Charles McCaffree

Swimming

McCaffree began swimming at the Sioux Falls, South Dakota YMCA, served in the cabinet of the YMCA Hi-Y Boys Club, and was elected President to the YMCA Boys Conference, a gathering of 250 boys in Sioux Falls on April 16, 1926. He attended Sioux Falls's Washington High School, where he assumed leadership roles being elected President of the Dramatic Club in 1925 and participating with Washington's Debate Squad.

Active in sports, he played and practiced with Washington High's football team, and lettered in basketball by the Fall of 1925, playing reserve guard and forward his Senior year, and occasionally playing Center. In addition to basketball, he acted as Business Manager for Washington High's Yearbook, the Monogram, and did some editing, preparing him for work as a future Secretary of the Olympic Swim committee, and editor of the NCAA Swimming Guide. He graduated Washington High on the evening of June 4, 1926, acting as Toastmaster to the Senior Banquet on June 2. He competed in swimming competitions at the Sioux Falls YMCA pool during summers away from college, placing second in the 100, and 220-yard swim competitions in the Sioux Falls City Swim Championships in late August 1927.

Swimming for Michigan

He graduated Michigan University, and specializing in freestyle, swam three years for Hall of Fame Coach Matthew Mann from 1927 to 1930, and also played Water Polo. In March, 1929, he was awarded a monogram for his participation in Michigan's swim team, which was highly competitive. During McCaffree's time swimming for MSU, they won three consecutive conference championships by 1929 going nearly undefeated in conference meets, and won NCAA national championships in both 1927 and 1928. Possibly preparing himself for a future career, during several summer breaks he worked as a lifeguard, and in July 1930 lifeguarded at the Sherman Park pool in Sioux Falls, helping with swimming activities that would later include races. Graduating in 1930 from Michigan with a B.A., McCaffree was awarded a Teaching Certificate in September of that year after attending the Summer session.

Coaching Immediately after graduating Michigan, McCaffree taught and coached swimming for Michigan's Battle Creek Central High School from 1930 to 1936. Beginning a winning tradition, his High School teams at Battle Creek Central won six consecutive Michigan State Titles and earned a remarkable record of 53 wins and 3 losses.

Looking to coach at the collegiate level, he briefly returned to his alma mater Michigan University as an Assistant Coach for the 1936-1937 season, where he was mentored by his former Hall of Fame Coach Matthew Mann. While he served as Assistant Coach, the University of Michigan won the National NCAA Championship in 1937, giving McCaffree the rare experience of coaching a collegiate team that could dominate the national competition.

Michigan State With McCaffree's success at Iowa State, Michigan State Athletic Director Ralph Young invited him to view Michigan State University's new facilities. McCaffree accepted the Head Coaching position at Michigan State in 1941 replacing thirteen-year coach Russell Daubert, son of a former Iowa State swim coach. McCaffree remained as Michigan State Coach through 1969, establishing an exceptional record. In 1946, Michigan State won a Canadian National Championship, with the team subsequently winning eight consecutive Central Collegiate Conference championships between 1942-1950, and a National American Athletic Union Title. On the state level, MSU captured two Michigan AAU titles. After joining the Big 10 conference, the team won its first conference title in 1957. The College Swimming Coaches Association of America created the Charles McCaffree award in his honor to recognize a person in the sport of swimming who has "achieved outstanding success outside of the pool." Among his more distinguished and unique honors, he was named to the College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCAA) 100 Greatest Coaches of Past 100 Years.

Personal life

McCaffree died in Austin, Texas at the home of his daughter on December 13, 1980. His health had been affected by a stroke earlier in the Fall of 1980, and he had been receiving treatment at an Austin medical facility. He was married to Esther Ricker of Cadillac, Michigan in December 1933, and remained married throughout his career. The couple had four children. Though they were both born in 1907, Esther, originally of Cadillac, Michigan, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1927, during Charles's Freshman year.