Frank Comfort
 Comfort circa 1977, UNC first year swim coach | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | circa 1946 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Playing career | |
| 1964-1967 | Syracuse University |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1968-1977 | Johns Hopkins University |
| 1977-2007 | University of North Carolina |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 501-146-1 1977-2003 (UNC) 82-36 (John Hopkins) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1977 NCAA Team Championship (Johns Hopkins) 26 ACC championships 10 men 16 women (U. North Carolina) | |
| Awards | |
| ACC Coach of Year 4 for Men's Team 10 for Women's Team (U. North Carolina) | |
Frank Rockwell Comfort was the head swim coach for the University of North Carolina from 1977-2007 where he led the Tarheels to 349 dual meet wins. Combined with his prior wins coaching Johns Hopkins University, in 2004 he reached 578 dual meet wins, a number that uniquely distinguished him as the coach with the most wins in collegiate swimming history.[1]
Comfort was born around 1946 to Francis Meck Comfort and grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In July, 1964 in the summer after his High School Senior year, swimming for West Shore, he won two events, the 100-meter backstroke, and the 100-meter butterfly in a time of 53.1 at a Tri-County Swim League Meet.[2] Swimming for Harrisburg, he qualified for the Pennsylvania State Swimming Meet in March 1963, by placing fourth in the 200-yard freestyle, and third in the 400-yard freestyle at the Eastern Regional Meet.[3]
He later graduated Syracuse University with a Bachelor's in History in 1968, where he was a three-year letterman in swimming from 1964-67. He received his Master's in Physical Education from Carolina in 1968, and coached the Freshman team to a perfect 7-0 record as a Student Coach.[4][5]
Coaching Johns Hopkins[edit]
Before assuming the position as head coach at Carolina, between 1968 and 1977 Comfort served as the head swimming and diving coach at NCAA Division III Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. In nine seasons, the team achieved a record of 82–36 in dual meets.[6] Comfort led the Hopkins's Blue Jays to 8 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships, 4 Mason-Dixon Championships, two NCAA Runner-up finishes and most notably the 1977 NCAA Team Championship. While coaching at Hopkins, he also served as Director of Physical Education, Assistant Track Coach, Director of the Summer Athletic Program.[5] In his career with Hopkins, he produced 159 All-Americans, 22 individual national champions in individual events and one relay national champion during his nine-year tenure at Baltimore. He coached the Johns Hopkins women in their first two seasons to a 12–5 record and back-to-back MAC Championships.[7] Upon leaving Hopkins in, Comfort was replaced by Assistant Coach Tim Welsh. Comfort had also coached the Homewood AAU club during his tenure at Hopkins, and had mentored nationally rated swimmers Teresa Hecht, Nancy Thompson, 1976 Olympic medalist Wendy Weinberg, and Ellen Mangels.[8]
Coaching University of North Carolina[edit]
In the 30 years between May, 1977 and July, 2007, where he replaced Jim Wood as Head Coach, Comfort had an exceptional winning career at North Carolina. He led the university to 26 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships, consisting of 10 men's teams championships, and 16 women's team's championships. Nearing the end of his tenure with the tarheels, by January 2003 he had won 500 dual meets and had achieved an admirable career record of 501–146–1.[6] Comfort remarked in 2003, that "Getting the 500th is a great tribute to a lot of great swimmers and divers who've competed for me at Johns Hopkins and Carolina over the past 35 years".[6]
Comfort always noted that he stressed education first and swimming second. He required a minimum of three morning and five evening practices, rather than many programs that required five or six morning practices. He also established an Alumni Club for his swimmers to help build team loyalty and improve recruiting by creating a network of graduates who could look for top talent in their communities.[9]
The swimmers and divers under Comfort's management have won both at North Carolina and previously at Johns Hopkins University with a frequency and consistency unparalleled by any former swimming coach. Of his 565 career wins, 303 came while coaching men and 262 while coaching women. He also had great success with his athletes in classroom academics while away from the pool, and his swimmers were active in numerous leadership roles in their college communities.[10]
International coaching[edit]
Comfort coached several American and foreign Olympians and NCAA, AIAW and U.S. swimming national champions. He served eight times as head coach or an assistant on international trips for the U.S. National Team and 10 times for U.S. teams on domestic trips.[5]
In April 2006, Comfort retired from coaching, to become effective at the end of the 2006-07 swim season. After retiring, he moved to Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.[11] His long serving assistant coach Rich DeSelm replaced him as Carolina's designated head coach on July 1, 2007.[10]
Honors[edit]
He was chosen as the ACC Coach of the Year for the Women's team 10 times and as Coach of the Year for the Men's team four times.[6] Comfort was inducted into the Maryland Swimming Hall of Fame in 1966 and the Johns Hopkins Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.[7] In 2007, he was named as a Carolina Priceless Gem, University of North Carolina's most distinguished athletics award, and was honored with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Award of Distinction.[5] Most remarkably, for achieving his outstanding record of winning meets, Comfort was selected by the College Swimming Coaches Association of American (CSCAA) for the list of the 100 greatest Coaches of the Century.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "North Carolina State, Frank Comfort Among CSCAA 100 Greatest Coaches". University of North Carolina, goheels.com.
- ^ "Janis Barry Leads AC to Swim Victory", The Daily News, Lebanon, Pensylvania, 22 July 1964, pg. 20
- ^ "35 York Merman Qualify for State Finals", The York Dispatch, York, Pennsylvania, 25 March 1963, pg. 18
- ^ Clemons, Alois, R., "Frank Comfort, UNC Swim Post Fulfills Dream", The Daily Tar Heel, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 23 June 1977, pg. 15
- ^ a b c d "Syracuse University, Frank Rockwell Comfort, 1967 (Swimming)". Syracuse University.
- ^ a b c d "Swimming World, Coach Comfort Notches his 500th Victory". Swimmming World.
- ^ a b "Johns Hopkins University, Comfort, Welsh, and Kennedy Named to CSCAA's 200 Greatest Coaches List". Johns Hopkins University.
- ^ Brown, Doug, "Welsh Appointed Hopkins Coach", The Evening Sun, Baltimore, Maryland, 15 June 1977, pg. 68
- ^ Biles, Deed, "Comfort; Professor of Swimming", The Daily Tar Heel", Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 17 November 1977, pg. 7
- ^ a b "University of North Carolina, Veteran Head Coach Frank Comfort To Close Out Tar Heel Tenure". University of North Carolina.
- ^ "University of North Carolina Swim Coach, Frank Comfort, Makes a Home in Pennsylvania". Tar Heel Times.