When John "Pump" McLaughlin died March 28 at age 64, a piece of Butler sports history died with him.

McLaughlin was coach of the Butler YMCA swim team for 45 years and taught thousands how to swim and how to win in and out of the pool.

McLaughlin's death and funeral was chosen as the local sports story of 2004 by the Butler Eagle sports staff.

"This is my 31st year with the YMCA and I've never heard of any Y hosting a funeral before this one," Butler YMCA president Larry Garvin said.

"It may have happened somewhere, but I'm sure it's very, very rare."

McLaughlin was a rare individual who the Butler Y continues to have a hard time replacing as aquatics director and swim coach at the facility.

When McLaughlin resigned as aquatics director a few years ago, Scott Hendry assumed that position. McLaughlin stayed on as coach until his death.

Suffering from cancer during his final year of life, McLaughlin made it to Penn State University and the YMCA state swim meet to accept a lifetime achievement award the day before he died.

"It's sad to see him go, but it's a fitting way for him to go," Bill Evans, a three-time Butler Y swimming boosters president, said at the time. "There's no place he would rather have been than on the deck of that pool."

Butler High School swim coach Amber Schmeider served as an assistant coach with the Y program.

"Earlier in the year, Pump had told me he wasn't going to coach next season," Schmeider said. "He knew he wouldn't be able to do it.

"I told him I couldn't stay on, either, because of time restrictions, and he said that it was OK. But now that he's gone, it's not OK."

Schmeider is coaching the Y swim team indefinitely while a permanent coach is sought. Another man by the name of John McLaughlin, a Slippery Rock University undergraduate,- accepted the post in October, but resigned two months later.

"He told me it was for mostly personal reasons," Schmeider said.Only four candidates interviewed originally for the coaching vacancy created by Pump McLaughlin's death."You don't just replace a guy like Pump," Garvin said. "We knew it was going to be tough. He emulated the values of the YMCA better than anybody ever has or ever could."Chris Platt, Stacee Jones and Corey Jones - like Schmeider all former students of McLaughlin - are assisting her in running the swim team.There were 100 to 120 swimmers involved in the program last year. That number has fallen off to 76 to 85 this year."Part of the reason is we raised the rates to provide more money for coaching to attract a solid coach," Schmeider said. "Part of the reason is Pump's not here anymore."Most of the swimmers here … Pump is the only coach they ever knew. There's bound to be uncertainty when that changes."Chris, Stacee, Corey and I, we all carry on the same coaching style of Pump. That's who we learned from and how we were taught," she added.Schmeider admitted she doesn't really have the time to coach at the Y along with the high school. She does it anyway."No way was I going to let that (Y) swim program not exist," she said. "We're going to keep it going."Nearly 450 people turned out for McLaughlin's funeral. More than 100 others who couldn't make it sent emails expressing their thoughts.Pallbearers were Gary Mato, Frank Cicco, John Chamberlain, Platt, Pat Kriley and Norman Williams, all former swimmers coached by McLaughlin.Jack Shilling, director of the New Kensington YMCA and a former Butler Y swimmer, delivered the eulogy."He was a humble man who would be shocked to see this outpouring of love and affection for him," Shilling said.Garvin is not surprised the Y is having such a hard time filling McLaughlin's shoes."Pump left a void that may never be filled," he said.