Louis Tharp
Louis Clay Tharp (born 1951), also known as 'Lou', is a gay competitive American swimmer who competed in the 1998 World Masters, the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago, and the 2009 World Outgames in Copenhagen. Since 2005, he is a triathlon swim coach and has chronicled some of his coaching experience in his 2007 book the Overachiever's Diary.[1]
Swimming career[edit]
At age 45, Tharp decided to make a complete lifestyle change. Until then, he lived a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, was overweight, had high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. He hired Total Immersion swim coach Terry Laughlin, learned how to swim, and competed in his first race that same year.[2][3]
Two years later, in 1998, Tharp competed in 5 races in the World Masters, and won a bronze medal in the 200m butterfly.[4]
In 2006, Tharp competed in the Gay Games in Chicago and won one gold medal in the 800 SC meter freestyle, and two silver medals, in the 400 SC meter freestyle and the 1500 SC meter freestyle.[5]
In 2009, Tharp flew out to Copenhagen for the Outgames and won two silver medals, in the 800m and 1500m freestyle, and two bronze medals, in the 400m freestyle and the 400m medley.[6]
Coaching[edit]
Because New York pools were crowded and expensive, Tharp was looking for a different place to train. He went to the United States Military Academy at West Point and asked if he could work out there. They agreed.[3][7]
He shared the pool with other cadets, many of whom he found to swim poorly. Distracted by one particular cadet's poor performance, he showed him some basic techniques. The cadet immediately improved and invited him to attend his triathlon team practice. In 2005, Tharp was hired as a part-time swim coach for the army's triathlon team. In 2007, the team placed fifth in Collegiate Nationals and won a bronze medal in the ITU Worlds in Hamburg. In 2007, he chronicled some of his experiences coaching the army triathlon team in his book the Overachiever's Diary.[3][7][8]
Tharp was the first openly gay swim coach at the US military academy at west point. Despite the "don't ask, don't tell" mentality of the army, it was not a big deal to the cadets, and never really an issue.[3][7]
Since 2009, Tharp has been coaching one of west point's graduates, Nicholas Sterghos.[9]
Personal life[edit]
Tharp grew up in Baltimore and graduated with a B.A. and B.S. in Journalism from Butler University in 1972.[7]
Tharp is married to Jim Bumgardner. Starting in the fall of 2008, he and his partner endowed Butler University's first scholarship for gay and lesbian students.[7]
Tharp is a social entrepreneur, CEO and co-founder of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a health care advocacy organization, together with Seth Ginsberg.[10] He is also the CEO of TGI Healthworks, a firm that works with physicians and patients with chronic medical conditions.[11]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Overachiever's Diary". Total Immersion.
- ↑ Coronis, Stacy (12 May 2006). "Gay Games Athlete Profile: Louis Tharp". Edge Media Network. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Woog, Dan (2 November 2007). "The Outfield: Giving West Point a 'Tri'" (Vol. 35 Issue 44). Seattle Gay News. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ "1998 Nike World Masters Games Swimming Results". International Masters Games Association (IMGA). Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ "VII Gay Games Chicago 2006 Results" (PDF). Gay Games.org. Ralph Wright Natatorium. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ "Results for World Outgamese 2009". Live Timing. IGLA. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Forman, Ross (28 November 2007). "Lou Tharp: Military Man". Wind City Media Group. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ "Mr.Louis Tharp - Swim Coach Of The US Army Triathlon Team". Sable. 22 December 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ "Bios Nicholas Sterghos". Nicholas Sterghos. TGI Healthworks.
- ↑ "Louis Tharp". Global Healthy Living Foundation. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ Cassels, Peter. "Gay Games Drug Testing Causes Concern Among AIDS Advocates". Edge Media Network. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
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