Charlotte Epstein
Encyclopedia
Charlotte "Eppie" Epstein was known as "Mother of Women's Swimming in America" after she founded the Women's Swimming Association and coached the Women's Olympic Swimming Team in the 1920s.
, and was working as a stenographer when in 1917 she, together with her fellow workers, decided that swimming would be a good way to get exercise.
She went on to found the Women's Swimming Association (WSA) in 1920, and became famous for promoting the health benefits of swimming as exercise. This was at a time when women were not viewed as athletic, and exercise was not considered beneficial to female health.
Epstein coached the Women's Olympic
Swimming Team in the 1920s. She was able to guide many of the WSA members to victory. Through her coaching, swimmers under her management, known as "Eppie's Swimmers," won 30 national championships, while setting 52 world records.
She battled for women’s suffrage
, staging “suffrage swim races” with her teammates, as well as battling for emancipation in women’s sports campaigning for bathing suit reform, distance swims, and other competitive events. Eppie, too, served as the team leader for Olympian Gertrude Ederle, who learned to swim at Eppie’s Women’s Swimming Association, and the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926, smashing the men’s time by over two hours.
She served as manager of the U.S. Women's Olympic Swimming Team for the 1920, 1924, and 1928 Olympic Games
, and became well known as a spokesperson for female athletes. However, in 1936 she boycotted the Olympics in Berlin
in protest over Nazi policies.
She died shortly after, in 1938.
Career
Epstein was born in 1884 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and was working as a stenographer when in 1917 she, together with her fellow workers, decided that swimming would be a good way to get exercise.
She went on to found the Women's Swimming Association (WSA) in 1920, and became famous for promoting the health benefits of swimming as exercise. This was at a time when women were not viewed as athletic, and exercise was not considered beneficial to female health.
Epstein coached the Women's Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
Swimming Team in the 1920s. She was able to guide many of the WSA members to victory. Through her coaching, swimmers under her management, known as "Eppie's Swimmers," won 30 national championships, while setting 52 world records.
She battled for women’s suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
, staging “suffrage swim races” with her teammates, as well as battling for emancipation in women’s sports campaigning for bathing suit reform, distance swims, and other competitive events. Eppie, too, served as the team leader for Olympian Gertrude Ederle, who learned to swim at Eppie’s Women’s Swimming Association, and the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926, smashing the men’s time by over two hours.
She served as manager of the U.S. Women's Olympic Swimming Team for the 1920, 1924, and 1928 Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, and became well known as a spokesperson for female athletes. However, in 1936 she boycotted the Olympics in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in protest over Nazi policies.
She died shortly after, in 1938.
See also
- List of select Jewish coaches