Fred Tyler
Encyclopedia
Frederick Daniel Tyler (born March 15, 1954 in Winter Park, Florida
) is an American swimmer and aquatics coach, winner of several high school and college championships and a gold medal
in the 4x200 meter freestyle
relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics
in Munich, Germany.
, where in 1969 & 1970 he won the 400 freestyle and 200 individual medley
(IM) at the state championship. He next competed for athletic powerhouse the Bolles School in Jacksonville; at the 1971 state meet he was first in the 200 & 400 freestyle, and in 1972 won 100 freestyle and 200 IM. Tyler remains one of only 7 swimmers to win the Florida state swim championship in 2 different events for 3 separate years.
Tyler, along with John Kinsella
, Mark Spitz
and Gary Hall, Sr.
were part of James Counsilman
's legendary team at Indiana University
, which dominated men's college swimming in the early 1970s. During his college career, Tyler's Indiana teams were Big Ten Conference
champs all 4 years & NCAA Division I Champions in 1972 and 1973. In 1975, Tyler was the NCAA national champion in the 200 yard individual medley (time of 1:50:658), and his 800 yard freestyle relay finished first in the NCAA finals in 1973, 1974 and 1975. He closed out his time as a Hoosier
as one of the best swimmers in the history of the program, receiving 14 career All-America
certificates to place 8th all-time in program history after swimming greats Jim Montgomery (20) and Mark Spitz
(19).
were in swimming, where Mark Spitz won seven Olympic titles with seven world records. On Aug 29, 1972, Tyler finished 5th in finals of 200 meter freestyle, missing Indiana teammate Mark Spitz' world record time by 2.18 seconds. On August 31, 1972, the American 4x200 meter freestyle relay of John Kinsella, Fred Tyler, Steve Genter
and Mark Spitz set a World & Olympic record at 7:35:78, eclipsing the record set earlier that day by the USA team in the semifinal heat, and winning the Olympic gold medal. The victory was all the more remarkable in that Spitz swam in the 4x200 relay only one hour after his world record victory in the 100 meter butterfly, and Genter had been released from the hospital only a few days before, following surgery for a collapsed lung.
Tyler began coaching swimming
and water polo
at West Orange High School
, Winter Garden, Florida
from 1979 to 1989. He has been head aquatics coach at Lake Mary High School
in Lake Mary, Florida
since 1990. He coached the Lake Mary Rams to a second place finish in 2004 and fourth place in 2005 at Florida state swimming championships. Tyler's boys' water polo team reached the 2005 state quarter finals, and the girls' the state 2005 semis and the 2007 quarter finals. In 2004-2005, Fred Tyler was recognized as both the Seminole Athletic Conference and Florida State 3A Coach of Year. Tyler passed on the Olympic torch by coaching gold medal winner Brad Bridgewater
(200 meter backstroke
at 1996 Summer Games
in Atlanta), who attended Lake Mary High School from 1987-1990. Tyler teaches social studies and mathematics to exceptional education
students.
Winter Park, Florida
Winter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 24,090 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 28,083. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) is an American swimmer and aquatics coach, winner of several high school and college championships and a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the 4x200 meter freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics were held in Munich, West Germany, 29 events in swimming were contested. There was a total of 532 participants from 52 countries competing....
in Munich, Germany.
High school and Indiana University
Fred Tyler began his high school swimming at St. Andrews School, in Boca Raton, FloridaBoca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
, where in 1969 & 1970 he won the 400 freestyle and 200 individual medley
Medley swimming
Medley is a combination of four different swimming styles into one race. This race is either swum by one swimmer as individual medley or by four swimmers as a medley relay...
(IM) at the state championship. He next competed for athletic powerhouse the Bolles School in Jacksonville; at the 1971 state meet he was first in the 200 & 400 freestyle, and in 1972 won 100 freestyle and 200 IM. Tyler remains one of only 7 swimmers to win the Florida state swim championship in 2 different events for 3 separate years.
Tyler, along with John Kinsella
John Kinsella (swimmer)
John Pitann Kinsella was a standout at Illinois swimming powerhouse Hinsdale Central High School in the late 1960s. As a 16 year-old, he was the silver medalist in the 1500 meter freestyle at the 1968 Summer Olympics, finishing second to U.S. teammate Mike Burton.Kinsella was a member of the gold...
, Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz
Mark Andrew Spitz is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement only surpassed by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics....
and Gary Hall, Sr.
Gary Hall, Sr.
Gary Wayne Hall, Sr. is an American ophthalmologist who practiced in Phoenix, Arizona who became famous during the late 1960s and the 1970s, as an Olympic swimmer for the United States....
were part of James Counsilman
James Counsilman
James Edward "Doc" Counsilman was an Olympic and hall-of-fame swimming coach from the United States. He is perhaps best known for being the head swimming coach Indiana University from 1957-1990...
's legendary team at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, which dominated men's college swimming in the early 1970s. During his college career, Tyler's Indiana teams were Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
champs all 4 years & NCAA Division I Champions in 1972 and 1973. In 1975, Tyler was the NCAA national champion in the 200 yard individual medley (time of 1:50:658), and his 800 yard freestyle relay finished first in the NCAA finals in 1973, 1974 and 1975. He closed out his time as a Hoosier
Hoosier
Hoosier is the official demonym for a resident of the U.S. state of Indiana. Although residents of most U.S. states typically adopt a derivative of the state name, e.g., "Indianan" or "Indianian", natives of Indiana rarely use these. Indiana adopted the nickname "Hoosier State" more than 150...
as one of the best swimmers in the history of the program, receiving 14 career All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
certificates to place 8th all-time in program history after swimming greats Jim Montgomery (20) and Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz
Mark Andrew Spitz is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement only surpassed by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics....
(19).
Munich Olympics
In spite of the terrorist attacks against the Israeli athletes, some of the most spectacular events at the 1972 Summer Olympics1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
were in swimming, where Mark Spitz won seven Olympic titles with seven world records. On Aug 29, 1972, Tyler finished 5th in finals of 200 meter freestyle, missing Indiana teammate Mark Spitz' world record time by 2.18 seconds. On August 31, 1972, the American 4x200 meter freestyle relay of John Kinsella, Fred Tyler, Steve Genter
Steve Genter
Steve Genter is a former freestyle swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist. He won the gold medal in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany.-References:* *...
and Mark Spitz set a World & Olympic record at 7:35:78, eclipsing the record set earlier that day by the USA team in the semifinal heat, and winning the Olympic gold medal. The victory was all the more remarkable in that Spitz swam in the 4x200 relay only one hour after his world record victory in the 100 meter butterfly, and Genter had been released from the hospital only a few days before, following surgery for a collapsed lung.
Coaching
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
at West Orange High School
West Orange High School, Winter Garden
West Orange High School is a secondary school located in Winter Garden in southwest Orange County, Florida, United States.West Orange serves WinterGarden, Oakland, Gotha, and parts of Windermere and Ocoee.-History:...
, Winter Garden, Florida
Winter Garden, Florida
Winter Garden is a city located west of downtown Orlando in western Orange County, Florida. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Winter Garden's population is currently over 30,000.-Geography:...
from 1979 to 1989. He has been head aquatics coach at Lake Mary High School
Lake Mary High School
Lake Mary High School is located in the Seminole County community of Lake Mary, Florida, north of Orlando. The school is operated by Seminole County Public Schools.-Campus:...
in Lake Mary, Florida
Lake Mary, Florida
Lake Mary is a city in Seminole County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,456 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,230...
since 1990. He coached the Lake Mary Rams to a second place finish in 2004 and fourth place in 2005 at Florida state swimming championships. Tyler's boys' water polo team reached the 2005 state quarter finals, and the girls' the state 2005 semis and the 2007 quarter finals. In 2004-2005, Fred Tyler was recognized as both the Seminole Athletic Conference and Florida State 3A Coach of Year. Tyler passed on the Olympic torch by coaching gold medal winner Brad Bridgewater
Brad Bridgewater
Brad Michael Bridgewater is an American swimmer, who won the gold medal in men's 200 meter backstroke at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics....
(200 meter backstroke
Backstroke
The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...
at 1996 Summer Games
Swimming at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The swimming competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in Atlanta, United States, which was built for the Games...
in Atlanta), who attended Lake Mary High School from 1987-1990. Tyler teaches social studies and mathematics to exceptional education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
students.
See also
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- Athletics at Indiana University Bloomington