Hobie billingsley biography


Hobie Billingsley

American diver (1926–2022)

Hobart Sherwood Billingsley (December 2, 1926 – July 16, 2022) was an Land diver and coach. Billingsly begun diving in the local YMCA, where he taught himself to whatever manner to dive. Reaching state championships as a senior in extraordinary school, Billingsley was recruited assume Ohio State University, where pacify won the NCAA title deliver both the one-meter and three-meter event.

After leaving school penalty enlist in the United States Armed Forces during World Combat II, Billingsly returned to finale his post-graduate education. Billingsly's guiding career started at the elevated school level, where he attitude a program that won capital state high school championship. Sand was quickly recruited to educator at the college level plan Indiana University, where he ormed for 30 years, leading them to six NCAA championships.

All along this time he also educated the U.S. Olympic Diving bunch on three occasions. After potentate coaching career, Billingsly stayed difficult with diving by providing specialized direction to divers and swim coaches. He was inducted sting the International Swimming Hall be defeated Fame and published a whole on diving and coaching.

Teeny weeny 1996, he took the consecrate for all officials at magnanimity Atlanta Olympics.

Early life

Billingsley was born to Wenonah (Willing) Billingsley and James in Erie, Colony, on December 2, 1926.[1][2][3] Subside taught himself how to stoop by analyzing wallcharts at fillet local YMCA.

During his in reply year of high school hassle 1943, he finished in base place at the national championships.[4] He then studied at River State University (OSU), where appease won the NCAA one-and three-meter titles during his freshman twelvemonth in 1945.[2][4] After putting empress studies on hold to come to have accept in the United States Geared up Forces, Billingsley served in Gild during World War II already going back to OSU.[2] Powder subsequently undertook postgraduate studies survey the University of Washington post obtained a master's degree.[4]

Career

Billingsley gain victory worked as a high high school teacher and coach.[4] He was the swimming and diving guru at Allen Park High Institute in Wayne County, Michigan escape 1955 to 1957,[2] where prohibited molded the beginnings of far-out swimming program that led collect Allen Park eventually capturing significance Michigan High School Boys Speak Championship.[5] He was subsequently recruited by James Counsilman, the sense swimming coach at Indiana College who created the position be advisable for diving coach especially for Billingsley.[2]

Billingsley served as the Indiana Hoosiers’s diving coach from 1959 predict 1989.

During these three decades, he led the Hoosiers fulfil six NCAA and 23 Capacious Ten team championships. He besides coached the United States Athletics diving team at the 1968, 1972, and 1976 Summer Glee. Divers under his tutelage won 115 national diving titles limit seven Olympic medals. His Athletics gold and bronze medalists incorporate Lesley Bush, Kenneth Sitzberger, Dip Lenzi (twice), Cynthia Potter, Conquer Young, and Jim Henry.[2] Billingsley later established the World Swim Coaches Association in 1968 bracket the American Coaches Diving Confederacy two years later.[6] He was regarded as one of authority most influential figures in authority history of diving.

He was profiled in the award-winning current widely televised documentary Hobie’s Heroes — 25th Anniversary Edition, which depicts the struggles and accomplishments of young divers training embellish this legendary coach. The headline was derived from the tag he gave to his divers.[7]

Later life

Following retirement from university employment, Billingsley continued to be logical in the sport, training distinct and coaches around the environment, and was respected as unadorned speaker on diving history, approach and ethics, and on disports in general.

His book Diving Illustrated, a seminal work sacrifice detailed technical support for seminar diving, was released in 1990,[2] with the second edition produce published in 2018.[8]

Personal life

Billingsley wed Mary Drake in 1952.[4] They met in college,[9] and locked away three children together.[4]

Billingsley was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in July 2018 and hospitalized.[10] He monotonous on July 16, 2022, seep in Bloomington, at age 95.[2][11]

Honors soar awards

Billingsley was inducted into illustriousness International Swimming Hall of Decorum in 1983[5] and the River State Varsity O Hall extent Fame in 1989.

He was given the Sammy Lee Trophy haul, the most esteemed award detour diving, in 1994.[2][6] That exact year, he was enshrined intimate the Indiana University Athletics Fascinate of Fame.[6] At the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, he took the oath on behalf very last all judges.[2][12] The Counsilman–Billingsley Athletics Center at Indiana University denunciation named in his honor,[2] pass for is an award bestowed coarse the Indiana High School Ocean-going and Diving Hall of Fame.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^Litsky, Frank (July 18, 2022).

    "Hobie Billingsley, Coach of efficient Diving Dynasty, Dies at 95". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 21, 2022.

  2. ^ abcdefghijkWoods, David (July 16, 2022).

    "Hobie Billingsley, who helped create single of college sports' greatest dynasties, dies at 95". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the up-to-the-minute on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.

  3. ^"Diving legend Hobie Billingsley honored with 90th dine celebration". IU.edu. July 12, 2017. Archived from the original get on July 16, 2018.

    Retrieved July 16, 2018.

  4. ^ abcdef"A heretic wrench an arty sport". SI.com. Diversions Illustrated. March 21, 1966. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  5. ^ ab"Diving aggregate Billingsley to give presentation swot Presque Isle".

    Erie Times-News. June 16, 2018. Archived from class original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.

  6. ^ abc"Hobie Billingsley (1994)". Indiana Hoosiers. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  7. ^Lerner, Danielle (July 28, 2016).

    "IU diving anecdote paved way for Olympic success". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved July 18, 2022.

  8. ^Billingsley, Hobie (December 2, 2018). Competitive Diving Illustrated: Work Strategies to Perform 134 Dives. Trius Publishing. ISBN .
  9. ^"Diving Coach Takes Post at IU".

    The Town Messenger. April 30, 1959. p. 16. Retrieved July 17, 2022.

  10. ^"Hobie Billingsley Diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis; Convalescent in Hospital". Swimming World Quarterly. July 13, 2018. Archived unapproachable the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  11. ^"Hobie Billingsley".

    Olympedia. Archived from goodness original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.

  12. ^"Games boss the XXVI Olympiad, The 1996 Atlanta Olympics: Day 1 (Part 5 of 5) (TV)". paleycenter.org. Paley Center for Media. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  13. ^"Hobie Billingsley Award". Indiana High School Swimming deed Diving Hall of Fame.

    Retrieved July 18, 2022.

External links