head coach, Namesnik pursued the head-coaching position. Ultimately, the job went to Bob Bowman, the coach of superstar Michael Phelps. As a result, “Snik” moved on from Michigan and took command of Wolverine Aquatics. He also served as a volunteer assistant at Eastern Michigan University. In time, there was little doubt Namesnik would land a head coach role at a major school.

The career of Eric Namesnik can be viewed as one of close calls, due to his numerous silver- and bronze-medal showings at the Olympics, World Championships and other international competitions. Primarily, though, Namesnik should be best remembered for the way he carried himself, and how he achieved excellence in the sport behind an approach that can only be defined as dogged and resilient.

“People pulled for Eric because he didn’t have that great talent, but did have the dedication and commitment,” Urbanchek once said. “As a coach, I look back at ‘Snik’ and see that he literally gave everything he could in every workout, every battle. He was the son I never had. What he did for Michigan is unmeasurable. It’s not just how fast he swam, but the good person he was, the character.”

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Andrew Dean

1 year ago

“Primarily, though, Namesnik should be best remembered for the way he carried himself, and how he achieved excellence in the sport behind an approach that can only be defined as dogged and resilient….” RESPECT

Kim

1 year ago

He must have felt swimming against Darnyi like Cseh was doing with Phelps – so close yet so far away from gold.