Spring, professional football -- Pittsburgh Maulers

The Pittsburgh Maulers were a one hit wonder in the USFL only playing for the inaugural '84 season. The team had a number of well known players including first pick and Heisman running back Mike Rozier. Their home opener saw a sold-out crowd at Three Rivers Stadium, and although the team was competitive in on-field play, they only managed to win 3 games throughout the season. The following year when the league decided to switch to a fall schedule, league management knew that they would not be able to compete for fans with the Steelers and did not return for the '85 season.

Photo of Mark

Date, unsure. 

Team jumped to capacity with word of mouth buzz, by September 22 -- upon arrival at the end of August

The prior year, the PAWW team had less than 30 swimmers. In summers, none swam with PAWW. We had a fun "Meet the Coach Night" and things zoomed forward. 

Joining the Peoria Area Water Wizards was the talk of the town. Coaches were hired. Expansion was through the roof. We had to pump the brakes. 

Letter of reference for Mark Rauterkus from City of Waco, Texas

College Courses - Summary -- Undergrad and Graduate Levels

Classified Ad -- seeking employment placed in Swimming World

Cal Davis - no go

Florida State Swimming - Coach Bill Shults

I didn't know Coach Shults, but FSU was a powerhouse back in the day. And, I hear he was a top coach.

Baylor University HPERD letter from Norm Gilchrest

Pat Hogan, Dynamo Swim Club

Some serious irony here as Pat's hiring judgement would come under fire later.

https://www.espn.com/olympics/swimming/news/story?id=5319202

Hogan’s resignation letter, like Woessner’s, is published — see https://cdn.swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/dadacfa4-5f68-4bd1-bd0d-2a45b904144f-resignation-statement.pdf. But unlike Woessner, Hogan offers few words and not even a parsed explanation.

There are figures in swimming who are accused of abuse and there are those who are accused of cover-up of same. Pat Hogan was a dual threat.

Washington Huskies, rejection letter from Earl Ellis

Peoria Park District rejection -- first time

This is an interesting letter from June 7, 1983 from PPD. They advertised in Swimming World magazine and I applied. They hired a guy from Indiana. But, he didn't even show up for the job. Then some weeks later they went back to the applications and did an additional round of interviews. That second wave is when I was hired. 

Here is the rejection letter.

Creative Conditioning - offered in Waco, Texas

Saturdays for 2-hours for 10-weeks. Program I launched in Waco, Texas. 

Waco Parks and Recreation at Lions Pool

8 to 10:00 am on Saturdays

Creative Conditioning

Aqua Athletes

*An Ultra-Strenuous, 2 hour workout for athletes of high-school age and older meeting each Saturday morning for 10 weeks this summer!

A perfect summer conditioner for any athlete stressing cardiovascular system, muscle endurance, flexibility, power, speed & agility.

FITNESS PARTICIPATION WITH AN EDUCATION INCLUDES:

physiological testing guest speakers informative notebook relaxation/mental imagery cooperation and competition new games video taped performance nutrition, drug and aging insights stroke techniques variety professional staff

COST:

$20 for 10 Saturdays starting June 4 ending August 6

REQUIREMENTS:

physician's permission, liability waver, and enough water courage to dunk yourself. *Manditory physical exam and blood testing if over age 35. Otherwise, both are strongly encouraged.

REGISTRATION:

at Lions Pool on Saturday morning June 4 or later Saturdays or at morning swimming lessons

For questions and more information call for Mark Rauterkus at Department of Parks and Recreation, 753-0223, or home phone, 757-1576.

Creative Conditioning

Deb Johnson, testing coordinator, has furnished this initial list of some possible physiological tests which we might be interested in doing. The details will be forthcoming.

Cardio Vascular Fitness

Physical Work Capacity 170, fitness level 

Astrand-Ryhming Bicycle Test, fitness level. 

Harvard Step Test, recovery rate 

Field test, 12 min. run or 1.5 mile run

Muscle Strength and Endurance

Isometric strength 

Isotonic Strength 

Margaria Muscle Power Test 

Agility tests 

Coordination Tests 

many other basic strength and Endurance tests

Flexibility Tests

Sit and Reach 

Back and Stomach 

Shoulder rotation 

Mark's Flex Test with tape measure 

Mark's Flex Test with a partner and body parts

Body Composition

Skinfold Determination 

Anthropometric Measurements

Posture Evaluation

Back weakness tests 

Grid Evaluation

Others

Blood Testing 

Height, weight 

ECG (modified) 

Blood lactate 

Blood sugar level

Creative conditioning in vogue

By DAVID PINTO

Tribune-Heràld Sports Writer

Aerobic dancing and Jazzerise have made quite a hit with fitness buffs recently. The idea is to keep physically fit and enjoy it with a musical beat.

