Coach Bill Powell
Coach's Bio
Bill Powell has distinguished himself as a nationally renowned National Collegiate Athletic Association, Division I swimming coach, a community volunteer, and a gifted public speaker.
Bill earned a B.S. at WMU in 1959, and his M.A. in 1963 with a major in Physical Education and minor in English. Bill began his teaching career in 1959 at St. Joseph High School in St. Joseph, Michigan. He began the swimming program at the school, and in 1968 was named Michigan High School Coach of the Year.
In 1969, he accepted the head coaching position at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Once again Bill began a swimming program that has grown to bring him and the University national recognition. In 1977, he served as Ecuador's National Coach for the Bolivarian Games. In 1982, he received the Master Coach Award from the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Since 1970 Bill has compiled 32 straight winning records. His 301-68 (815%) win-loss record ranks him as the third winningest coach in the NCAA Division I mens swimming history and the winningest active coach. In 2000 he placed nine swimmers in the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Bill has also been recognized as a community leader and volunteer. He has unselfishly served in the American Red Cross, the D.A.R.E. program, presented public safety programs for children, was a Life Guard Instructor Trainer, participated in the Community Theatre, and is a much sought after public speaker at numerous civic and professional organizations. Bill is proud that among his alumni swimmers are a military general, a movie star, a world news analyst, an Olympian, a world record holder, and most recently, a swimmer who won a silver medal in Beijing, China at the 2001 World University Games.
Bill credits that he received his inspiration for coaching and teaching from his dad and mother who were teachers in Wyandotte, Michigan after graduating from Western Michigan University. Bill and his wife, Joanne (also a WMU alum) raised four children and have eight grandchildren.