Ronald Jacks

Education

Foreign his university swimming career he attended Indiana University from 1966 to 1972, training under James "Doc" Counsilman. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology in 1971.

Career

He is currently a leading coach for Canadian swimmers such as Richard Weinberger through the Pan Pacific Swimming Club. Swimming

He also competed for Canada at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, and the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, and 1967 and 1971 Pan-Am Games. As a club swimmer he trained with the Vancouver "Y" swim club, under Canadian coach Ted Simpson.

Coaching

In 1972, Jacks retired from competitive swimming and turned his attention to coaching starting in Vancouver, British Columbia as the head coach for the Arbutus Swim Club.

Later founding the Vancouver Pacific Swim Club. Jacks became head coach with the Hyack Swim Club from 1974-1984 when he moved to Victoria, British Columbia to become the head coach of the Victoria Amateur Swim Club.

In 1988 he helped in the formation of Island Swimming, and held the position of Director of Swimming until 2002. In 2002, he and fellow coaches Rod Barratt, and Mark Lancaster formed Pacific Coast Swimming where Ron is currently in the position of Director of Swimming.

Jacks is a Canadian NCCP Level IV and National Cancer Institute Master Coach.

He has received numerous recognitions for coaching excellence by Swim British Columbia, the British Columbia Swim Coaches Association, the Canadian Swim Coaches and Teachers Association, and Swim-Natation Canada. In 2005 he was named the Swimming Canada National Open Water Head Coach. Jacks coaching has produced finalists or semi-finalists at every Olympic Games since 1976.

Olympians Bronze medals - Shannon Smith and Pam Rai

Paralympic Gold Medalist/World Record Holder: Stephanie Dixon;

Olympic Finalists: Christin Petelski (1996, 2000), Nikki Dryden, and Jon Kelly;

Commonwealth Games athletes: Danielle Bell, John Stamhuis, Philip Weiss, Suzanne Weckend, Dino Verbrugge and Anne Barnes;

FINA Open Water Championship competitor: David Creel, Karley Stutzel, Richard Weinberger.

Achievements

• At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Kingston, Jamaica, he won a gold medal in the 110 yards butterfly. In the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, he won a bronze medal in the 100 metres butterfly. Between 1964 and 1972 Jacks set seven Canadian records, and won numerous Canadian National Championships. He was named as the National Open Water Coach of the Year in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. Jacks received a National Domestic Excellence in Coaching Award in 2003 and 2004, a Petro-Canada National Coaching Excellence Award in 2004, and a 2004 International CSCTA Team Award. He was also awarded the 2004 and 2005 British Columbia Coach of the Year (SWAD), and the 2002 British Columbia Coach of the Year (16 and under age group). World Champion Open Water swimmers: Kim Dyke, 1993 Open Water World Cup Series Champion, Greg Streppel - 1994 World Open Water Champion.

Membership

He is a member of the Canadian Swimming Hall of Fame, the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame and the Swim British Columbia Halls of Fame.