However, for those less musically inclined (or perhaps more athletic in nature), Mark Rauterkus has developed a way to make fitness fun and games.

Rauterkus, a Baylor graduate student with an assistantship in physical education, is director of a local "creative conditioning" program. The program is for anyone of high school age and over.

"We're striving to make this program attractive to adults of any age,” says Rauterkus. “While it is open to high school students, it is also geared for the adult who wants to improve himself physically."

Rauterkus, 24, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa., graduated from Ohio University in 1982. lle has a strong background in swimming instruction and has taught a variety of aquatic sports, diving, softball and weight training.

"We have an excellent facility at the Lions Pool." Rauterkus says. “We've found that using the water in summer has some natural advantages. You can exercise easily in a cool environment. The buoyancy of the water supports the body, and you can exercise a particular part of the body, strengthening it significantly, without undue stress or injury. This type training has been used extensively on the West Coast, and they've done some pretty interesting things in aquatic training."

The program, now entering its third week, has weekly meetings each Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m. 

Counting this Saturday, there are eight meetings remaining in the original 10-week schedule.

“We try for a variety of things,” says Rauterkus. "We strive for a new theme each week." Because of that, Rauterkus has lined up several specialists in their fields as weekly instructors.

"David Scott, who works with Baylor's intramural program, finished third in the Big 10 in wrestling,” Rauterkus points out. "We will have him for one session. And Dr. Norman Gilchrest of Baylor's Department of Physical Education is a scuba diver and mountain climber. He's climbed something like the 50 tallest mountains in North America and plans to climb Mount Everest later this summer.

Other projected guest instructors include:

• Patrick Yates, who was named the outstanding water polo prospect at last year's Sports Festival; 
• Dr. M. Mahan, Dallas chiropractor and consultant to Olympic teams; 
• Bob Fix, Baylor's strength coach; 
• Larry Newell, Baylor physical education professor whose specialty is golf; and 
• Shirley Early, yoga instructor.

“But we can't schedule any of these outstanding people,” Rauterkus says frankly, "until we build up our classes to ensure a proper forum."

For Rauterkus, sessions with the experts are vitally important to creative conditioning, which he terms "fitness participation with some understanding of why you're doing it" or "working out for a reason.

People don't like to work out with pain for no gain," he says simply. “This gives us a chance to be educated as we are doing the exercises."

The weekly two-hour sessions consist of a one-hour group workout, a half-hour of optional activity (tennis, golf, weights, swimming), and a half-hour group discussion or instruction by a specialist in a particular field.

“At Lions Park," Rauterkus says, "we have the use of the swimming pool and tennis courts adjacent to it. There is ample area for jogging on the Heart O’ Texas Coliseum grounds or at Paul Tyson Field or we can go in convoy to the Baylor track.

“But we're not limited to just those activities. For example, if someone can improve a part of his fitness by taking up golf, we can arrange for that. We may turn someone onto golf that never played golf before.

“Essentially, this is a cross-training program, one that stresses variety," Rauterkus says. "We urge our clientele to adapt a game to suit a conditioning need. If that happens to be swimming, we can have more swimming at Lions Pool. It's up to the clientele, as well as the individual."

Originally, the 10-week program was projected to cost $20 for each participant. But that price will be adjusted for those taking part just the last eight weeks only.

"That (the price of the sessions) is not that important,” says Rauterkus, “we can adjust it with the individual. The main thing is to let him know he can improve himself physically and enjoy it and learn something about what he's doing at the same time."

UCLA Bruins - Ron Ballatore

I loved what Coach Ballatore was delivering. I wish I had known him better. 

Sadly, UCLA would close its men's swim program some years later. 

From Dr. Jan Prins - Hawaii Rainbows

Letter from Skip Kenney at Stanford

PSU letter from MacNeill

Dr. Jan Prins, of Hawaii, would have been a great experience too.

I love Dr. Prins work, especially his book, The Illustrated Swimmer. 

ASU Sun Devils - Ron Johnson

Cover letter for job search

This letter to American wasn't sent, as I still had it in my files. But, others like it went out to dozens of possible employers. 

Cover letter to Apply to Don Gambril, Alabama,

I never worked nor even visited Alabama, but I would one day, about 6 years later, publish Don's book, Tide Teamwork. 

