Palatine kids crushed by loss of their swim coach

Grief counselors were called in to meet with members of the Palatine Park District swim team last week, to help them through their grief.

Their their head coach, Andy Rose, died Dec. 11 at age 32 after a short illness.

"The kids are just crushed," said Donelda Danz, assistant recreation superintendent. "They're hurting so much that it's tough to look in their eyes."

Palatine officials hired Mr. Rose in May 2007 to take over their program after he had coached the age group swim program for the B.R. Ryall YMCA in Glen Ellyn as well as coaching in Cincinnati and Venice, Fla. Mr. Rose also swam competitively for the University of Notre Dame.

For the last 2ˆ½ years in Palatine, he has overseen the growth of the Tiger Sharks, which draws nearly 200 people every season, from pre-competitive and recreational, to elite high school and college swimmers.

During summers, they swam at the Birchwood Recreation Center, while renting pool time during the winter at Fremd and Palatine high schools and at Harper College, all in Palatine.

"He was never a yeller or screamer; he was always encouraging them on the deck," Danz said. "He particularly gained the respect of the high school and college swimmers."

The first year Mr. Rose began working with swimmers, Fremd High School's boys' team advanced a record 12 competitors to the IHSA state championships.

"In practice, he had this ability to push you beyond what you thought you could do," said Joe Chemello, who swam under Mr. Rose on the Tiger Sharks and qualified for state in 2008, his senior year at Fremd. "He was a great motivator."

Jeff Freund, a junior at Fremd described "get out swims" that Mr. Rose devised during practices. He would set a seemingly impossible time for swimmers to meet, and if they did, that would enable the entire team to get out of the next workout set.

"He really pushed us," Freund said. "He was just a great coach who was as concerned about us as individuals as he was about us as swimmers."

Earlier this month, Mr. Rose, who suffered from Crohn's disease, had hip surgery and he was recovering in Venice, Fla., his hometown, when he complained of flu-like symptoms, and later was found unresponsive. The cause of death has not yet been determined, but toxicology tests were negative, said Peter Chemello, a dentist who heads the parents board for the park district swim program.

Assistant Coach Glenn Brown filled in for Mr. Rose after surgery, and Palatine officials said he will continue in that role.

Mr. Rose is survived by his mother, Christine, stepfather, Robert Jiantonio; father, John D. Rose of California City, Calif.; brother, Jeffrey Allan Rose of Nashua, N.H.; and three nephews.

Members of the Palatine Park District Parents' Board have planned a celebration of life, at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, at the Birchwood Recreation Center, 435 W. Illinois Ave. in Palatine. They invite members to share photos and reflections of Mr. Rose's impact on their lives.