Texas' Reese Leads the Way

Best in the business." "The greatest." "Warm and embracing." "Keen sense of humor and a bright mind." No, these are not rave reviews from legendary movie critics about this weekend's highly acclaimed new release. These are simply just a few excerpts of impressive words for a man simply known as "Eddie."

And if you've been around the UT campus or even Austin at all for the past 26 years, there's a good chance you may have run into him at Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim Center, where he coaches the Longhorns' swim program.

And if he managed to escape you throughout the state capital for the past quarter decade, then you could have seen him rumbling through "The Plains" at Auburn University in the mid-'70s while heading the Auburn Tigers' swim team.

If he managed to elude you there as well, then you're either really bad at hide-and-seek, or it could have been because four of those summers were spent while either assisting or head coaching the U.S. Olympic Swim team.

Who is Eddie? Well that would be Edwin "Eddie" Reese, and if you want to get a glimpse of him now, you've missed him once again. He is currently in Athens, Greece, serving his second stint as the head coach of the U.S. Olympic swim team.

He assumed the reigns at Texas for the 1978-79 season, when his team finished 21st at the NCAA championships. The following year his team finished second, and by his third season, a burnt-orange banner that read "National Champions" was hung at Texas' swim center.

Since that second season, Reese has helped Texas run off 26 consecutive top-five NCAA finishes, produced an incredible nine NCAA titles, more than 150 All-Americans, 25 Olympians, 21 gold medals, and he has been named NCAA Coach of the Year eight times. Not to mention the 25 consecutive conference championships dating back to the Southwest Conference days. And you wonder why Chuck Wielgus, the USA Swimming executive director, and company chose Reese to head this year's team for the second time?

Though not one of these awards or achievements would have been possible without someone swimming the races, they would not have been put in the position to swim as well as they have if it weren't for the hard work and dedication Reese gives to each and every swimmer (and coach) he encounters.

"All swim coaches and coaches that spend any time around him are trying to learn as much as possible from everything he's learned," said Matt Scoggin, the University's diving coach going on his 11th season. "He has experienced various competitive situations that he can give advice to. He has a real hunger for teaching young people how to be the best that they can be, and he does not really waver that enthusiasm."

He even has a positive influence on coaches with whom he competes for the National Championship on a yearly basis, such as David Marsh, the reigning head coach of National Champion Auburn University. "[Eddie] is a wonderful role model for a coach like myself, and in many ways, his style of coaching and his demeanor with his athletes is something I try to model in my coaching career."

Reese also had a big influence on Marsh's decision to become a coach. "I made a comment about a kid's stroke while watching a prep school meet in the Northeast, and he told me I had an eye for this," Marsh said. "And that comment resonated with me and solidified what I had hoped for; to get the approval of somebody of his status and experience."

Even coaches from other sports know the kind of character and determination Reese possesses. "He is pretty selfless and giving of himself to the sport and directly to his players," said Augie Garrido, the head baseball coach at Texas. "He gives all the positive qualities that it takes: a great teacher, a great coach and a great leader."

His name has grown synonymous with swimming, just as Dean Smith's name is with basketball or Bill Walsh's is with football. Whether his name being called out by one of his athletes, friends, coaches or even a reporter in Athens, one thing is certain: At first chance, Eddie will walk over with a smile on his face and a joke on the ready. He just wants to share a few laughs.