When a coach’s influence on their sport and students is so great, it seems impossible anything could ever negatively touch them. But, sadly, not even legendary coaches are immune.

The weight and effect of the passing of a local sports legend this summer is still strongly felt months later, and it is likely John Hay’s lasting impact on the county’s swimming and track scene will ripple for generations.

Coach Day did something very rare. He left a legacy so great, his impact so significant, it touched entire communities, even non-athletes knew his reputation As a track coach at West Chester Henderson High School for 25 years, Hay’s runners captured many Ches-Mont, District 1 and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association championships. The longtime coach and teacher also had much success at the prestigious Penn Relays.

Hay was just as involved coaching swimming at the scholastic level and in the community. Competitive swimming was not just a job for him; it was a way of life and devotion to his swim students came naturally. Well before infomercials and celebrity testimonials touting a greener nutrition regimen, Hay was aware of the importance of eating – and living – the right way. In tandem with teaching swim technique, he also taught and talked about his philosophy of leading a healthy lifestyle, one that would lead to a lifetime of physical fitness.

For many close to him, it probably seemed unfeasible that the guru of positive attitude and clean living could receive a prognosis of a fatal form of marrow and stem cell disorder where no cure exists. But for more than 15 years, Hay waged a quiet and courageous battle against such a disorder. The effects of what’s called Polycythemia vera are more than just uncomfortable. They are painful and can be disabling – for most. Not John Hay.

On almost any given day during his illness and leading up to his death, he could still be found coaching at Golden Ram Aquatics in West Chester. It’s that kind of determination and desire that he passed on to his wife, Cathy, the head swim coach at Villa Maria Academy, as well as his three children, all of whom either swam or ran track in both high school and college: John was an all-area runner at Devon Prep, Teresa was a top-flight swimmer at Henderson and is now a respected PIAA swim official, and Michael was a standout swimmer at Devon Prep and Lehigh University.

The legendary swim coach lives on through his swimmers scattered throughout the United States. There are many former student-athletes of his who are now coaches, espousing the same coaching style as their mentor and hero.