Age, Biography and Wiki

Ray Bussard was born on 12 August, 1928 in Highland County, Virginia, U.S., is an American swimming coach (1928–2010). Discover Ray Bussard's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 82 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation N/A
Age 82 years old
Zodiac Sign Leo
Born 12 August, 1928
Birthday 12 August
Birthplace Highland County, Virginia, U.S.
Date of death 22 September, 2010
Died Place Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 12 August. He is a member of famous coach with the age 82 years old group.

Ray Bussard Height, Weight & Measurements

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Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

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Ray Bussard Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Ray Bussard worth at the age of 82 years old? Ray Bussard’s income source is mostly from being a successful coach. He is from United States. We have estimated Ray Bussard's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
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Source of Income coach

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Timeline

1928

Ray Bussard (August 12, 1928 – September 22, 2010) was a Hall of Fame collegiate and Olympic swimming coach from the United States, best known for coaching the University of Tennessee Swimming team from 1968-1989.

Earlier, he had been a gifted collegiate athlete at Bridgewater College and had coached field sports in Tennessee and Virginia High Schools.

At age six, Bussard started swimming in a creek bed near his home in rural Virginia, but he showed a far greater interest in field sports.

1952

At Virginia's Bridgewater College, he was a track and field National AAU All-Around Champion in 1952, and was All-State playing football.

In basketball, he was an all-tourney selection.

After College graduation, he coached track and field, football, baseball, track and basketball for both boys and girls at five high schools in Virginia and football and track at two high schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee creating a number of state champions.

A formidable high school coach, he won district, regional and high school state titles.

His overall record for high school coaching was 43-24-12 in football, 241-99 in basketball, 128-52 in baseball and 172-7 in track where his teams most excelled.

In the summers, Ray began teaching swimming and life-saving courses for the Red Cross, where he started his career as a swim coach.

1959

When he began at the school, Tennessee had not competed in swimming at the NCAA level since 1959.

1960

He founded the Chattanooga Swim League in 1960 and coached it through 1966.

He met his wife Ruth Cauley while teaching and coaching in Craigsville, Virginia, the first of five Virginia high schools where he would coach.

1966

In the winter of 1966, the University of Tennessee invited him to interview for the position as Head Swim Coach.

1967

He took the position as Coach and administrator for recreational swimming on Feb. 1, 1967.

1968

Bussard coached the men's swimming team at the University of Tennessee for 21 seasons, from 1968-1989.

1969

Showing immediate results, after only one year of coaching, in 1969 Tennessee's Swim team won the Southeastern Conference Championship, edging out the University of Florida who had won the conference thirteen straight times.

Bussard won the 1969 SEC Championship with a team composed entirely of Freshmen, but he may have preferred younger minds to teach his innovative approach.

He would have nine undefeated seasons coaching the Vols.

Bussard gained support for the team by adding tradition and ritual to meets, having team members wear coonskin caps, emptying a bottle of Tennessee swim water into an opponent's pool, and adding spirit by featuring the swim team's cheerleaders, the Vol Timettes.

Ray's specialty as a swim coach was in developing sprinters.

He defined sprinting as controlled quickness, stressing fast turns and starts, which made his swimmers difficult to beat in short distance events, and short course pools.

His flip-turns were such a unique and precise innovation, they became known as "Tennessee turns".

1970

Though he believed in thorough practices, he focused more on technique than overdistance training alone which was becoming more popular in the 1970s.

Team building was a focus, and he cared greatly about details, encouraging his swimmers to shave their heads before important meets.

1972

While at Tennessee, he was twice named the NCAA's Swimming Coach of the Year (1972 and 1978), and his Volunteers won the NCAA Swimming Championships in 1978.

His University of Tennessee teams completed a 178-20 record during his Coaching years.

When including his High School coaching, his overall career record was a 252-30 in dual meets with a particularly noteworthy winning percentage of .926.

1976

His most accomplished swimmers included two-time 1976 gold medalist Matt Vogel, and 1975 two-time World Championship gold medalist Andy Coan.

1984

Bussard served as a coach for the USA at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where he was a sprint coach, and 1979 and 1983 Pan American Games as well as the 1979 Pan Pacific Games.

1985

According to a leading Knoxville newspaper, by 1985, Bussard had coached more than 35 coaches and athletic directors.

1989

In 1989, the year of his retirement as coach, the University of Tennessee Indoor Aquatic Pool was named for Bussard to honor his legacy.

1999

He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Coach in 1999, and into the American Swimming Coaches Association's Hall of Fame in 2008.

2000

In 2000, Bussard was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

He was also a member of the Tennessee Swimming Hall of Fame, which he had established himself, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame and the Bridgewater College Sports Hall of Fame.

2010

Bussard died on September 22, 2010, at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville.

He had suffered from Diabetes, which had worsened in the six months before his death.