TOWAMENCIN – The Pennsylvania Track and Field Hall of Fame was established in 1995 to honor and recognize individuals who left their mark in the prestigious and storied track and field history. Each year a committee comprised of more than a dozen coaches, officials, and journalists, select six to twelve athletes, one coach, one contributor, and one distinguished alumnus to be inducted. Of those who are set to be inducted this year, is North Penn legendary Track and Field Coach Mr. Richard A Swanker.
“It is very humbling. One doesn’t go into coaching to receive accolades. I have been very fortunate in my career to have been recognized for my team’s accomplishment,” Swanker said.

Swanker will be inducted into the Pennsylvania High School Track and Field Hall of Fame, at the Pennsylvania State Track Meet on Sunday, February 28th. Coach Swanker has been a coach of North Penn Boys and Girls Track and Field for 34 years. During that time, he earned the PTFCA Coach of the Year honor five times. He started coaching the boys team from 1982 to 2005, which included 16 undefeated outdoor seasons, a Penn Relays Distance Medley Relay title (2002), four District I team titles (1984, 1992, 2003, 2005), and a PIAA state team title (2002). He also has been an influential assistant by coaching the girls team since 2005.

When reflecting on every moment that Coach Swanker has been a part of as a track and field coach he thinks that every moment has helped define his career.

“From the very first athlete to win a dual meet event, win an individual league title, win the first league championship, win the first district individual champion, win the first District team title, the first Penn Relay heat win, the only Penn Relay Championship of America win, the first Individual State Champion, to my only State Team Championship, to the National Championships. Every EVENT is a defining moment in a Coach’s career,” Swanker reflected. “I can tell you that becoming the head coach of North Penn Track was a milestone and then turning the Track program over to Coach Jones upon my retirement was another.”

Swanker, who many refer to as “Swank”, is also a proud alumnus of North Penn, and receiving this recognition as such makes it that much more sweeter.

“I have always had a great amount of pride in North Penn athletics. As a track athlete at North Penn my coach was the legendary Coach Crawford. The history and legacy of North Penn track began with him. In High School I was part of the twenty-two straight league championships which began years before me and ended a few years after I graduated. Coach [Jim] Crawford use to say, ‘you know you have a good team when the athlete you have to beat to win a league title lines up next to you every day at practice.’ I will always have tremendous pride in North Penn athletics.”

In addition to being a legendary track coach at North Penn, Swanker also is a retired Health and Physical Education teacher. At one point he taught student-athletes how to live a healthy lifestyle, as well as, teaching them how to be successful athletes on the track. When asked if he misses teaching in the classroom, Swank proclaimed that he doesn’t miss so much the teaching, rather the interaction with the students.

“I don’t miss teaching, just the interaction between teacher and student. Since I am still coaching I still have that interaction. I just don’t know the athletes as well.”

However, since his retirement from teaching, Coach Swanker has kept himself busy, as he took up the role of Executive Secretary of the Track & Field Coaches’ Association of Greater Philadelphia (2004-present), as well as, a PIAA District I Chapter Interpreter (2009-present). He also was a PIAA State Championship Meet Official for Pole Vault (2010-2011), Javelin (2012-2014), a PTFCA State Indoor Championship Meet Official for Pole Vault (2004-2014), as well as, a Penn Relays Honorary High School Boys Referee in 2008.

“Coaching is all about commitment and time. To be successful you have to be committed to your team, doing everything that you can to get the team prepared. Since my retirement I seem to be as busy as I was when I was teaching and coaching,” Swanker noted.

In 2007, Coach Swanker was named to the North Penn Hall of Fame for the successes he had at the school at the time. Now set to be inducted into the Pennsylvania Track and Field Hall of Fame this February, another accomplishment has been added to the long resume of Swanker. Swank knows the ropes of coaching, starting in 1982, and it has been quite a journey. Because of this he is a standard of excellence of what it takes to be a successful coach. Young coaches who aspire to have the same success he has should take heed to his advice, “take a look to established programs. Talk with successful coaches and learn what they do to be successful. Then create your own plan and be committed to that plan and be flexible.”