Gene was born in Houston and began competitive swimming at age nine. He swam for Jeff Davis H.S. and earned a swimming scholarship to the University of Corpus Christi. Joining the U.S.M.C. in 1961, he served two years in Southeast Asia. His coaching career started in Okinawa working with military dependents. Returning to Houston in 1964, his Houston Sharks combined with Phil Hansel’s Shamrock Swim Team, with Gene as age-group coach. In 1966, he began his flying career and invited Lance Gordon to spend the summer and train with him in Dayton, Ohio. Trans-Texas Airways hired him in 1968 and Gene returned to Houston, where Richard Quick hired him to be the Dad’s Club age-group coach. He coached numerous national age-group record holders and top-10 swimmers at Camp Pendleton, Dayton Dolphins, Shamrock Swim Team, Dad’s Club, Clear Creek Swim League and Houston Swim Club. Hundreds of young swimmers are indebted to his ability to build champions. Gene married Sandra Kimball in 1967; they have two grown children and live near Winter Park, Colorado.