The Passing of a legend Robert K. Miller (Coach…

May 8th 1929- August 19th 2021

The Green Valley, AZ swim club lost a legend on Thursday, August 19^th. Robert Miller (Coach Bob) was an athlete, Coach and Mentor, devoted husband, dad and grandfather. He was respected, loved and an inspiration to everyone that knew him. Bob’s entire life had been centered in and around water. Up until this death, he could be found at the Green Valley West Center pool five days a week. He impacted so many lives during his nearly 70 years of coaching he was quoted saying that he had coached nearly 5,000 kids and adults over his lifetime. Many of Bob’s athletes competed at Olympic trials and some of his best swimmers, (Lynn Colella, Rick Colella, Janis Hape and Bob Lynn), finished in the top 3 at the Olympic Games and World Championships.  Coach Bob was the U.S. National Team Coach at several international competitions including the Mexico Pan American Games in 1975.

Bob’s athletic career began at the University of Washington where he was the captain of the swim team. He enlisted in the Army after graduation where he was recruited for the Modern Pentathlon which encompassed horse show jumping, fencing, swimming, cross country running and pistol shooting. In 1956, he was the best in the country and qualified for the Modern Pentathlon on the US National team for the Melbourne Olympics.  An unfortunate accident with his horse kept him from competing but he still flew to Melbourne for the 1956 Olympics as an alternate team member and Bob and the team received a silver medal for their efforts.  For the next 7 decades, Bob focused on coaching while still swimming and staying active.

In 1959, Bob Miller along with two swimmers from his college swim team, John Tallman and Bob Regan, Co-founded the Olympic Swim School in Seattle, Washington, later to be called the Cascade Swim Club where he coached until 1971.  He also coached at the Totem lakes Swim team in Kirkland, WA from 1973-76. and Lake Oswego, OR (1971-1976). From 1976 -82, he coached in Ft. Lauderdale FL for the Pinecrest school. He returned to the Pacific Northwest, coaching at the Bellevue Swim Club from 1984-2000. Tucson, AZ JCC (2001-2004), and Bainbridge Island Swim Club (2004-2009).  Over the course of his coaching career, Bob Miller was honored as coach of the year in Washington, Florida and Oregon.  In 1973, Bob received the coach of the year award from the American Swim Coaches Association (ASCA) and in 2011, Bob was inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame for his lifelong success in coaching.

During his coaching career Bob also focused on his Masters swimming. His USMS swimming career started in 1972 with a lifetime achievement of 180 individual and 9 relay Top Ten awards. He also achieved All American honors status 17 years by placing first in an event nationwide from 1974 to 2015. His specialty was in backstroke events but he also swam the free and IM. He was awarded All Star honors in 2010 by placing first in the most events in that year. Over his USMS swim career, Bob has broken 17 USMS age group records. He was also featured in swimming magazine March-April edition 2006 in “Records tumble in 5K 10K postal championships.”

RIP Bob! You were loved and will be missed!

Provided by Samantha Martoni