Jack Nelson, The Coach Behind 1976 Epic Relay Win, Dies After Battle With Alzheimer’s Disease

FORT LAUDERDALE –Jack Nelson, who was a major force in coaching the American women to gold over the East Germans in the 400 free relay at the 1976 Olympics, passed away this morning from complications from Alzheimer’s disease at 82 years old.

Though Nelson had a storied coaching career across four decades, his legacy is most lasting in that epic swim from Kim Peyton, Wendy Bogliogli, Jill Sterkel and Shirley Babashoff at the 1976 Games. The 400 free relay was the final event of the meet for the women, and the United States had come up empty in gold medals, losing nearly every race to the East Germans.

Nelson, the head women’s Olympic coach, gave the four women an inspirational pep talk before the race, sizing each one up with their East German counterparts. In an interview with Swimming World Magazine Publisher Brent Rutemiller in 2007, Nelson spoke at length about getting the ladies ready for the race.

“One thing that stands out in my mind is that we had a chance to win that 4×100 freestyle relay provided every one of our girls would do all their best times. And so almost to the day of the full week before the last event which was at the end of the week, I don’t remember exactly what day it was, but it was for the freestyle relay and we qualified, our girls qualified second and the Canadian girls qualified third. And we spent – the coaches and I – we spent time with the girls saying “Look, we can win this relay but it has to be done this way. Kim Peyton, you’re the American record holder, every time you get on the block you go faster than you’ve ever gone, so we’re going to lead you off the first 100 free as fast as you can go. Wendy [Boglioli], you’re going to go second and you’re going to try to catch [The Next Person] because Ender we knew that she was going to go first and we wanted Kim to go with Ender and do the best she could to put us in position to win totally.

“Once again she [Peyton] broke the American record for the 100 free but she was one full length [back] on the touch from Ender. And we didn’t tell them they had to beat them, we told them they had to be within a body length and then Wendy’s job was to catch up. Wendy’s job was to catch up that one body length [from] Kim [whose swim broke] an American record had done. So Wendy takes off and drops two seconds in the fastest 100 of her life. She was like instead of a 57 swimmer she was a 55 swimmer in that relay, okay? Jill’s job then was to get Shirley the lead.

“There was just no way that [Shirley Babashoff] was going to lose that relay, there was just no way that we were going to lose it because she was getting sick and tired of those people burning her. What was so outstanding was they won with their minds, they didn’t worry about the East Germans at this point, they were worried about America winning and they did and people went bonkers. And the thing about it is they were truly, truly great Americans during that relay and they had no fear, no fear at that point.”

Though at first glance one would think him too short and stocky to be an elite swimmer, Nelson had a splendid career as an athlete. He made the 1956 Olympic team and was fourth in the 200 butterfly at those Games. According to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, he is the only man to earn a spot in an Olympic final and go on to be named head Olympic coach.

Nelson would have a long list of athletes he would personally guide to success while coaching for nearly 40 years through the motto “Access to success is through the mind.” Among the swimmers he put on the Olympic team who would win gold medals were Shirley Stobbs (1960), Dave Edgar (1972) and Joel Thomas (1992). He led several to world record performances, including Laurie Lehner, Ann Marshall and Andy Coan. One of his prodigies, Seth Van Neerden, broke the American record in the 100 breaststroke in 1994.

Among the accolades Nelson received later in life were a place in the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1994 and the American Swim Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2009.

Below is a family-produced video detailing more of Nelson’s life:

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Steve West

9 years ago

I always remember Jack having the biggest smile and always pumping everyone up… I never swam for him, in fact competed against his swimmers, but he was always pumping me up and everyone around him. Everyone should have some of Jack in them, I just remember him being a great guy!

Tom Quinn

9 years ago

God speed Coach! You were a great influence on my four kids who all swam on FLST. Thanks for all the memories.

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Jennifer Shaw Wilder

9 years ago

Our entire family has always had a great love and respect for Jack. He left a wonderful mark on this world and will be greatly missed! Love to his family.

Gary T. Butts

9 years ago

Coach Nelson was my mentor, my rival and treasured friend for 37 years. My memories of this visionary coach will always include a high degree of concern for his swimmers, family, staff, and friends. When the finals are over, always raise a glass and toast one of the greatest swimming coaches ever. JACK W. NELSON…. A life lived well.
GTB

Annamaria

9 years ago

Reply to Gary T. Butts

You said it best, Gary. He was the best coach I ever had and made me love swimming so much. I didn’t care if I came out of the water looking like a dried prune. I came out of the water having always accomplished so much. He saw in what many would miss. He even wanted me to swim in my high school years at Pine Crest but we couldn’t afford it. A great loss for me. But gosh, what he could get kids to do … greatness.

Veronica Stroup Holz

9 years ago

Reply to Gary T. Butts

I have fond memories of working with Coach Nelson as a coach in his summer camp for swimmers in 1980. I wish his family well.

Veronica Stroup Holz

9 years ago

Reply to Gary T. Butts

Gary butts, email me Veronica vaholz@aol.com

Bruce Rogers

9 years ago

Coach you are a great man, teacher and inspiration. You helped forge me into the competitor that I am even still to today. I love and miss you.
Bruce Rogers (Canada)

Rick Brown

9 years ago

What a great tribute to Coach Nelson! Thank you!

Dr Paul Sigfusson

9 years ago

Jack was a large presence in USA Swimming.

I trained with him several Christmas breaks , served on USA Swimming committees and was a manager on trips. He loved swimming and gave his all……..

Dr. Paul Sigfusson

Sandy Thatcher

9 years ago

Interesting that this obit, unlike the ones that ran in the New York Times and Swim Vortex, makes no mention of Diana Nyad’s accusations. It’s understandable that the video produced for the family would omit this information, but why does this magazine avoid it? Some people think Nyad is a “nut case,” but what would her motivation for making such charges have been if they are indeed lies? If true, then they do stain the otherwise illustrious legacy of this man.

Brian Ippolito

9 years ago

Coach Nelson was a great coach and motivator to all who knew him. As a young coach starting out, I got to know him during the CSCA Forum in Fort Lauderdale. Our long talks during morning workouts were a great treat for me. Coach Nelson was always willing to share ideas. He treated everyone with respect and showed a genuine concern for the swimmers and other coaches. He was a very nice man who will be missed.

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Faithful One

24 days ago

I really hope he suffered — what a horrible human being.