Wyandotte Roosevelt Swim Coach: 'I Kinda Knew it Was Time'

After nearly five decades, the swim coach at Wyandotte Roosevelt High School has retired.

Hugh Roddin, of Woodhaven, began coaching at Wyandotte Public Schools in 1967. Roddin was head coach of the boys and girls swim teams throughout his career.

"The kids over the years have been absolutely great," Roddin said. "We had teams that won a lot of meets. We had teams that barely won a meet. Some of those teams that barely won a meet were some of my most successful years."

Roddin said she had second guessed his decision to retire at the start of the 2012-13 school year, but kept his promise to himself at the end-of-the-year girls' team baquet. Roddin's announcement brought many of the girls and parents to tears, accoriding to the mother of one of the swimmers.

"I kinda knew it was time," Roddin said. "I still love coaching and I still love the kids."

Wyandotte Board of Education members presented Roddin with an award Monday and thanked him for his many years of exemplary coaching.

New head coach Sue Alt said Roddin's shoes would be difficult to fill.

"I will never fill those shoes," Alt said. "I will never swim like he swims."

Roddin was an All-American swimmer at the University of Maryland and continues to swim competitively. Last year, Roddin placed first in six separate swim meets held by U.S. Masters Swimming, which is a national membership-operated nonprofit organization that provides membership benefits to nearly 60,000 Masters swimmers across the country, according to USMS.org.