Inductees

Successful coaches are often measured by the same metric: winning. How many championships do you have? What’s your record? But if you’ve ever spent time in the athletics arena, you know winning is a small notch on the measuring stick of success. And championships alone never tell the entire story.

Oh, sure, winning matters. It’s why they keep score, people like to say. But the journey, the getting there, in many ways, that’s so much more important.

That’s the legacy left behind by the late John Hamilton, longtime head coach of Hickman High School Girls Swimming & Diving. That legacy, which includes three state championships (1991, 1995, 1996) and 17 top-four finishes in 21 seasons, is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted Hickman Girls Swimming & Diving (1979-99 era) as a part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

“It’s such an incredible honor,” said former Kewpie Miki Bohon Uffman, a member of the 1995 and 1996 state championship teams. “To know that someone else, all these years later, looked back on what our team did and decided it was worthy to be recognized in the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is remarkable. Coach Hamilton really would be so proud. This team was his baby. We all wish he was here to see this. Without him, we would not be here.”

In addition to three state titles, the Kewpies finished as runner-up 10 times (1979, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999), third in 1982, and fourth on three occasions (1981, 1988, 1989). In all, Hickman produced 15 individual state champions and eight relay state champions during those 21 years.

But more important than the winning and individual state championships was the impact Hamilton had on his swimmers.

“It is hard to put into words the impact Coach had on me,” Bohon Uffman said. “As a swimmer, I improved dramatically in the four years I swam for him. He knew exactly how to train us to get the best out of us. We were always at our peak at just the right time, at the state meet. He told me he thought I could win the 200 IM my senior year. I’m not sure that would’ve happened without him. I was also able to realize my dream of swimming in college because he made me a better swimmer.”

As great as Hamilton’s influence was in the pool, outside the pool his impact was even greater.

“As a person, he taught me so much,” Bohon said. “I learned what it means to be disciplined, committed, and dedicated. How to persevere when it’s hard, when things aren’t going your way. He taught me to be mentally tough. He taught me to move on from a bad race and focus on the next one; to have a short memory so to speak. He taught me to have confidence, to not be afraid to fail. He often knew me better than I knew myself.”

Those sentiments are echoed time and time again by Hamilton’s former pupils. When he died in 2020, Hickman swimmers formed a Facebook group to share stories and memories of their mentor and friend. Over and over, Hickman swimmers speak of Coach Hamilton’s impact on their lives and his ability to build a team.

“Coach had something magical about him that really brought everyone together and blurred all of the lines that existed outside of the swim team,” wrote Naomi Greenstone.

“Being a part of the swim team gave me confidence that has been so important in every aspect of my whole life,” wrote Deborah Weinstein Green. “On the high school team, Coach motivated me to work harder than I ever had and inspired an amazing sense of team. Coach did an amazing job of making everyone feel like they were so important.”

“Thank you for always pushing me to do my best, love my team, cheer everyone on to do their best, and for teaching myself & so many others so many meaningful life lessons,” wrote Jessica Schaefer Nations.

We’ll let Bohon Uffman sum up Hamilton’s impact.

“Coach Hamilton did a phenomenal job of setting the tone,” she said. “He had high expectations of commitment and dedication. We knew that if we worked hard and did what he asked, we would get results. And we had fun! Coach was often serious, but he also had this silly side to him that we all enjoyed. He has been described as a teddy bear. We respected him and loved him.”

The late poet and author Maya Angelou once wrote, “If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.”

It’s clear John Hamilton and Hickman Girls Swimming & Diving have done just that.