Contact:

Photos:

• Captains Courageous: (Ralph Richards and Mary Beth Ceresko) c.1965
• Ralph Richards and Tom Sullivan c.1965
• Patton Swim Team Summer of 1966 Photo

V1N5P2, V1N10P4, V2N3P4, V2N4P6, V2N6P3, V2N7P3, V2N8P4, V2N8P9, V2N8P10, V2N9P5, V2N10P2, V2N10P3, V2N10P5, V2N11P3, V2N11P4, V2N11P5

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• Attended Eastern Michigan University from 1966-70, swam on the EMU varsity which won the NAIA championship in 68 and 69
• Served in the US Navy from 1970-73 (Vietnam vet)
• Completed MS degree in Education at EMU in 1974
• Worked as a school teacher and part- time (more like two full-time jobs) swimming coach in north Queensland (Australia) for two years
• Traveled the world for about a year (Asia and Africa mostly) and then went back to Indiana University (Bloomington) to begin work on doctorate in Sport Science, served as Doc Councilman's assistant from 76-82 (one year break during the 1980-81 academic year to teach and coach at Albion College, NCAA Division 3)
• Completed my doctorate in 1982 and returned to Australia as the Head Swimming Coach at the State Swimming Centre in Melbourne (Victoria) - ran a very successful program that produced swimmers for every Australian Team during the 80's (including Olympic medalists)
• Assistant Coach for the Australian Olympic Team in 1988 and 1992
• Moved on to become the Head Coach of the South Australian Sports Institute (Adelaide, SA) from 1988-90
• Moved again to Canberra (Australia's national capital) to become the Head Women's Swimming Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport
• Changed jobs after the Barcelona Olympics to become the Director of the National Sports Research Centre (a program of the Australian Sports Commission), then served as the National Coaching Director for Australian Swimming
• Numerous research projects, publications, author of one book (working on a second), and international lecturer in sport science (mostly the physiology and biomechanics of swimming)
• Became an Australian citizen in 1990 after marrying Trish, who I met in Melbourne back in 1984
• In January this year (1998) I accepted a position as the Head Swimming Coach at the Western Australian Institute of Sport in Perth (my home pool is where the World Championships were held in 1991 and 1998). My new position job is the head swimming coach at the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) in Perth. My duties include a mixture of talent identification, sport science applications, work with the State development squads (i.e. elite junior swimmers) and coaching education. Along with the hands-on work with swimmers and coaches there are a number of administrative duties which include the planning and administration of programs and budgets for swimming in Western Australia. I'll also be Head Coach of the National Swim League team from WA, and serve on the national coaching staff in preparation for the Commonwealth Games later this year. (1/98)

Dr Ralph Richards is currently the Coaching and Development Co-ordinator for Australian Swimming Inc. Prior to this appointment he held the following positions in Australian sport:

• Director of the National Sports Research Centre of the Austalian Sports Commission,
• Senior Women's Swimming Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport
• Head Swimming Coach of the South Australian Sports Institute,
• Head Swimming Coach at Melbourne's State Swimming Centre.

Ralph completed his Doctoral Degree program in 'Human Performance Studies' from Indiana University in 1982, under the direction of Dr James (Doc) Counsilman. From 1976 through mid-'82 he served as a research assistant to Doc and helped run the summer camp and club programs at IU. During a single season sojourn as an NCAA Division III coach in 1980-81, he brought the Albion College men's and women's swimming teams to national attention (top 10 finish for the women).

Ralph's coaching history goes back to 1973 when he first emigrated to Australia as a mathematics teacher posted to Townsville; he began working with a local swimming club and a new career soon began. During his swimming career he was a nationally ranked age-group swimmer, a scholarship athlete at Eastern Michigan University, and a member of EMU's National (i.e. NAIA) Champion Swimming Teams of the late 1960's.

Employment History

• Australian Swimming Inc. (1994-current) - National Coaching and Development Co-ordinator.
• Australian Sports Commission (1993) - National Sports Research Centre Co-ordinator [manager of NSRC programs: Applied Sports Research / Laboratory Standards / Publications].
• Australian Institute of Sport (1990-92) - Senior Swimming Coach [Head Coach of AIS Women's Swimming 1991-92].
• South Australian Sports Institute (1988-89) - Head Swimming Coach.
• State Swimming Centre, Melbourne (1983-88) - Head Swimming Coach.
• Indiana University, USA (1982-83) - Graduate Student Research Co-ordinator, Offce of the Dean of Physical Education.
• Albion College, USA (1981-82) - Head Swimming Coach and Aquatics Centre Director.
• Indiana University, USA (1976-81) - Graduate Student and Assistant Swimming Coach [personal assistant to Dr James Counsilman].
• Heatley State Fligh School, Townsville Qld. (1974-75) - Mathematics Teacher.
• United States Navy (1970-73) - Lieutenant, Supply Corps.

• Doctor of Physical Education Degree (Exercise Science) Indiana University, USA
• Master of Science Degree (Educational Psychology) Indiana University, USA
• Master of Science Degree (Physical Education) Eastern Michigan University, USA
• Bachelor of Science Degree (Mathematics) Eastern Michigan University, USA

• Level 3 National Coaching Accreditation - Australian Coaching Council
• International Coaching Studies Diploma - International Olympic Committee
• Outstanding Achievement Award - Australian Swimming Coaches Association
• Victorian Coach of the Year 1987 and 1988 - ASCA Victorian Branch
• National Event Coach 1987 and 1988- Australian Swimming Inc.
• Board of Directors ASCA 1983 through 1992 / 1994-96
• Board of Management South Australian Amateur Swimming Assn.1988-89

• 1985 - Head Coach Victorian Team, China Tour
• 1988 - Assistant Coach Australian Olympic Swimming Team, Seoul
• 1990 - Assistant Coach Australian Institute of Sport Team, California Tour
• 1991- Head Coach Australian World University Games Swimming Team, Sheffield
• 1992 - Assistant Coach Australian Team, Olympic Sprint Camp, Honolulu
• 1992 - Head Coach Australian Team, Altitude Training Camp, Colorado Springs

• Project Manager: Australia - China Council exchange program of sport scientists, National Sports Research Centre;1993.
• Member of project team for sport science and coaching consultancy to the Indonesian Olympic Committee, co-ordinated by the Australian Coaching Council;1994.
• Member of project team visiting Guangzhou, China, as part of Aussie Sport program of the Australian Sports Commission;1994.
• Conducted coaching education program in Indonesia as part of the Federation Internationale De Natation Amateur (FINA) Olympic development program;1994/95/96.
• Provided consultant services to the Malaysian Swimming Union and the National Sports Council of Malaysia;1994.
• Conducted coaching education programs in Malaysia;1995.

• Coaching Swimming: An Introductorv Manual © 1996
• The Swimming Maching © 1997 (editor)
• Editorial Board "Active Sport for Life" Magazine
• Author of numerous Journal and Magazine articles

Like everyone else, I remember the cold water at Brennan Pools!

I also remember some great friends and a lot of hard work in the pool (whatever doesn't kill you will make you stronger). Maybe that's where I got my work ethic, if it is, then I have Harry and Sully to thank for many things.

Revised 1/21/98