Coach John Patnott retires from Hope College’s swimming and diving program
HOLLAND, Mich. — In 1978, Coach John Patnott started Hope College’s program for swimming and diving and developed it into one of the best and finest college programs for men and women in the nation.
Coach Patnott was teaching the Flying Dutch many aspects of their health outside of swimming and diving, delving into exercise science topics like nutrition, athletic performance, overall health and general fitness. He specialized in performance exercise physiology and shared that knowledge with his athletes.
He has coached 32 national champions for Hope College, 118 All-Americans, 20 women’s Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles and 12 men’s MIAA team trophies. Patnott was named NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year three times by the CSCAA, in 1998 and 1994 (women), and 1991 (men). In 2018, he received the CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award which was followed by his retirement after the 2018-19 season. His assistant coach, Jake Taper, took the lead after Patnott’s retirement.
In his last season with Hope, they finished with 810 points, followed by Calvin with 793 points, giving the Flying Dutch seniors the victory in this special year for them.
Here’s what some of the players said about Coach Patnott:
“I hope he knows how big of an impact he has had and how loved he is by all of the Hope swimming community,” Chloe Palajac said. “Now if only I could find a place that accepts JP bucks, I’d have no complaints.”
“One of my favorite memories is Coach putting my last career medal around my neck and telling me how proud he was of my career,” Jorgie Watson said. “Most of my favorite memories, however, come from early morning practices or Christmas break when I would get coach to dress up in lifting themes, dance, or say swear words so he would have to do push-ups.”
“He not only helped me to get faster in the pool, but he helped shape me into the person I am today,” Erica Slenk said. “He has challenged me and encouraged me to never give up. It is such a blessing to have had him as a coach for three years. He will be greatly missed.”
As these athletes are saying, Coach Patnott had a big impact on Hope College’s swimming community for nearly four decades, creating a legacy that will last well into the future.
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