Sweet Home swimming coach Doug Peargin has been named Coach of the Year by the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association.
Peargin will be honored at an awards banquet on Saturday, May 23, in the Pittman Room at the Len Casanova Athletic Center at Autzen Stadium. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Peargin has coached at Sweet Home for 35 years, during which his athletes have won six state championships and finished in the top five 19 times.
The Huskies won their latest state team title this spring, after close second-place finishes to Cottage Grove in 2007 and 2008.
He was also named Coach of the Year in 2000 after his team won the title. The award is voted on by coaches in 4A-1A division swimming programs.
Peargin said his success is the result of the efforts of “many people” €“ swimmers, parents, assistant coaches and other volunteers.
“The thing is, they give that award to the coach, but if it wasn’t for so many people €“ if the kids didn’t buy into the program, if parents didn’t make sure they got up to go to practice €“ it takes so many people to make this thing feasible,” he said.
“Without my wife, without my assistant coaches €“ you’re talking 50 to 100 people involved in getting an award like that.”
Retired Sweet Home football and wrestling coach Bruce West has assisted him for more than 20 years, and former Husky swimmer Tia Sitton has been an assistant for three seasons.
Peargin said he also appreciates the efforts of Craig and Willa Martin, who act as officials, and Chris and Brenda Simmonds, whose children swim for Peargin and who work as time and scorekeepers for meets.
“They are all non-paid positions,” Peargin said. “All the parents do the timing for us at meets to save money, so we can have the program available. All those together add up. If all those parents didn’t kick their kids out of bed at 5 o’clock in the morning, it wouldn’t work.”
Tickets for the banquet are $20 each and must reserved from the OACA office by Tuesday, May 19, by calling (503) 399-9132.