Buddy Baarcke

Leonide Alfred "Buddy" Baarcke, Jr. (September 23, 1931 – March 10, 2017) was an American competitive swimmer, Pan-American Games medalist and swimming coach.

Birth
Leonide Baarcke was born on September 23, 1931.

Swimming
In 1949, Baarcke graduated from Suwanee Military Academy where he originally swam competitively, and then he went to study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he achieved All American status in the backstroke and new butterfly stroke. He graduated in 1953.

While at the University of North Carolina, Baarcke also began his coaching career, where "he was very motivational and created enthusiasm".

Baarcke was then drafted into the military for two years, but continued to swim competitively.

At the 1954 National AAU Indoor Swimming Championships, he showed William Yorzyk and his coach Charles Silvia the butterfly stroke for the first time. Yorzyk went on to be an Olympic gold medalist in the 200 metres butterfly event. Also in 1954, he was the first American to set a world record for the butterfly stroke, in the 100 yards butterfly.

Baarcke was the first American to go under 1 minute in the 100 yards in three separate strokes (freestyle, butterfly and backstroke).

Leading up to the 1955 Pan American Games, Baarcke trained with the Tar Heel swimmers and divers, and at the event, Baarcke placed third in the 100 metres backstroke event, and first in the 4x100 metres medley relay with his team.

Swim coaching
Baarcke became a club coach and assistant college coach for 10 years, serving at the University of North Carolina while he was also a post-graduate student in 1954, 1957 and 1958, and the University of Florida later. He continued swimming club coaching for another 40 years.

During his coaching career, Baarcke coached 1 Olympic gold medalist, many Olympic medalists and 9 world ranked swimmers.

In September 2016, Baarcke was inducted to the American Swim Coaches Association's coaching Hall of Fame, and is also in the North Carolina Swimming Hall of Fame.

Death
Leonide Baarcke died on 10 March 2017, aged 85.