RICHARD L. VINCENT
1991 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME
Dick first became involved with competitive swimming and officiating in 1966, when his sons joined the Cranston Swim Club. In 1968, he joined the Rhode Island Swim Coaches and Officials Association and remained very active in that organization until 1978. He helped to organize the Cranston Y.M.C.A. Swim Team Boosters and became its first president in 1970. This group provided support for the new swim team, coached by Paul Rossi. The former Cranston Swim Club became the nucleus of this team.
In 1974, Dick joined the R.I. Interscholastic Swim Officials Association and served as its president from 1980 to 1982. He is still active with this group, officiating dual meets, Brown Interscholastic, Max Read Memorial meets and the State Championships. Dick also officiates at the college level and Special Olympic swim meets.
Dick’s dedication to Rhode Island swimming is reflected in the numerous committees on which he has served and the outstanding citations given in appreciation to his contributions to swimming. He is a Charter member of the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association and a Charter member of the R.I. Aquatic Hall of Fame, formed in 1981. In 1983, he received a Distinguished Service Award from The R.I. Interscholastic Swim Coaches, and in the following year Dick received the Joseph Tracey Award for Outstanding Contributions to Rhode Island Interscholastic Swimming. He was given the Official’s Award from the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches in 1986 along with co-recipient, William Stang, for outstanding service to High School Swimming.
Dick has also contributed art direction and numerous graphic designs for program covers, illustrations, swim patches, etc. over the years, to promote the sport of competitive swimming and diving. Dick created the Rhode Island Aquatic Hall of Fame logo and for the last ten years (1981-1991) has done all the printing and art work for the annual banquet programs.