Legend and Innovator, Jon Urbanchek, Named Franklin Winner
Coach Jon Urbanchek has been named the CSCAA’s Ben Franklin Award Winner.
Coach Jon Urbanchek, known as a successful coach, the inventor of the “The Colors” training tool and most importantly, a kind friend to all those he met, has been named the CSCAA’s Ben Franklin Award Winner. The Ben Franklin award recognizes individuals or organizations whose efforts and innovations best promote the integrity and enhancement of the student-athlete ideal. Urbanchek was selected by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America’s (CSCAA) Board of Directors and will be recognized at the 62nd Annual CSCAA College Swimming & Diving Awards on May 8th, in Orlando, Florida.
His work in college swimming began in 1957 when, as a Hungarian immigrant, Urbanchek enrolled at the University of Michigan. In an interview with CSCAA’s Executive Director, Samantha Barany, Urbanchek recalled his start at Michigan, “I enrolled and started studying engineering at Michigan. Everyone told me not to take the weed-out chemistry class. But, I was stubborn and thought I knew it all. Of course, I got weeded-out! But, I am glad it worked out that way because the pool deck became the place where I studied. I'd do it that way again.” Jon graduated from Michigan and competed on three National Championship teams from 1958-1962.
In 1964, Urbanchek became a teacher and coach at Anaheim High School in Anaheim, California where he stayed for 14 years. In his spare time he coached at the Sammy Lee Swim School and in 1967 formed Anaheim Aquatics. He eventually co-founded the Fullerton Aquatics Sports Team (FAST). He was then named as the head coach of Long Beach State and Long Beach Swim Club, "Beach”, where he followed Dick Jochums and Don Gambril saying, “That was a big move up in my career.” At Long Beach State he coached Dave Salo. Urbanchek calls Salo a close friend and credits Salo for making him think about the amount of yardage swimmers must do to be successful. “If you look at my workouts over time, the style changes. People and ideas come to you and it is important to listen. You should not do the same things over and over, change is good.”
Urbanchek went back to Michigan in 1982 to coach the Wolverines, taking over for his collegiate coach, Gus Stager. Urbanchek had a storied 22 years in Ann Arbor, winning the 1995 NCAA championship and 13 Big Ten titles in 22 seasons. He was the CSCAA Coach of the Year in 1995 and the Big Ten Coach of the year ten times. The Michigan program won ten straight conference championships from 1986-95. “I loved my time at Michigan, but it was cold!” said Urbanchek. “I liked working with Jim (Richardson) and putting the colors together. He was a big part of that and was instrumental in creating the computerized tables.”
Urbanchek also recognizes his wife, Dr. Melanie Urbanchek, for helping build the color system that so many coaches and athletes know and utilize today. She was a research professor in surgery at the UM school of Medicine. Coach Urbanchek says she was “the brains behind my work. She talked with me about colors and I am thankful for her.”
Known today as “The Colors,” coach Urbanchek says “We designed a color table with a range from low-aerobic to high-anaerobic work; white, pink, red, blue, purple. All colors are beneficial if you mix them properly during your weekly cycle of training.”
“I am so honored to be presented with the Ben Franklin Award. He was an inventor!” said Coach Urbanchek. “I always tried to think of new ways to do things when I coached. The way I wrote practices changed because we need to invent new ways to make swimmers fast. We always need to think about doing something new and I credit great friends along the way for helping me do that. Dave Salo, Jim Richardson, Eddie Reese and Jack Bauerle are just some of the people who I credit. Of course, I married a doctor and she gets credit too!”
The last practice he wrote down was March 16, 2020 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The practice, in preparation for the Olympic Trials, was canceled due to Coronavirus.
Today, Urbanchek lives in California with his wife, Melanie.
CSCAA members can register for the 62nd Annual Meetings and Awards Celebration at www.cscaa.org/meetings. All registrations include a ticket to the Award Ceremony and Post Celebration at the Hard Rock Cafe, Universal’s CityWalk. Questions can be directed to: all@cscaa.org
Previous Recipients
2021 - Sage Hopkins, Head Coach and Advocate 2020 - Tim Welsh, Head Coach & Educator
2019 - John Benedick, Head Coach & Administrator
2018 - Kevin Polansky, Announcer & Supporter
2017 - Michael Sutton, Head Coach & Administrator
2016 - Brad Erickson, Head Coach & Administrator
2015 - Robert Clauson, Innovator
2014 - Bill Boomer, Coach
2013 - Whit Babcock, Athletic Director
2012 - Brent Rutemiller, Publisher
2011 - David Roach, Athletic Director
2010 - Ernie Maglischo, Retired
2009 - Susan Petersen Lubow, Athletic Director
2008 - Dr. Myles Brand, NCAA President
About the CSCAA
Founded in 1922, the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) is the first professional association of college coaches in the United States. The CSCAA is dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of the sport of swimming and diving at the collegiate level. The CSCAA works to
protect, promote and expand competitive intercollegiate swimming and diving programs;
recognize outstanding achievements by coaches, swimmers and divers;
promote communication and cooperation within swimming and diving and with our partner National Governing Bodies, the NCAA, NAIA and Junior College Associations;
provide ongoing educational and leadership training for coaches and athletes; and serve as a resource to its membership and for the general public.