George F. Haines

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George F. Haines was a swimmer and swimming coach who participated with the United States Swim Team in seven Olympic Games starting in 1960, and for three of those games was the head coach. He found Santa Clara Swim Club in 1951. It started out as a 13-member swimclub located in the old Santa Clara High School. He coached for 23 years, leaving Santa Clara in 1973. During his stay at Santa Clara, he helped 26 swimmers join the Olympic teams, including Mark Spitz, Don Schollander and Claudia Kolb. He was the first and most highly respected head coach of the Santa Clara Swim Club located at the International Swim Center in Santa Clara, CA.

In 2001, George was going to have a grand reunion with some of the club's former champion swimmers. However, the reunion was postponed because George had a stroke, which incapacitated him for the rest of his life. He later died in May of 2006. Haines is well-known and well-respected throughout the international swimming community for his passion and commitment throughout his coaching career.

A bronze statue of Haines stands at the International Swim Center watching over the pool 24/7, where he now stands watch over the Olympic-size pool and the Santa Clara swimmers.