Swampscott honors Dick Lynch in ceremony

SWAMPSCOTT – Former players, fellow coaches, family, friends and just about anyone associated with Swampscott High athletics over the past four or five decades were on hand Tuesday to celebrate the dedication of the Swampscott High gym and field house in honor of longtime coach Dick Lynch.The 87-year-old Lynch was surrounded by his wife, Jo-Ann, their four children, Mike, Tara, Terry and Maura, their spouses, the grandchildren and other members of the family as those who knew him back in his coaching days told tales of a guy who expected much from his players and gave more in return.?I?m completely overwhelmed,” Lynch said. “It was completely unexpected, and to have all those wonderful athletes I?ve had here … I owe it all to all those great student-athletes I had. I had some wonderful players. They?re responsible for any success I had.”Lynch?s son, Channel 5 sports anchor Mike Lynch, thanked all the people who turned out on a freezing night to honor his father.?We knew he had a lot of friends, a lot of people who care about him, but this is just over the top. The family is so excited and he (Dick Lynch) is just speechless,” Lynch said.Lynch said that initially they considered keeping it a secret when the School Committee voted to dedicate the gym/field house in honor of his father, but they knew word would get out.?My mother works at Town Hall. That?s pretty much the town crier right there,” he joked.Many of Lynch?s former players were on hand to honor him including Dick Jauron, who played for head coach Stan Bondelevitch and Lynch, who was his assistant for 19 years, as well as coach of the basketball team for eight years.Jauron, who went on to become a professional football player and later a coach with the Chicago Bears, the Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions (on an interim basis), said it?s no surprise the town would afford his former coach such an honor.?He?s quite a man. There was never any doubt who was in charge when you walked into his gym or onto the football field when he was coaching. He was a great teacher. This is well-deserved. I?m proud I was one of his players, one of the many. This is richly deserved and overdue. There?s so many people here who love him,” Jauron said.Bill Adams, another one of Lynch?s former players who went on to play professional football, was also at the dedication.?This night is absolutely awesome,” Adams said. “He really deserves this. If you talk about important things in life, he?s the person I think I respect more than anyone. He was a great coach and he?s a great guy.”Sandy Tennant, a major figure in the state Republican Party who played on Lynch?s 1968 basketball team that won the state Class B title, said it?s amazing how many generations of players who benefited from Lynch?s coaching over the years were on hand to celebrate the dedication.Asked how a town the size of Swampscott has managed to turn out so many professional athletes and people who have achieved success in both sports and non-sports related arenas, Lynch credited the coaches who did a great job working with them as youngsters.?I think we had a good program,” the older Lynch said. “All the coaches associated with the programs knew how to coach. They knew how to handle kids and develop kids.”Lynch said players Barry Gallup (assistant athletic director in charge of football operations at Boston College), Jauron and his own son, Mike, were great role models.?Kids just wanted to imitate those guys. They wanted to win. They didn?t get in trouble,” he said.Following a ceremony in the field house, the crowd moved out to the foyer outside the gym, where Lynch, with a little help from his friends, pulled down a covering to unveil the sign bearing his name. Following the unveiling, everyone headed downstairs for refreshments, including birthday cake (Lynch turned 87 years old a few days ago).