Remembering a friend, mentor and coach - Doug Stern

I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Doug Stern earlier this week. My deepest condolences to his wife Lynn and his family.

Doug lived in NYC. He was an amazing husband, father, friend and swim coach. I had the fortune of getting to know Doug and his family through his various swim programs and annual pilgrimage to Curacao for swimmers and triathletes.

For those of you don't know Doug, he was in many ways larger than life. He had such passion for swimming/triathlons, but more importantly he loved life. Although he touched the lives of all those around him and contributed to our sporting community as a whole, he especially loved working with beginner athletes to help them achieve their goals.

I have several fond memories that I would like to share.

1. Birthday Lap - Each year on Doug's birthday he would swim, and require each of his students to swim, one lap for each year of his life, and with each passing year he seemed more vibrant and full of life than the year before. He was and will remain a true inspiration, and he has instilled in me a tradition that I will certainly continue.

2. Sternisms - Doug had many sayings that captured the essence of who he was as a person. I particularly loved "Stern time, not your time" (but I was always punctual).

3. Doug's Smile - Doug loved when his students achieved their goals, both large and small. His pride was evident from the glow on his face when a student dropped his or her lap time, even if it was only by a few seconds. In 2005 I worked hard to improve my swim time, and through Doug's guidance and encouragement, I reached my goal. Doug was very proud (like my father, who passed away shortly before, would have been) and he made me feel very special.






Although there are many more memories, I'd just like to say to Doug, who I know will continue to watch over us and guide us in all of our endeavors, thank you for your support, coaching and friendship. You had an impact on my life. You will be missed.

You can find details for Doug's memorial on Slowtwitch.com.