Years later, Alabama was good to admit our younger son into the honors program due to test score and grades -- with a fine tuition scholarship. He too would not visit. But, the sense of being accepted at some university, was a joy and big sense of relief for him.

Mark Rauterkus resume

Letter of Reference for Mark Rauterkus from Baylor Univ and Larry Newell

Reference from Larry at Baylor

Fort Stockton Pathers

Never interviewed. 

Waco Tribune-Herald

Once upon a time, as I was ending my graduate program at Baylor in Physical Education, I went for an interview at a newspaper for a plain old reporters job. I had a journalism degree. 

Baylor's requirements to get a Education Certificate were steep

So,  asked about what it would take to get an Education Certificate to teach in Texas -- given I was in a Masters Program in the School of Education for HPERD.

It wasn't good news. 

The To Be Done column was more than was willing to tackle. 

Teaching in the schools wasn't my plan. This cemented the deal. 

PE Proud, softball squad news

P .E . Proud Punishes Opponents

 

P .E . Proud's 9-2 pummeling of the Pie Pledges perpetuated Proud's perfect pennant

performance by providing a playoff position in the second week of Division 17 A softball.

Last week the team managed to mathematically double the sum of their season-long-win streak , two.

But print or prose could not properly describe the psychology or perceptiveness of this presumptuous family of fly-ball wizards. Perhaps, game MVP, Mary Beth Welsh, best personified the peppered play by her 11 put-outs at first base.

P . E , Proud's next game will be at 4:30 on Tuesday, April 5.

P . R. Director , Mark Rauterkus , announced Team Picture Day to precede this upcoming game.

"We thought it would be a good treat for our faithful fans , and we had to take some measures to protect our pitching staff from the gobs of autograph seekers," he said.

Larry Newell, Baylor's swim coach and Pitt's connection

CLEVER COACH searching for a pround organization needing a teacher, manager, friend and full-time leader.

Swimming World magazine would post classified ads for both those needing to hire as well as others searching for positions. 

Teaching assistants are vital to the educational community at Baylor

Going to be a GRAD Teaching Assistant at Baylor - first semester's assignements

Blood test with HDL, LDL, lab results

Report Card

Report Card at Ohio U

Zoo 151, worse than 150. Begging for that C-minus.

Resume of Mark Rauterkus - senior in college

Took the GRE Exam. Needed an admission ticket.

At 8:15 am, take the aptitude test. No advance test. 

OU Schedule

Going to NCAA DI Swimming & Diving Championships

Long story.

Swimmers run article by Coach Mark to Swimming Technique

Article in PDF on the wiki.

Report Card

Taking 21 credits. Had to pay extra. The limit was 20 per quarter.

Tried to get hired at Texas with Eddie Reese

Always great to have Eddie's autograph.

This is what transcripts looked like at OHIO U

Homework: Letter seeking to publish a magazine article about an OU diver

Recruitment letter from Baylor University to Mark Rauterkus

Ideal situation at Baylor, letter from Dr. Richard Couey

Letter on OU Bobcat letterhead from Mark Rauterkus to Swimming World

Bob Ingram, Editor
Swimming World and Junior Swimmer
PO Box 45497
Los Angeles, California 90045

Dear Mr. Ingram,

Run. "No thanks coach. I like the water. It protects me when I trip."

A socialized water wizard thrives chlorinate stench, broad shoulders and the arrival of the latest time standard. These youngsters seem to be bred for water with gills, fins and bleach-blond hair. And, gold-medal-swimming attitudes make swimmers believe that the best and only way to supplement a swim program is with more swimming -- not running.

Beginning an enthusiastic running program takes trickery, security, challenges and a multi-million-dollar contingency contract. 

Coaches fail to realize this and do not prepare for the dry-land sessions. Many coaches have started their teams with running but have quit because it does not come naturally. Vital originality and spunk is needed to keep a fish out of the water. 

In an article on my program, I can explain a three season plan. It has the coach's reasoning, methods and results. Swimmers response and black-and-white photos are possible. The well incorporated scheme gets the most out of a running swim team.

I have coached with the Ohio University men, Athens Swim Club Otters, Bernal's Gator Swim Club, Greater Pittsburgh Swim Club and some summer clubs. 

Does this idea interest you? I will be looking for your reaction. 

Sincerely,

Mark Rauterkus
345 West State
Athens, Ohio 45701
614- (athletics)

614- (pool)