Olympian pays visit to Raiders
JACKSON TWP — Last October, members of the Seneca Valley Swim Club paid a visit to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado.
On Saturday, the Olympics came to them.
Josh Davis, who won three gold medals at the 1996 summer games in Atlanta, spoke to nearly 60 members of the SVSC at the Seneca Valley Natatorium.
"I found out a few weeks ago that Josh was planning a visit to (eastern) Pennsylvania on Sunday," said SV Swim Club coach Tom Donati. "I e-mailed him, asking if there was any way he could make time for our kids on Saturday.
"That's how we got him to come."
Before speaking to the swim club members, Davis held an autograph session.
When asked what he hoped his swimmers would get out of the opportunity to meet an Olympic gold medalist, Donati pointed to a young swimmer who just had a poster signed by Davis, his eyes fixated on the autograph.
"That's why we're doing this, right there," he said. "And I want these kids to hear how (Davis) did it, getting to the Olympics and winning. This time of year, everybody's kind of 'blah'. Hopefully, this will add a bit of excitement. If it makes one kid better, and I believe it will, then it's been worth it."
Davis, 34, was raised and still lives in San Antonio, Texas. Along with holding swimming clinics, he travels the country as a motivational speaker.
"I speak at about 100 different engagements per year," he said. "My message to these kids is that when you have a great coach and support, and if you listen and work hard, you'll be amazed where you can go."
Davis won gold in 1996 in three relay events — 400 medley, 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle.
"It was a dream come true for me," said Davis. "Singing the national anthem and having that medal draped around my neck with 15,000 fans cheering for Americans."
In 2000, Davis returned to Olympic competition in Sydney, Australia, where he brought home two silver medals in the 400 and 800 freestyle relays.
He once held the United States record in the 200 freestyle at one minute, 46.7 seconds — a mark later broken by Michael Phelps.
As one might guess, Davis showed more promise than most swimmers at a young age.
Dale Wagner, who now lives in Harmony, was Davis' swim coach in eighth grade."The first time I saw him in the water, I asked him to swim a length of each stroke," said Wagner. "His mom was there and I told her that I had never seen somebody ride on the water like he did."I think his mom thought I was saying that just because she was there," he added. "But I could instantly tell that he had the kind of talent that you just can't coach."But even greater than his natural abilities and his five Olympic medals is Davis' humility."As great of a swimmer as he is, he's a better person," said Wagner. "He's a great role model and I feel blessed to have gotten him started in swimming."Davis was a teammate of Butler native Eric Namesnik at the 1996 Olympics, who died from injuries sustained in an auto accident last January."He was a super teammate," Davis said of Namesnik. "And he was on his way to becoming a super coach. His death was a huge loss for his family and for our swimming family."
