Longtime swimming assistant Joe Hendee dies

Photo by University of Tennessee

UT assistant swim coach Joe Hendee, right, talks with swim coach John Trembley.

Photo by Courtesy of UT Sports

Joe Hendee

Longtime University of Tennessee assistant men’s swim coach Joe Hendee died Sunday after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. He was 50.

Colleagues and friends on Sunday remembered him as a man who always was willing to take the extra step to help his swimmers and others.

“I’ve met a lot of people in my life and he’s the best man I’ve met,” UT head swim coach John Trembley said. “He would give you the shirt off his back. He was always there for the swimmers, the divers and their families.”

After arriving at Tennessee in 1978 and becoming a student manager, Mr. Hendee earned his degree in 1983 and was hired as assistant swim coach — a position he held for 33 years.

The Chattanooga native was hired by then-coach Ray Bussard, and he stayed on when Trembley was named coach in 1988 and went on to become the longest-tenured men’s assistant coach in the history of Tennessee athletics.

During Mr. Hendee’s time as an assistant, the Vols had a 177-32 dual meet record and won three SEC team titles and one national championship. Tennessee also produced 92 individual SEC champions and 15 individual NCAA champions.

Mr. Hendee also served as coach of the Knoxville Racquet Club summer swim team for 20 seasons, and the pool there recently was named in his honor.

After Mr. Hendee fell ill last year and was unable to coach UT during the 2010-11 season, Lars Jorgensen was hired as an interim replacement.

Trembley said that Mr. Hendee helped the UT program in a number of ways.

“He would do the little cumbersome tasks that were frequently above other people to do,” he said. “If a parent of a team member needed some information, Joe would always respond immediately.”

Longtime Vols diving coach Dave Parrington called Mr. Hendee a jack of all trades, saying he always was in the background keeping the swimming program operating.

Colleagues also remember that Mr. Hendee helped the team emotionally.

“Joe was very involved,” Trembley said. “He loved the guys. He was kind of a tough coach but was always there to talk to the guys about any topics.”

Trembley said three or four swimmers often could be seen gathering around Mr. Hendee before or after practice.

Parrington said he also was a confidant to the coaches and had a good sense of humor.

“Joe was an incredible guy,” Parrington said. “It’s a really sad day. He’s going to be missed.”

Local attorney Don Bosch, who had known Mr. Hendee since being recruited as a UT swimmer in 1980 while Mr. Hendee still was a manager, said the late coach was a link to a long line of UT swimmers.

“He’s been the glue of the program for 30 years,” Bosch said, adding that he made all the former swimmers feel connected to the program. “He had been a great administrator and a really good stabilizing influence with Ray Bussard and John Trembley.”

Retired News Sentinel sports writer Roland Julian covered UT swimming for a number of years and always was impressed with Mr. Hendee.

“Joe was as loyal as you could get,” he said. “He was that kind of person. Joe was very caring. He just did things the right way.”

Besides his work with UT and at the Knoxville Racquet Club, Mr. Hendee also coached with the U.S. junior nationals and at the Olympic Festivals.

He was inducted into the Tennessee Swimming Hall of Fame in 2003.

Mr. Hendee is survived by his wife, Shelli Hendee; and two daughters, Claire and Caroline Hendee.

Funeral arrangements will be announced.