Louis H. Sharp

Louis H. Sharp, 77, founder, director, and coach for more than 40 years of the Competition Swim Clinic, died Friday, June 17, 2016 at his residence in Springfield, Virginia. Lou’s exceptional knowledge of physics and swim stroke mechanics, his work ethic of preparing a renowned strategy, and his love for youth and the sport resulted in the coveted program’s success. As one swimmer wrote on Lou’s Facebook page, “The values he instilled in me for swimming are life lessons that are still with me.”

Lou was born April 20, 1939, in Indianapolis, Indiana. A natural athlete, he excelled in track, earning the title of City Champion in the 440-yard event at Thomas Carr Howe Community High School, a school record that stood for several years. He swam for the Ellenburger City Park Youth Program and the Indianapolis Athletic Club, where he was an All-American in his age group and an Indiana state record holder. As a USA Masters swimmer, he won the East Coast 50-yard freestyle championship at Princeton University, was fourth in the nation in the 100 backstroke, and fifth in the 200 backstroke. His co-ed 200 freestyle relay team, for which he swam the anchor leg and included the late Betty Brae, set a Masters American record.

He attended Indiana University, where he was on the winning team in the Little 500 Cycling Race in 1958. He later graduated from Baylor University with an MS in Astrophysics. He worked five years as a contract design engineer for NASA Goddard Space Craft Center and two years as a project manager for the development of ALSEP meteor sensors at Union Carbide/NASA. He co-authored the computer software “Swim Logic.” He returned to the D.C. area where he retired as a department head after 21 years under Father Healy, SJ, and Charles Meng at Georgetown University. “Not quite as exciting as the space program,” Lou quipped in a 2014 interview.

In the early 1970s, Lou coached at the Brookville Swim Club in Alexandria. He drew on his expertise as a swimmer and his physics knowledge to teach other swimmers the most effective way to power through water. He never stopped researching and studying better and more effective stroke mechanics.

While at Brookville, Lou started the Northern Virginia Swim Team (NVST) and the Competition Swim Clinic (CSC), most of who participate in the Northern Virginia Swim League (NVSL). His NVST swimmers frequently swept most of the medals in USS swim meets. Eventually, he devoted himself exclusively to the CSC, where he felt his time was best utilized instructing the yearly 200-400 swimmers who sought his training. He understood that an excellent swimmer must first learn the strokes properly before building up speed, and was firmly opposed to “superfluous lap training.”

Lou feasted on living. His interests included gardening, hunting, growing mushrooms, photography, nature, firearms, and teaching. His greatest joy was found in his friendships, of which there were many. He blessed others with acts of kindness and thoughtfulness, both large and small. He left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him, and his spirit will live on in the thousands of lives he touched. He will be deeply missed.

His parents, Mary Kathryn and Louis Sharp, and a sister, Nancy, preceded Lou in death. A memorial will be held 4-7 pm on Sunday, June 26, at Demaine Funeral Home, 5308 Backlick Road, Springfield, Va.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fairfax Rod and Gun Club or to the NVSL Lou Sharp Scholarship Fund, c/o Stephen Wallin, 5531 Hershey Lane, Alexandria, Va 22312.