Honored for decades of service given

He has coached swimming for more than 30 years in Green River; and this is just one of the things Randy Walker is known for.

Last Wednesday, Walker was one of two who received the 2015 Green River Distinguished Citizen Award at a Green River Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Walker said he knew was receiving an award, but didn’t know what for.

“I am glad to find out it wasn’t an extinguished citizen’s award,” Walker said. “I was pleasantly surprised. It’s really quite an honor to be recognized for the things I’ve tried to do over the years.”

Walker started coaching in South Dakota in 1974. He then coached in Newcastle in 1976. In 1979, Walker moved to Green River to coach the swimming team. Walker said one of the reasons he took the job was Burle Hoops had told him Green River was going to get a new pool. Green River did get a pool, but it was the Green River Recreation Center, not Sweetwater County School District No. 2.

Not having a new pool didn’t stop Walker from coaching both the boys and girls high school teams to 19 conference championships and three state championships. During his tenure, there were also 30 individual state champions along the way.

Walker attributed his coaching success to the school district. He said whenever he wanted to attend a new class the district was always supportive. They told him if he thought it would improve his coaching, than he should do it.

“The district was a mentor to me,” Walker said. “They let me become a better coach. A lot of district’s aren’t like that.”

Walker was nominated by Perri Rubeck who stated in his nomination letter, “In my opinion, to be considered for this award the recipient needs to be passionate about helping others find their successes in life and coach Walker is the epitome of a motivator of others. Coach Walker has more passion for swimming and seeing young people succeed than any person I have ever known. His passion is almost an obsession and he truly inspires everyone he encounters. His passion for swimming has helped to bring a state of the art aquatics center to our community and his passion for Green River athletics helped the local school district receive an activities grant from the state of Wyoming.”

“Teams finished in the top four for well over a decade,” Walker said. “Being one of the small 4A schools I was amazed how we could be competitive.”

Over the years, Walker taught middle school boys and girls swimming and high school boys and girls swimming. He also coached middle school football, high school long jump, triple jump, pole vault, cross country and middle distance running. At one time he was also the cross country head coach.

Walker took a break from coaching to pursue other interests, which included being a Green River City Councilman and as a Sweetwater County commissioner.

While on the Green River City Council, Walker tried to improve the residents’ quality of life and he pushed for city employees.

“They make the difference,” he said. “I wanted to make sure they are taken care of so they can take care of us.”

As for Green River’s quality of life, Walker worked to get the White Water Park a reality.

“It brings something to the community,” Walker said. “The river is the jewel of our community. Where else can you have 60 miles of paddling on a river.”

Walker said he has swam from Fontenelle to Green River.

While serving as a commissioner, Walker learned that although Wyoming is a rural state, cities are where people live and helping those cities and towns out are important.

Soon, Walker returned to coaching swimming for the club swimming team Green River USA. Walker now coaches six year olds to 18 year olds on the USA swim team. The team started out with 10 swimmers, but now there are 117 registered.

“You make a difference in the world one kid at a time,” he said.

When Walker retired from teaching health, aquatics, and physical education, he was ready to do other things.

“I really loved teaching, but I loved coaching even more,” Walker said.

Walker has always had a passion for swimming. He said it is something any person, no matter how old they are, can do.

“Anybody can make great improvements in swimming,” Walker said.

He said swimming is really a great sport for someone to become involved in because they can set their own personal goals and achieve them, while improving a person’s fitness level. When they are on a swim team in helps them to work with others and how to deal with the stress of competition.

Walker said now that Green River has a state-of-the-art aquatics center, he is seeing an increased interest in swimming.

Rubeck’s letter states “Mr. Walker was a key person responsible for School District No. 2 applying for and receiving an Activities Grant offered by the state legislature. This activities grant has allowed the Green River community to fund a new multi-use turf field located at Lincoln Middle School. Monies from this grant are also used for the funding of maintenance and upkeep of the aquatics center.”

“Randy Walker has positively impacted the lives of people in Green River for over 35 years and tonight as I write this I am witnessing a man as passionate about the sport of swimming and the development of children as any man can be about anything,” Rubeck’s letter stated. “He is cheering for an eight-year-old boy like he were about to receive an Olympic gold medal, but in reality this is just the enthusiasm he shows every weeknight at swim practice where I initially had the pleasure of meeting such a passionate man.”

Walker said the aquatic center is something a lot of people in Green River supported.

“I’ve always tried to be a promoter,” Walker said. “This is a team effort and I just tried to get more on board with it.”

Walker said he did encourage members of the swim team to go door to door to talk to residents about the importance of the new aquatic center when they were trying to get is passed.

“I was always just one of many people that promoted the aquatic center,” he said.

Walker wanted to thank all of those who inspired him, including Jimmy Davis, Ford Bussart, Larry Heslop, Bob Steele, Sam Freas and Don Van Matre.

 

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