Yet Murphy’s influence doesn’t stop at the deck—his coaching extends far past the boundaries of Blodgett Pool.
“He’s very inspiring and passionate to say the least. You can always tell [that] he puts his entire heart and soul into his coaching,” says Greg Roop, co-captain of the Crimson swim team. “He has taught me more than I’d ever imagine I’d know about swimming, but he’s also taught me a whole lot about life outside of swimming through the lessons he teaches in the pool.”
‘A TREMENDOUS HONOR’
In 1988, 10 years before his move to Harvard, Murphy, then with less international experience, sent an athlete to the Olympics, though he was never on staff at the Games. But when Meyer, who stayed in Boston following his graduation in 2010 to continue training with Murphy, became the first athlete named to the USA Swimming Team for London 2012, the long-time Crimson coach finally got his shot.
“Most of the international team selections are based on having an athlete on the team and then your experience on an international level and your relationship with United States swimming,” Murphy said. “Having the confidence from United States swimming to put me in that position was a tremendous honor.”
Murphy coached Meyer tirelessly for 11 months leading up to the Games, boating alongside Meyer in his neon green kayak on Walden Pond day in and day out to train him for the rigorous 10k race. Although Meyer finished in 10th place at the Olympics, Murphy recognized that his experience was beyond anything a medal could accomplish.
“Anytime that you have ‘U.S.A.’ on your back and you’re representing your country in an international competition is very exciting,” Murphy says. “You have the opportunity to work with the best athletes in the world, the best coaches in the world…under the umbrella of the Olympic Games.”
However, Murphy recalls his fondest memories at the Olympics as being surrounded by Crimson supporters.
“There was just a tremendous Harvard community there—my family, obviously, as well as past swimmers I’d coached, [and] Alex’s friends and family. It just made the whole experience so much more special,” Murphy says.
Current Harvard swimmers firmly supported USA Swimming’s decision to place Murphy on the coaching staff.
“I’ve been fortunate to swim for a lot of great coaches, and he’s definitely been one of the best,” Roop says. “I know that it’s very competitive to make it onto the Olympic coaching staff, so in that sense, it was more gratifying [for Murphy] to get the Olympic position than surprising, because I really knew that he deserved it.”
AFTER LONDON
Due to his recent success, Murphy was named to West Chester University’s Hall of Fame last month as part of the class of 2012, which he described as an emotional night.
“It was a very special evening—as most people, I’m extremely fond of where I went to school, for the most part because of the…lifelong relationships I’ve had with the coaches and teachers I had at West Chester,” says Murphy. “Every time I go on deck, I feel like I need to honor those folks, in whatever capacity, in whatever sport they worked in, because they did some really good things for me.”
Some might think Murphy would tire of Harvard going into his 15th year, but not the man himself, who does not appear to be thinking of leaving the Crimson team anytime soon.
“[Harvard] is a special place,” Murphy says. “The value of the opportunity is something that when these guys embrace the history and traditions of swimming and diving, it’s something they’ll be talking about…50 years from now. I don’t guarantee them much more than if they play the game the right way, they’ll have memories that’ll last them a lifetime.”
And when asked if he’d like to coach the Olympics again, the Harvard coach was quick to respond.
“Absolutely,” Murphy said. “I’d certainly enjoy going back, this time to Rio with ‘U.S.A.’ on my back."