Wash naming pool for Voss, Krizan

By Douglas Miles, The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Washington boys' swimming program has enjoyed a long history of excellence, and the school plans to immortalize two of its coaching giants by renaming the Warrior pool the Hal Krizan-Jim Voss Pool.

'It's a tremendous honor,” Voss said. 'And it's a tremendous tribute to all of the people that have been involved.”

The renaming dedication will take place before the Jan. 17 meet that bears Voss' name - the Jim Voss Swim Invitational - capping a reunion weekend for the boys' and girls' swimming programs to spearhead fundraising efforts for pool improvements, swimming programs and scholarships.

Voss arrived at Washington after six years at Cedar Rapids Jefferson and won 15 state titles and finished runner-up five times in 25 years (1974-98), including two streaks of four-straight state championships (1987-90 and 1994-97).

'When you think about all of the things that he's been able to accomplish over the years, that's not something that you're probably ever going to see again,” said Washington boys' swimming coach Chris Cruise, who swam on three of Voss' state championship teams. 'Not just in terms of the sport of swimming, but probably at high school in any level at Iowa.”

Voss was inducted into the Iowa High School Swim Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003. Now 72, he still provides private swim lessons at Cedar Rapids YMCA locations. He admits the idea of succeeding the retiring Krizan in 1973 - who closed his own illustrious 17-year career at Washington with 10-straight state titles - was daunting.

'It was one of those things I'd be stepping in behind John Wooden or Coach Gable down at Iowa,” Voss said. 'I was petrified.”

Krizan provided the blueprint for success. Both were physical education teachers at Washington, and the Warrior tradition of phenomenal swimming depth began there - by encouraging PE students with swimming promise to join the squad. Washington's enduring streak of 51-straight district titles began with Krizan and remains active. Krizan won his first state championship in 1961 before the run of 10 straight began in 1964. Krizan, a 1979 IHSSCA Hall of Fame inductee, died in 2013.

'He was a disciplinarian, so you always knew where he stood,” said Rob Cook, who starred for three of Krizan's state championship squads with six state titles in three events (1966-68). 'He could motivate you by talking about goals that you set, reminding you of the things that you wanted to do and the best way to do them. ... He cared about the swimmers, and the swimmers cared about him.”

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com