Santa Clara Swim Club was founded in 1951 by George Haines, considered one of the best swim coaches in history. There are no awards or honors that the club has not received during its most distinguished history. From World Records, Olympic Champions, World Champions, Sullivan Awards, Male and Female World and U.S. Swimmer of the Year, the list just does not stop.

The yardstick of excellence established at Santa Clara Swim Club is the measure all other clubs face when looking to achieve recognition and greatness.

Santa Clara Swim Club has one of the richest traditions in the history of amateur athletics. Swimmers such as Donna de Varona, Don Schollander, Mark Spitz, Chris Von Saltza, and Pablo Morales have trained and competed for Santa Clara. The club has produced 33 Olympic gold medals, 12 silver, and 9 bronze during its proud history.

From the days of legendary coach George Haines to its current head coach Dick Jochums, Santa Clara has remained committed to developing champions not just in the pool but in all walks of life. Discipline, sportsmanship, hard work, and team involvement are stressed throughout the program. Through the dedication of its swimmers, coaches, and parents, Santa Clara Swim Club carries on this tradition, continuing to contribute to the sport of swimming in the United States.

The club was founded in 1951 by George Haines, considered by many to be the finest swim coach in the history of the sport. Starting the club with just 13 swimmers at the old Santa Clara High School, Haines coached the club for 23 years, leaving Santa Clara in 1974. During his tenure, SCSC placed 26 swimmers on Olympic teams. Following Haines, Mitch Ivey, a former Olympic medalist and Santa Clara swimmer, took over the helm and steered the club for five years. In 1976, Ivey placed three swimmers on the Olympic team. When Ivey left in 1981, the job of head coach was passed to Don King. During King’s brief stint with the program, many younger swimmers continued to be developed as the club moved forward. In 1985, Jay Fitzgerald was named head coach. In his ten years with the program, the International Invitational regained its stature as one of the finest summer meets in the world.

Today the club is headed by Dick Jochums, a veteran coach who has been successful at all levels for many years. The club goal is to remain a dominant player at the national level of United States Swimming.The club’s home, the Santa Clara International Swim Center, has a history as rich as the club itself. The facility, which has hosted 33 annual International Invitationals, has seen some of the finest athletes in the history of swimming. In competitions at the International Swim Center throughout the years, 22 World records, 333 American records, and 57 foreign national records have been set in the 9-lane, 50 meter pool. The Swim Center has hosted Senior Nationals, Junior Nationals, Western Zone Championships, Far Western Championships, and Master Nationals.