May 9, 2007- Jones trades the pool for ocean view

Terry Jones is retiring from coaching the Union Mine High and USA AquaSol swim teams but he won't stray far from the water. Jones is trading the deck of Union Mine's pool for the deck of his 44-foot sailing craft, the Wind Whisperer.

“My wife Barb and I will be heading for Canyonlands in early June to begin a cross-country road trip to the Chesapeake Bay to board our boat,” Jones said, sitting in a local café, wearing an AquaSol team T-shirt, his white hair covered by a baseball hat sitting squarely atop his head, reminiscent of the way former Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry wore his trade-mark fedora.

Jones' retirement caps a 25-year coaching career, which began in Woodland where he was born, raised, and swam in high school.

Over the first part of his career Jones coached high school and college swimmers in Woodland and mentored in Sacramento area swim programs, whose swimmers included Olympians Mark Spitz and Debbie Meyer in the late '60s. He conducted SCUBA training for the USAF at Lowry Air Force Base and served as assistant to Air Force Academy swim coach Paul F. Arata at Colorado Springs.

“My involvement with the Air Force programs came about from an under-the-table deal with the recruiter, who promised me that after my basic training I would be assigned to Special Services at Lowry AFB to set up a diver training program,” Jones said.

Discharged from the military in 1971, Jones continued coaching at a private swim club in Denver, Colo., working with the area's top swimmers, some of whom went to the '72 Olympic trials.

“When I left Denver I returned to the West Coast to resume a teacher credentialing program at Sacramento State I started before joining the service, but after two years of coursework and student teaching, I realized teaching wasn't for me,” Jones said.

A Denver friend passed Jones' name to some people in the business community, one of whom managed a firm in the San Diego/Pomona area.

“That's the way a lot of my success in business happened,” Jones said. “A word here, a word there, and something would happen. Barb always says I'm the kind of person life happens to.”

Jones began in sales and worked his way up the managerial ladder, eventually becoming CEO of Rugby Corporation, a British concern involved in the acquisition and rebuilding of underperforming businesses. A large part of Jones' work involved the building of management teams.

“Many of the strategies I use in coaching today I employed in rebuilding the businesses we acquired back then,” Jones said. “Inspiring self-confidence and a ‘can do' spirit in employees, goal-setting and emphasizing teamwork over individual accomplishment worked well in the corporate environment, and these concepts work equally well in the pool.”

Faced with a transfer from the West Coast to Chicago, Jones decided it was time to exit the corporate world.

“I left that environment with a solid severance package and good relations with the people I worked with and decided it's time to return to my real love,” Jones said.

That love becomes apparent as Jones' conversation shifts from his business experience back to coaching, the gleam in his eye reasserting itself, the warm smiles crossing his tanned face more frequently.

Jones resumed his coaching in the Sacramento area conducting mostly private lessons, preferring to work on a one-to-one basis. But an opportunity came up that Jones couldn't resist.

“I had a chance to build an aquatics program from the ground up while continuing to give private lessons at the same time,” Jones said.

After setting up the program at Hudson's Aquatics and continuing to teach one-on-one, a team coaching position came up when Hudson's regular coach couldn't reenter the U.S. after visiting his family overseas.

“So I ended up coaching Hudson's team; then through a connection with Gerry Garrison up in Placerville, coaching both the El Dorado and Union Mine High School teams simultaneously at the El Dorado pool, and Placerville Gold Aquatics on the side,” Jones said.

Jones was instrumental in the building of the pool at Union Mine, where for the next two months, he will continue his poolside pacing; cajoling, teasing, challenging his charges to push themselves further, make adjustments to their strokes, their kicks, their breathing, and praising the swimmers for their successes. And he never hesitates to take a minute to greet a parent or give a hug to one of the younger swimmers arriving at the pool.

“If I don't verbally touch each swimmer four or five times during a practice, I've failed,” Jones said. “And I like to use teasing a lot; it fosters a light atmosphere during the practice.”

As for challenges in his job, Jones cited the limited time his swimmers spend with him.

“Finding time enough to get the kids conditioned and still have them work on mechanics, on technique, has always been a problem,” he said.

A legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers said that winning is “the only thing.” For Jones, winning is only one marker of success.

“To see a kid come into the program who isn't much of a swimmer or not a swimmer at all - a kid who doesn't communicate too freely, who's somewhat of a loner - turn into a strong team member, who takes joy in his or her accomplishments, gives me as much or more satisfaction than getting a kid to qualify for the nationals” Jones said.

“My ultimate goal isn't to make good swimmers; it's to make good citizens,” he added. “The kids can take what they learn in the pool - setting goals, organizing time, developing strategies, taking responsibility, contributing to the success of the team through individual work and accomplishment - with them to their adult life. I want to make a positive impact on them; I want them to make a positive impact on the world.”

But Jones gets as well as gives.

“Other than Barb and my daughter Mary Christine, these kids are my family. I have kids going to college who have been with me since age 6 or 7,” Jones said. “I get my vitality from these kids; every day has a high point, every day I walk away from the pool rejuvenated with a joyous heart.”

Families also play into Jones' joy in coaching. He described his USA team as “teeny” in numbers compared to the 300-plus member clubs against whom AquaSol competes.

“We've got a great sense of family on the team,” Jones said. “Everyone pitches in to help; at meets nobody ever has to ask for our families to fill timing chairs or provide officials.”

Asked how life after swimming will provide him with the benefits he derives from coaching, Jones is quick to reply.

“I've had my personal life on hold for seven years and during that time Barb has been very supportive. Sailing the Wind Whisperer around the world with her will provide me with enough challenges, new experiences and satisfaction to keep my vitality and joy level pretty elevated,” Terry said.

After their cross-country drive they'll take the Wind Whisperer, which Jones described as “capable of handling any situation,” out to do some shakedown sailing on the Chesapeake. Once on board, Jones will take an unusual subordinate position.

“I've never spent more than a week continuous on a boat, while Barb has taken several lengthy trips, including a 21-day sail from Tortola to the Azores. She'll be the skipper," Jones said.

In early November after hurricane season, Jones will leave the Chesapeake and head to North Carolina. After a short visit to their new home there and a subsequent sail to the Bahamas, they will continue south, visiting ports-of-call in Central and South America on their way to rounding Cape Horn into the South Seas.

“From there,” Jones said, pantomiming a coin flip, “we'll see where we go.”

But not completely closing the door on coaching, he continued, chuckling, “We have an open invitation to anyone wanting to sail with us from one port to another. For swimmers, I have a training program: They can do a four-mile daily swim following the boat.”

For those folks unable to serve on the Wind Whisperer, Jones is setting up a Website, www.svwindwhisperer.us, containing the ship's log and photographs.

Ultimately, Jones plans to return to his North Carolina home in the town of Oriental, home of 856 people.

“And,” Jones said with a wink, ��,600 sailing yachts.”

AquaSol families are holding a catered retirement party open to the public for Jones on Saturday, May 19 at the Union Mine pool. Tickets are on sale now and all those wishing to to reserve a meal must do so by May 14. For information, e-mail nicola.nicola@att.net.