This award was established to honor Doc’s many contributions to the world of swimming. The Counsilman Award recognizes lifetime achievement and should be considered the highest honor bestowed upon the recipient, as chosen by the Indiana Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame Committee. Doc Counsilman is considered to have been not only the greatest swim coach of all time but also the greatest coach of any sport ever. His coaching record at Indiana University is unmatched in any sport. While coaching at IU, Doc’s teams won six consecutive NCAA Championships (1968-73), and 20 straight Big Ten Titles. He coached the US Olympic swim team to unprecedented victories in 1964 and 1976. In 1968, Doc completed the long-revered “The Science of Swimming” which gave the entire world access to his theories and expertise. In essence, Doc played a large role in educating all ages from club, to high school, to college, both nationally and internationally. The IU Natatorium, located on the IUPUI campus, was designed by Counsilman in 1982 and is one of the fastest pools in the world. He will be remembered as a scientific genius and a master psychologist. He was the first person to tie scientific research into the coaching profession, and he backed up scientific theories with practical application. His many innovations impacted the sport in such a way that he changed the course of history.
Counsilman Award Recipients
2007 – Charles “Skip” Bird – Valparaiso High School
2011 – G. Con Keller – Lawrence Central High School/Warren Central High School
2015 – Karen Leeth – Elkhart Central High School
2019 – Duane Barrows – Columbus High School
2023 – Dave Dunlap – South Bend Andrew Jackson High School