Dave Tanner Memorial Scholarship Fund

Dave Tanner loved life, coaching,  and  his  swimmers.

For over two decades, David Tanner served as the swim coach for Bloomington High School North, developing a program displaying characteristics in line with his personal beliefs. With Dave at the helm at North, winning really wasn’t everything. To him, it was only ever a minor measure of success. David celebrated each and every athlete’s progress regardless of the competitive outcomes of the races. He strove to build a “program legacy” whereby participation was the most important element. His focus was centered on the lasting memories, the friendships formed, and the unique traditions they embraced. Similar to what he observed and learned from the great Doc Counsilman, his relationships with his swimmers had no expiration date. His focus was on the entire individual, not specifically the athlete. Dave played the role of coach, mentor, teacher, role model, confidante, counselor and of course… friend. His time commitment was enormous, his commitment total. His coaching days began well before dawn, and frequently he could be seen cycling home well after dark.  According to his swimmers, his only fault, perhaps, was making them endure his daily “corny sense of humor.”  But in reality, they universally loved him for it.

The Dave Tanner Scholarship fund is being set up by friends and family of the late Coach Dave Tanner to honor the legacy of the father of the Bloomington North swim program. This scholarship will be awarded annually to a graduating senior member of the BHSN swim and dive team who most exemplifies the qualities that Dave embodied: kindness, selflessness, determination, humility, civility, and team spirit. Your donation will  fund this scholarship keep his spirit alive for years to come.

You can give by clicking Donate on this page, or by mailing in a check payable to FMCCS at 315 North Drive, Bloomington IN 47401.  

For donations greater than $1,000, a check is preferred, to reduce processing fees.   The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organizations and gifts are tax deductible as permitted by law.

Thank you for your gift to help create a legacy scholarship for Coach Tanner.