CoaChinG staff
Jerry Champer assistant Coach Seventh Year
Jerry Champer, who was a six-time Mid-Continent Swimming Coach of the Year, returns for his seventh year as an assistant coach after serving two seasons as a volunteer assistant. Champer guided Georgia’s butterfly swimmers to successful campaigns in 2009. Mark Dylla came in second in the 200 butterfly at the NCAA Championship and won the Southeastern Conference title for the second straight season. Dylla lowered his own SEC meet record and set the school record at the NCAAs. Also at the NCAAs, Annie Broome had a 10th-place effort in the women’s 200 butterfly and Todd McGraw took 12th in the men’s 200 butterfly. Champer helped Georgia come in second on the women’s side and 10th on the men’s side at the NCAAs. In 2008, Champer’s charges reached new heights. Gil Stovall and Dylla went 1-2 at the NCAAs in the 200 butterfly, with Stovall setting the NCAA meet record. Dylla won the 200 butterfly at the SECs, breaking the league mark. On the women’s side, Broome and Elizabeth Hill earned All-America honors in the 200 butterfly. In 2007, Champer helped the Lady Bulldogs to a fifth-place effort and the Bulldogs to a 13th-place finish at the NCAAs. In 2006, Champer assisted as the Lady Bulldogs won the SEC Championship, and he helped coach Mary DeScenza to two butterfly national titles. DeScenza was the 2006 National
Swimmer of the Year and ended her college career with six NCAA titles in the butterly events. Virtually every butterfly time on Georgia’s alltime list have been established during Champer’s tenure in Athens, including DeScenza’s school marks in the 100 and the 200, and the records of Stovall in the 100 and Dylla in the 200. Champer came to Athens after serving as the men’s and women’s head swimming and diving coach at Western Illinois from 1994-2001. In 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999, Champer was named the Mid-Continent Conference Men’s Coach of the Year. He also picked up the conference Women’s Coach of the Year honor in 1995 and 1999. Champer led Western Illinois to five conference titles – four by the men (1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999) and one by the women (1999). Champer earned Southern States Conference Men’s Coach of the Year honors after the 1999 and 2000 seasons after leading his team to conference titles. His 2001 men won the Midwest Championships title and he was chosen as the Midwest Championships’ Coach of the Year. He was also named the 1998 and 2001 Illinois Men’s University Division Coach of the Year. Under Champer’s direction, Western Illinois produced 44 individual conference champions and 46 all-conference distinctions. One of his former pupils represented the country of Georgia in the 2000 Olympics. Prior to his time at Western Illinois, Champer spent two seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Wisconsin-LaCrosse. There, Champer was a four-year letterwinner and served as team captain (1987-88), earning All-America accolades in 1987. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a Master’s in Human Performance from WisconsinLaCrosse. Champer is married to the former Lu Harris, Georgia’s softball coach. The Champers have three daughters – twins Emma and Jenna, and Mya.
Georgia Coaches’ Pledge These student-athletes are entrusted to my care. i will train them to the best of my ability. i will develop them into smartly disciplined, physically fit, highly trained athletes thoroughly indoctrinated in love for the Georgia Bulldogs who represent the University of Georgia and the athletic program in the highest possible manner. i will encourage our athletes and insist that they perform to the best of their ability in the classroom as well as in the arena of competitive athletics. i will require of them, and demonstrate by my own example, the highest standards of integrity, personal conduct, morality, sportsmanship and professional skill.
2009-2010 university of GeorGia swiMMinG and divinG
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