Swimming coach celebrates 400th win
Not all coaches earn the opportunity and triumph that Mr. Ned Hampford, swimming coach, earned December 8. The boys’ win against Saucon Valley allowed Mr. Hampford to celebrate his 400th career dual-meet win. He has been coaching for 38 years.
“Being coached by Coach Hampford is great because he always helps us with our swimming and is always there to help us improve our strokes. The most beneficial thing Coach Hampford has taught me is the only way to get better is with hard work. Last season, he had a quote that said, ‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it will not change you.’ It taught everybody to challenge themselves every day,” junior Charles Botto said.
Coach Hampford began his coaching career at Pottsville in December 1975 as the assistant coach of the boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving teams. While coaching the swim teams, he was a health and physical education teacher with the school district. He liked to focus his free time on being a strength/training instructor.
Before he started to coach swimming at Pottsville, Coach Hampford spent one year as the head men’s swimming coach at Bloomsburg University. At PAHS, he was the head freshman football coach for one year and helped coach the varsity football team for seven years. When it came to deciding between coaching swimming or football, Coach Hampford took the path he loved – swimming.
“It has been a privilege working with the boys and girls of our swimming and diving teams over the last 38 years. The administration and fellow coaches at Pottsville have been super to work with. I can’t imagine what it would be like not to be coaching swimming and diving at Pottsville,” Coach Hampford said.
Coaching football has always been a passion of Coach Hampford’s, but he knew he had to stick with swimming due to his love for it. He plans to continue coaching at Pottsville for as long as possible.
“I always had fun and I am still having fun coaching at PAHS. As long as I am able to continue having fun with the team, I will keep coaching for as long as possible,” Coach Hampford said.
