Walker Named as Acting Swim Team Coach; Team Members Praise Essick's Successor

John Walker, Harvard and Radcliffe's diving coach since 1972, will be acting head coach of the swim team, Robert B. Watson '37 announced Monday.

Walker will replace Ray Essick, who resigned earlier this month to take a position with the Amateur Athletic Union.

Swim team co-captain George Keim said he was "very, very enthusiastic" about the decision. Keim added that the Athletic Department made the decision in conjunction with the swim team.

Watson said he decided not to look for a fulltime head coach now because "we had outstanding coaching personnel already on hand and familiar with the program. We decided to postpone the search for a new coach until we can take time and care in making such an important decision," he added.

Walker will remain the diving coach, while assistant coach Pete Orscheidt will direct the swimmers.

"Under the circumstances, it's the best thing," Kevin O'Connell, co-captain of the swim team said yesterday. "It's better to have John Walker as coach than to look for a new coach."

Top Team

In his four years at Harvard, Walker has developed one of the top diving teams in the East. Last year, Dave English became the first Harvard diver to win an Eastern Seaboard championship in ten years.

Walker said he does not think it is a disadvantage for him, as a diving coach, to be head coach. "A lot of colleges have worked with a diving coach as head varsity coach," Walker said. "We'll make no significant changes. The entire staff always works together to map out our meet strategy anyway."

Keim said a permanent coach will be appointed by mid-April.