SportsHigh School Sports

Actions

Princeton boys swimming and water polo coach Gary Tameris is retiring this spring

Coached swimming and water polo for 44 years
66579462835__0115F1FF-93C6-4B27-A9C6-84FEEE7CE74F.jpeg
Posted at 2:20 PM, Feb 21, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-21 14:20:53-05

SHARONVILLE, Ohio — Gary Tameris, one of Greater Cincinnati's most influential high school swimming and water polo coaches, is retiring from coaching after 44 years.

The Princeton boys swimming coach completed this season at the Division I district meet this past weekend. The GMC boys swimming coach of the year will coach the Princeton boys water polo team this spring, a year after it was a state runner-up.

"What I'm most proud of is being able to work with all the individuals that I've been able to have contact with from administration, parents to swimmers to players," said Tameris, who is in his eighth year at Princeton.

A 2022 Milford High School Athletic Hall of Famer, Tameris has 770 career water polo wins (boys and girls teams combined) since 1990. He started the swimming and water polo programs at Milford in 1989.

Tameris led the Milford boys water polo team to state titles in 2006 and 2008. He's won numerous conference and district coaching honors.

He's coached 10 All-Americans and over 100 all-state water polo players, according to Milford High School.

In swimming, Tameris coached over 600 district and 68 state swimming qualifiers along with 65 all-state and three All-Americans.

"I want to thank 'Coach T' for the significant impact he made on so many student-athletes," Princeton athletic director Joe Roberts said. "We are going to miss seeing him at the natatorium every day as he made sure every detail was ready for practice and the meets. He loves watching kids succeed."

GMC commissioner Steve Shuck said Tameris has been devoted to working with student-athletes and helping them to be at their best.

"We will miss him in the conference," Shuck said.

Tameris led Sycamore to a girls water polo state title in 1987 and also coached the program to two state runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2013.

He's also coached with the Moose Water Polo Club and the Milford Area Swim Team.

His impact is in water polo is "incalculable," according to St. Xavier water polo coach Paul Splitt.

Splitt, a 1999 Milford graduate, competed in water polo at Milford and later coached with Tameris.

"Gary won everywhere he went," Splitt said. "His passion and love for the sport is one thing. That guy was meant to be a teacher and a coach. He loves working with kids."