Legendary swim coach Flip Darr passes away (update)
July 7th, 2009, 9:00 am · 15 Comments · posted by DAN ALBANO, ocvarsity.com
Swim coach Flip Darr, 74, who guided Gary Hall Sr. at Rancho Alamitos High and several other county Olympians over the years, died Monday night of heart failure, his daughter, Tami, said.
“It (the news) was a kick in the gut,” said Olympic swimmer John Mykkanen, who under Darr’s tutelage won the silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle at the 1984 Games. “He was the second most influential man in my life, my father being the first.”
Darr had battled chronic leukemia for several years but remained active. He played golf Monday morning, Tami said.
Darr was the first coach of the Irvine Novaquatics club, which is where he coached Mykkanen beginning in 1979.
But Darr’s coaching career in Orange County goes back to the late 1960s. In 1967, he helped start the original Phillips 66 team, a super-club team that trained at Golden West College.
Darr started coaching Hall during the swimmer’s sophomore year at Rancho Alamitos. Hall would become a three-time Olympian, competing in the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics.
“He was my first world-record holder,” Darr once recalled of Hall.
During his career, Darr also coached Olympians Shirley Babashoff, Bruce and Steve Furniss, Mike O’Brien, Dan Jorgensen and Tiffany Cohen. He also guided several U.S. national teams.
“I hope he gets his due,” Steve Furniss said. “He was truly one of the great coaches of his era.”
Darr’s last major coaching assignment was at Saddleback College. He started the swimming and water polo programs in 1973-74 and coached the Gauchos for 26 years.
He led the men’s swim program to 10 conference titles and the women to three. The men’s water polo program won nine conference titles.
“I've pretty much reached all the goals I've ever had, and probably more," Darr said in 1998 as he neared retirement from Saddleback.
In 2006, he was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Mykkanen retired in 1989 but remained in close contact with Darr.
“I got a couple e-mails a day,” Mykkanen said. “It was all jokes. … Flip is all about humor and sarcasm. He will be dearly missed.”
Details on a memorial service for Darr have not been finalized. Darr is survived by his wife, Miriam of Mission Viejo, and, in addition to Tami by sons Todd and Brad.
Darr’s death comes on the heels of the death of former U.S. Olympic swim coach Richard Quick, 66, of inoperable brain cancer in June.
“The swimming community has lost two of the big guns,” Mykkanen said.
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OC H.S. Sports
Flip,
All of us who swam for you, against you, coached with you, against you and just sat around watching you smoke your pipe or cigar, we will miss you!!! The swimming world has lost a really funny sweet person and great COACH!!!!
Thanks for being part of my life and letting me be a part of yours!
Steve Yancey
SoCal Aquatics
Foothill HS Swimming
CSULB Swimming
San Clemente HS Aquatics
Capistrano Valley HS Aquatics
We are so sorry to hear of the loss of Flip Darr. It sounded like everyone loved this man and he had such wonderful qualities. It seems so unfair that death should have the power to take away someone you love. And when it happens, the thought of never again being able to talk to, laugh with, or hold your loved one can be most difficult to bear. Their is a scripture that is real comforting that is found in John 5:21,28,29 which says
“Just as the Father raises the dead up and makes them alive, so the Son also makes those alive whom he wants to. Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his [Jesus’] voice and come out.” That is a sure hope that we have from the bible and that we all look forward to. Please pray to Jehovah God for comfort during these hard times.
For the short time I knew him, he was always a pleasure to be around. I could tell he loved and enjoyed his Grand-kiddies and his family. To the Darr Family - my prayers are with you.
Flip will be missed by all who knew him. The smell of his cigar, the yellow corvette, the lone long finger nail and his large roll of walkin around money. Flip was a mentor and friend. See you when I see you.
Flip was a one-of-the kind character and one heck of a swim coach. He actually was under-rated as a coach for all the great swimmers he had over the years.
But the only vibe I got from Flip was one of pure enjoyment. He liked coaching and being on deck. He definitely coached for the right reasons.
Orange County aquatics was luck to have Flip.
I was on the Rancho ALamitos swim team as a diver, and really enjoyed Flip's coaching. He was quite a guy, and will be missed!
Two days ago like any other, the greatest man in the world, my father, Flip Darr, woke up and went for his daily walk around Dana Point Harbor. He followed that up with the best round of golf in his life. He shot an 89. He came home and had a perfect steak and then he left us forever. Dad you will forever be in my heart and I am going to celebrate your life. I have never felt sadness like this.
Thank you all for your comments. We as a family are holdin strong. Please have a toast for Flip, he would prefer Dark Rum and Diet Coke with a cheap stinky cigar.
We will have a open Memorial for him at Doheny State Beach, dates still being confirmed, but we are shooting for Sunday the 2nd of August. If you were honored to have been touched by this great man in any way, we would love to have you. Feel free to email me and I will reply with the details. todd.darr@smc.com
Yellow Corvette - "FLIP"
Weird Mexican rope-handcuff-knot thing
Eating ice cream with the back of the spoon
"Juan, two, three, four."
Learning to flipturn in the wading pool
Swimming the 500 in 17 minutes in 4th grade...
...and losing my cap and goggles in the process
Great advice on technique
Cigar smoke
Funny emails
Those are some memories... We'll all miss you, Flip!!
I only knew Flip as one of the biggest characters that I've had the pleasure of golfing with whenever I would visit my father. Every round with him was golf and a show. I got to know more and more about his importance to the swimming world. Wow! The irony for me is, with both my kids swimming now, I was a volunteer at the National Championships in Indy this week and spent 2+ hours assigned to hang out with Michael Phelps, someone who, no doubt, has been influenced by Flip whether he knows it or not. I am very lucky to have met two greats in that sport and lucky to have been able to have Flip as a friend of the family. My family and I will miss him dearly.
I looked forward to seeing Flip as I delivered his mail. We always had a couple of laughs and "jabs" I will never forget the day he was sitting out in his driveway, cigar going, "washing his balls" You know his golf balls. Always a friendly wave and shout hello! A bright spot in my day.
Terri,
We hope you can make it to the Memorial. Sunday August 2nd at 7PM picnic area A.
I remember Coach Darr from when I attended Rancho Alamitos HS in 1972-76 ... I don't recall if I had him for any classes, but I do remember he was a great coach and instructor back then ... He along with several other teacher we have sadly lost recently made attending RAHS a very memorable experience
I can tell from those that have contacted me, and that had kept in touch with the Coach, that he was still the fun loving, happy spirited person I remember 
I am looking forward to joining Coach Darr's family and the many friends in celebrating Flip's life ...
Improving my stroke was only one af the many, many things I learned from Flip. Hearing this news is truly sad. I will miss him.
myself ,terri and all the kents fun club golfers @ paradise knolls will miss flip , as others have mentioned... i will also remember his yellow corvette ,his wonderful wife miriam, of course the continuous cigar in his mouth,having a rusty nail after golf, and always finding everybody else's golf ball.
we will see you on sunday,and always remember you!
kent
Wow, just heard about this one.
One of the great coaches who made Orange County Swimming the best in the nation. He had a life worth living.
My condolences to the Darr family and to those who miss him.
- Tom
PS Good to see Steve and Todd still in the Sport.