Rich Thornton, a 1980 US Olympian and the head coach of San Ramon Valley Aquatics in California since 1984, has died. He was 65 years old. His younger brother Marc confirmed the passing on Facebook, saying that he died while surfing at The Hook in Santa Cruz, California on Thursday, “doing what he loved.”
Richard’s daughter Kirra says that he died while stepping into the water to surf and that the cause of death is unknown.
Richard Thornton was a fixture in California swimming for almost four decades and part of the renowned Thornton swimming family. In 1980, he was one of 45 Americans named to the US Olympic swim team, though that team never traveled to Moscow for the Games amid the boycott.
After graduating from Cal with a degree in physical education, he earned a Masters degree at St. Mary’s and began leading the SRVA team – a post he held until his death.
He was given an ASCA Award of Excellence every year from 1988-1994 and was the 1997 Pacific Swimming LSC Coach of the Year (amid being nominated every year from 1994 through 2000).
He also served on several international staffs. He was the head coach of the 1995 US World Championships team in Rio and also served as an assistant on US Junior National Team trip in 1994 and US National Team trip in 1997.
Among the notable athletes to come through SRVA during Thornton’s time as head coach was legendary American swimmer Matt Biondi, who represented the club from 1990-1992. He was a member of the US Olympic teams in 1984, 1988, and 1992, winning 8 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal. He set 12 World Records in his career and was an NCAA and National High School Champion.
Other international athletes on that list include 2008 Brazilian Olympian Henrique Barbosa (2001-2002), 2007 Pan American Games gold medalist Andy Grant (2001-2004), Pan Pacific Championships gold medalist Sarah Anderson (1990-1995), and 1988 Olympic finalist for the Czech Republic Alex Marcek (1990-1992).
His father Nort Thornton was the long-time head coach of the men’s team at Cal, where he won two NCAA team titles and coached multiple swimmers to Olympic medals. Nort Thornton died in 2021 at 87 years old.
Anderson (now Sarah Anderson Cramer) remembered her coach fondly.
“Rich had one of the biggest impacts on my life,” she said in a Facebook post. “He was an outstanding person and someone I truly loved and respected. By the end of my swimming career I considered him a member of the family. Heaven called home one of the best today. Trying my best to smile through the tears! Sending all my love to the Thorntons.”
Upon news of Rich’s passing, coaches and athletes from the around the country posted their memories on social media.
“I will always remember how kind he was to me when we would chat, and he would sprinkle in some much needed ribbing,” remembered former Cal swimmer Jonny Newsom, who called him a “Golden Bear legend.”
Devastated to hear of the untimely passing of Coach Rich who I looked up to so much as the most humble, accomplished, caring, attentive, funny, and respectful person in any interaction at the pool deck and swim meets. A very special person whose team my son had the privilege to swim with several years into high school. As a parent, he was so kind to us always helping us stay connected to the sport and stay happy volunteering and participating actively. I would make it a point to email coach Rich at least once a year after my son left for college and just said hello this Sept 18th! I had no clue he was such an accomplished swimmer until… Read more »
RIP. This is just horrible and very sad news Richard was a class act, a great man and fantastic coach. My thoughts & prayers to all of his family, friends, athletes and loved ones.
RIP my friend. I thank you for always being there, your sense of humor, your work ethic and your love for anything water. Proud to have shared a lane with you, shared the pool deck with you and shared a beverage with you. You made a difference.
Greg
Rich was a great mentor as well as a great coach. I swam for him when he first became a coach. I got into some trouble after highschool and ended up down and out and he contacted me and offered me a job coaching. He got me back on my feet. I’ll never forget that.
Wow! I will miss Rich. My condolences to his family.
Rich was Head Coach of Western Zone All Stars when I was 14. He told jokes, kept it light and at the end of the meet lead off the coaches’ relay with a :30 50LCM bk. When I swam for Nort at Cal, Rich encouraged me to be a leader on the team. When I started coaching in Pac Swimming, Rich let our team use lanes for LC practices, talked with me about training, and continued to tell jokes and jokes. One time at a meet his chair collapsed and he fell down. He said, “back when I had an ego I would’ve been embarrassed by that.” Always quick and kind. Such a mentor. He will be missed on deck… Read more »
!GO BEAR!
Many of you probably knew this man and knew how special he really was,
I feel compelled to pass this story on here for several reasons:
1) he was a special person and should be remembered
2) he was a friend
3) a story for life
Richard was a great man and person. I got to know him over the decade we shared the deck in San Ramon. We would talk about surfing (his passion), swimming, and he would always kept me abreast of what was going on with Cal’s swim/dive teams. I looked forward to those times. As soon as I arrived, he would always come over to tell me a newest colorful joke he had heard… Read more »