2/18 Sports Spotlight - The Nedatorium
By: Ken Brown
Updated: February 18, 2013
Ned Hampford has been the boys swimming coach at Pottsville for the past 35 years.
"I don't know if I would really be swimming today if it weren't for him," said Senior swimmer Cody Wood.
"He's a great coach probably the best I ever had," said Senior Dominick DiRenzo.
More than three decades as head coach and Hampford has influenced so many lives.
"He just wants to work as hard as he can to make us the best athletes that we can be," said Wood. "That just shows how much he cares about how good we are."
"He put his whole heart and soul into it and sold that program to the kids and years later it's still very strong," said former Pottsville head coach Rick Laubach.
He has influenced so many in a sport he himself did not play in High School.
"With work you can become successful and that is what I tried to pass on to the kids," said Hampford as a quick smile came across his face he continued, "Not my great swimming knowledge."
Since being hired as the boys swim coach hampford has done to his students what pottsville did to him, put faith in their abilities and watch them grow.
"He brought me into the sport after last year and he just helped me become what I am," said Wood.
35 years and Hampford continues to grow as a coach and so does the Pottsville swimming program.
"I don't know if I would really be swimming today if it weren't for him," said Senior swimmer Cody Wood.
"He's a great coach probably the best I ever had," said Senior Dominick DiRenzo.
More than three decades as head coach and Hampford has influenced so many lives.
"He just wants to work as hard as he can to make us the best athletes that we can be," said Wood. "That just shows how much he cares about how good we are."
"He put his whole heart and soul into it and sold that program to the kids and years later it's still very strong," said former Pottsville head coach Rick Laubach.
He has influenced so many in a sport he himself did not play in High School.
"With work you can become successful and that is what I tried to pass on to the kids," said Hampford as a quick smile came across his face he continued, "Not my great swimming knowledge."
Since being hired as the boys swim coach hampford has done to his students what pottsville did to him, put faith in their abilities and watch them grow.
"He brought me into the sport after last year and he just helped me become what I am," said Wood.
35 years and Hampford continues to grow as a coach and so does the Pottsville swimming program.
