Legendary Swimming Coach Ballatore dies

Legendary PCC swimming coach Ron “Sticks” Ballatore died April 27 after a long battle with bone cancer in Gainesville, Fla. He was 71.

Ballatore is immortalized in the Court of Champions, an honor reserved for the college’s most famous athletes, coaches or administrators.

According to Sports Information Specialist Robert Lewis, the honor is significant.

“Coach Ballatore’s impact at PCC as a successful head coach can best be defined by his addition to the prestigious Dick Ratliff Court of Champions,” Lewis said. “Only an elite group of five great PCC coaches have been [honored] with bronze busts in the court that also includes some of the great athletes in [the college’s] history.”

Ballatore’s bronze bust portrays him with his signature mustache and a thoughtful attitude.

Among his many accomplishments, Ballatore was head coach for a record five state championship winning men’s swimming teams.

During his time at PCC from 1967 to1978, he established the school record when he lead PCC to10 conference titles, seven Southern California team championship squads, and multiple other local titles.

“Of sports that PCC still hosts intercollegiately, [Ballatore’s] five state team titles in swimming has not been matched,” Lewis said.

He also successfully coached PCC swimmers Jack Tingley, Eric Marks, and Glen Aiken, who also share a space in the Hall of Fame.

Ballatore’s achievement extended beyond PCC. He served as assistant coach for Peru at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, assistant coach for Ecuador at the1972 Munich Olympics, assistant coach for Israel at the1976 Montreal Olympics, assistant coach for the United States at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and assistant coach for United States at 1988 Seoul Olympics.

He also coached UCLA for a total of 16 seasons, guiding that team to memorable victories and last year receiving the honor of being inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.

Ballatore coached 28 Olympians, including gold medalists Brian Goodell and Tom Jager, who set the 50-meter freestyle world record.

Ballatore’s swimmers produced 11 American and NCAA records. Due to his success, Ballatore was inducted part into the American Swim Coach Association Hall of Fame in 2009.

The loss of this memorable figure from the PCC family is also a lost for the “the entire world of competitive swimming.” as Lewis said.