James Mcadoo

Jimmy: Swimmer, Coach, and Dad James Mcadoo

Jimmy McAdoo was the swimming coach at Swarthmore College for more than thirty years. He was not a natural fit for that outstanding academic institution. He did not have a college degree, although he had the opportunity. He was a coach who "marched to his own beat" and did things his way. He brought a sense of humor to his job, he had the ability to teach from his life experiences, and I think that made him different from most of the faculty. I have learned from many of his former swimmers that what made Jimmy different was his unique ability to understand the needs of student athletes under intense academic pressure, and to provide the motivational environment for swimmers to exceed their own expectations. Jimmy's life was the world of swimming, yet he had a difficult time earning a living at the sport he loved. That reality created another life for Jimmy that few people knew about, even his family. I knew the other side of Jimmy, and I have chosen to share that side of his life.