University of Rhode Island

Before arriving in South Kingstown, Ted spent 13 years as Aquatic Director at Georgia State University. He taught Physical Education, Continuing Education and Recreational Services (non-credit) classes; ended his collegiate swimming and diving team coaching career with a lifetime record of 143W-87L (62%), built one of the strongest recreational scuba programs in the South-east and initiated SportsGroup for individuals with and without disabilities in addition to his duties as Aquatics Director.During the previous four years, from 1979-1982, at Josephine County Parks Department, Grants Pass, Oregon, Ted established sound operations at both of the county's two new aquatic complexes, which he helped design. He built strong programs in collaborations with local schools along with offering sound recreational opportunities and varied swimming lessons for the general public. Swim World, one of the two complexes, was considered to offer one of the regions premiere infant and toddler programs.Prior to the Josephine County position, Ted worked, beginning in 1975, as the first District Administer for North Humboldt Recreation and Park District, a special purpose California tax district in Arcata California, home of his alma mater. He received his bachelor's degree in physical education just five years earlier at Humboldt State University. As District Administrator he supervised the completion of the Arcata Natatorium and served as the Administrative agent for the Arcata-North Humboldt Recreation Authority. He wrote and administered several CETA grants. Thirteen school districts, Humboldt State University; and the College of Redwoods used the N.H.R.P.D. facilities in addition to local residents.Ted began his full time Aquatic career at Lewis and Clark College, in Portland, Oregon, after receiving his Masters degree from Stanford University in 1971. During his four year tenure at Lewis and Clark the women's swim team, which he initiated, took two league championships and the water polo team, with Ted as a player coach, finished second in the Oregon Water Polo League. Lewis and Clark was host for the Portland Interscholastic League swimming meets, hosted regional A.A.U. synchronized swim meets and sponsored both water polo and synchronized swimming clinics. While here, he served on staff at the American Red Cross National Aquatic School in Seaside Oregon for three years.Participating in four high school sports, football, wrestling, baseball, and track and field, Ted went on to play football and wrestle at the University of Nevada in Reno. While intern teaching, he assisted with coaching football and wrestling at Del Mar High School in Campbell, California. He coached their tennis team to their first league championship (17-0 league, 19-1 overall).Growing up and through college, he worked for the city of Palo Alto as an attendant, guard, instructor, and pool manager. This experience under the tutelage of Tom Osborne, piqued his delight in water related activities and set his course in aquatics.Ted lives in Wakefield with his wife Laurie and two of their three children. He has two daughters. One is currently attending the University of Rhode Island and the other lives with her husband in California. His son works locally in retail. Ted and his wife enjoy Rhode Island immensely; they especially like to walk on the magnificent beaches and through the refuges near their home. This will be their second year as beach captains for the International Coastal Clean-up sponsored locally by the Rhode Island Audubon Society, taking on the Point Judith Light House site. While he is not able to scuba dive as much as he did in Georgia, Ted still loves teaching diving and taking students on their first open water experience.Ted continues to express his gratefulness for all those at the University, in the community and his family for making the Rhode Island experience possible.