Comments on: Legendary swim coach Flip Darr passes away (update)

By: Tom Burke

Tom Burke — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:29:40 +0000

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.

By: kent plavala

kent plavala — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:42:20 +0000

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

By: Patrick Wallace

Patrick Wallace — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:58:34 +0000

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.

By: Kenny Hedgpeth

Kenny Hedgpeth — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 04:41:12 +0000

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 …

By: Todd Darr

Todd Darr — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:28:19 +0000

Terri,

We hope you can make it to the Memorial. Sunday August 2nd at 7PM picnic area A.

By: Terri Montgomery

Terri Montgomery — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:06:30 +0000

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.

By: Jeff Knurek

Jeff Knurek — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 14:49:45 +0000

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.

By: Priscilla

Priscilla — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:02:06 +0000

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!!

By: Todd

Todd — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:15:55 +0000

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

By: Joe Hower

Joe Hower — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:05:30 +0000

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!