Jim Funiciello, 86, has been a swim coach since 1958. He says it was pure luck how he got the job, but 66 years later he’s still enjoying every lap.

"I started out in Lowville, New York because my wife now was a teacher there before I was. I got a job there as a swim coach because that’s all they had available. I quickly grew to love the sport and the kids who do it," Funiciello, head coach for the Cato-Meridian QJS3 Swim Team.

He then started to learn the craft and traveled all across the state to speak with coaches so he could be the best coach for his swimmers. But in return, his expectations are high.

"When someone wants to come join our team, I tell them first of all, you must be able to discipline yourself. If you can’t discipline yourself, you’re not going to be in this program because we work so hard," Funiciello said.

His coaching style has lead to many victories.

"I don’t like talking about this, but the first section we ever went to in Liverpool, in Section 3, we won that meet and never lost a sections all the years I coached. You have to remember, I had a lot of great athletes and a lot of great families. It’s easy to coach when you have talent," Funiciello said.

Funiciello has produced 26 All-American and State Champions and in 1979 he won National Swim Coach of the year. Swimmers travel all across the state to train with him.

"He has difficult workouts and things like that, but it really has just improved me and me as a person as well. I’ve learned to work hard and discipline myself, it’s been amazing," Eva Smith, swimmer for Cato-Meridian QJS3 Swim Team.

Smith is headed to Cleveland State in the fall. She says it’s always been her dream to go to a D1 school and Funiciello has prepared her for this next step.

"She’s going to be a great addition to any Division-1 school. They’re going to be shocked at how well she’ll swim," Funiciello said.

Since forming the Cato-Meridian QJS3 team three years ago, the team is the number one swim club in the Niagara District.

"We have not lost a small team award yet. The small teams under 101 swimmers and we have 22 swimmers," Funiciello said.

Funiciello says it’s the long hours of work that the swimmers dedicate, the family support and being affordable that makes the program what it is.

"The most affordable program probably in New York state, a very inexpensive place to do this. I am so pleased to be involved in Cato-Meridian, I couldn’t tell you, I love it here," Funiciello admitted.

The name Funiciello speaks for itself, but his dedication to the sport and the swimmers is what drives his success.