HAMILTON, New York, May 16. COLGATE University announced the creation of the Mark S. Randall Endowed Coach for Swimming and Diving endowment. The endowment helps secure the swimming and diving program in the future.<\/p>\n
Through the generosity of Robert Fox '59 and dozens of other investors, Colgate inaugurated the Mark S. Randall Endowed Coach for Swimming and Diving at the Colgate Inn on May 4.<\/p>\n
For many in the room, Randall was more than just a coach; he was a father figure, patting them on the back when they were doing well, and "a bit lower" when they didn't rise to their potential. "I was an average swimmer," says Richard Wolk '62. "But Coach Randall made me feel like I was the most important guy on the team."<\/p>\n
Bob Fox provoked nods from the crowd as he noted that "Mark Randall was my continuity during my four years at Colgate."<\/p>\n
That connection didn't end when Randall's athletes exchanged their uniforms for caps and gowns. After graduation, as alumni made trips back to campus for Reunion and other special events, they always paid a visit to the coach's home.<\/p>\n
This ability to relate to his students \u2014 to know them as people \u2014 allowed Randall to create winning teams outside of the natatorium, too. His tenure at Colgate began in 1945 and, while he earned a stunning record of 164-58 as swimming and diving coach, he also lead the soccer team for 14 years, achieving a 74-41 record. Randall coached lacrosse as well and eventually headed the university's physical education department.<\/p>\n
After "retiring" from the university in 1978, Randall continued to coach the diving program. In 1981, he began a second career, founding the Chenango Water Exercise Group, a physical therapy program that eventually drew national recognition and fed his unrealized ambition to be a physician.<\/p>\n
The $1.5 million Randall chair, adopted by current Swimming and Diving Coach Stephen Jungbluth, comes at a critical time when programs across the nation are being cut. "Thanks to those in this room," Jungbluth told the audience, "I can look at parents and recruits and say, \u2018You can rest assured that our program is securely in place.'"<\/p>\n
In his lifetime, Randall received countless awards, including the Jefferson Award for public service in 1989, the Maxwell House "Real Heroes" Award in 1992, and the award for Top Water Fitness Program in the United States in 1993. According to many of his students, however, the Mark S. Randall Endowed Coach for Swimming and Diving was the perfect way to round out a long list of accolades because it provides future Colgate swimmers with continuity \u2014 a gift Randall himself gave to so many student-athletes throughout the years.<\/p>\n
Special thanks to Colgate for contributing this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
HAMILTON, New York, May 16. COLGATE University announced the creation of the Mark S. Randall Endowed Coach for Swimming and Diving endowment. The endowment helps secure the swimming and diving<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-college","category-zzzzzzzzz"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n