Coach committed to team of special athletes

Dave Jones had some free time on the weekends and knew there was a swimming pool in his Goose Creek neighborhood.

So he put together a local Special Olympics swim team and volunteered as coach.

Months later, he offered to train the same athletes for a 5K run in Hilton Head, which was raising money for Special Olympics. Then came basketball and bowling seasons.

Within a year, he has become a father figure to a group of teenagers and young adults, putting in three or four nights each week and on weekends to help them pursue their athletic dreams and have fun in an area that once seemed off limits.

Swimming alongside his athletes, Jones is patient and encouraging, giving one-on-one attention wherever needed.

"All right, good job, very good job, way to go, gang," he says to his team after a relay scrimmage, giving double high fives to each swimmer.

When he works with each athlete, he is respectful and talks to them as he would any other adult. The sport is about having fun, but the training is taken seriously.

"The more encouraging you are, the more effort they put in, and that's really cool," he said. "On the other end of it, it's all about fun and them having a good time.

Standing in a pool after swim practice, Jones shrugged at the contributions he has made and shifted the focus to the parents.

"Everything was already underway," he said. "People here have so much energy."

As a high school swim coach, a 10-time marathon runner and three-time Ironman triathlete, Jones knows the connections among physical, mental and emotional health. He has seen many athletes who came into the program shy and quiet become outgoing and grow comfortable around a new group of friends.

"Swimming is wonderful for everything," he said.

Travis Dearing, 17, said he loves being a swim competitor with Coach Dave.

"He's a good coach," Travis said. "He takes us to every sport. We get to learn everything. We are having fun. It's just great."

Monette Dearing, Travis's mother, said she is often amazed at Jones's commitment to the team.

"He's gone above and beyond," she said. "Now they are fit. Instead of sitting in front of Nintendo, they are doing something almost every night."

Patty Johnson, whose daughter swims with Jones, said she is always impressed with the respect he shows each athlete.

"He doesn't see any difference," Johnson said. "It's hard to find that."

All of Jones's coaching is done on top of a full-time job working at a warehouse in Goose Creek and coaching Northwoods Academy's swim team. But Jones said he doesn't imagine cutting back any time soon.

"I really enjoy it," he said. "God gives everybody talents. I guess this is one of mine."

Reach Jamie McGee at 745-5856 or jmcgee@postandcourier.com.