[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 18, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING DAVID ASHLEIGH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 18, 2010

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate David 
Ashleigh upon the dedication of the Modesto Junior College Swimming 
Center to be named in his honor. The dedication and naming ceremony 
will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2010, at the Dave Ashleigh Aquatic 
Center.
  Mr. David Ashleigh attended Whittier High School in southern 
California, where he participated in water polo from 1957 through 1961. 
During his high school water polo career the team won the California 
Interscholastic Federation, CIF, championship in 1957, 1958 and 1959. 
In 1960, he was selected for the Helm's Hall of Fame second team 
(equivalent to the High School All-American teams today). During his 
senior year, Whittier High School took second place in CIF. He served 
as the team captain, was the leading scorer, named Most Valuable Player 
and was selected for the Helm's Hall of Fame first team. Upon 
graduating from high school, Mr. Ashleigh attended Cerritos Junior 
College.
  While attending Cerritos Junior College, Mr. Ashleigh participated on 
both the water polo and swim teams. He was named team captain of the 
water polo team and the swim team both years he participated. He was 
the leading scorer and was awarded Most Valuable Player of the water 
polo team both years. Mr. Ashleigh was named the Junior College All-
American Player of the Year in 1962 and 1963. On the swim team he 
participated in the 100 and 200 breaststroke as well as the 200 and 400 
individual medleys. He set school records in all four events and set 
junior college national records in the 200 breaststroke and the 400 
individual medley. In 1963 Mr. Ashleigh was voted the Cerritos College 
Athlete of the Year.
  In 1963 Mr. Ashleigh played water polo and participated on the swim 
team while attending the University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA. 
During his first season he was the leading scorer, named Most Valuable 
Player and was selected as a first team All-American. Mr. Ashleigh red-
shifted the 1964 season so that he was able to be a member of the USA 
Olympic water polo team in Tokyo, Japan. For the U.S. team he played 
the defensive hole guard and played every minute of every game from the 
preliminary through the final games. The team placed ninth.
  Returning to the UCLA team in 1965, Mr. Ashleigh was named team 
captain and led the team to be the first undefeated sports team in UCLA 
history. He was named Most Valuable Player and was selected as a first 
team All-American. Mr. Ashleigh also swam in 1964 and 1965 for UCLA, 
where he became the first All-American at UCLA in swimming and was the 
first swimmer in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, 
history to flip-turn all turns in the 1650 meter freestyle. Mr. 
Ashleigh set UCLA school records in the 1650 and 500 freestyle, the 200 
breaststroke and the 400 individual medley.
  Mr. Ashleigh was a member of the 1964 through 1968 U.S. National 
Water Polo team and was the 1968 U.S. Olympic water polo team co-
captain. In 1967 he was the team captain of the Pan-American Team, 
which was the first U.S. team to win gold in International Competition 
outside of the United States. For his amazing accomplishments, Mr. 
Ashleigh was awarded the James Lee Award for the Most Outstanding 
Player at U.S. Nationals in 1965 and from 1963 through 1968 was named 
All-American in U.S. water polo, AAU.
  In 1968 Mr. Ashleigh began coaching water polo and swimming at 
Modesto Swim and Racquet Club in Modesto, California. During the 3 
years that he coached there, he had an overall record of 235 wins and 
only 43 losses. He coached the boys 14 and under 1971 Junior Olympics 
National Champion water polo team. Later he coached the boys 12 and 
under and boys 14 and under swim teams that set national records in the 
200 freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay.
  Mr. Ashleigh began coaching swimming and water polo at Modesto Junior 
College in 1971. In his 27-year career at the college he compiled an 
overall record of 827 wins and 272 losses. He had 51 winning seasons 
out of 54 total seasons and has 27 Conference Championships, between 
the two sports. Under his direction, the water polo team has an overall 
record of 487-178. Eighteen of his water polo teams made it to the 
California State Championship Tournament, 81 athletes were selected as 
All-Americans, 13 conference championships and 5 NorCal championships. 
From 1984 to 1990 his swim team was 73-0 in dual meets; from 1977 to 
1992 the team was 158-11-1 in dual meets. He coached 78 All-American 
swimmers. The swim team won 14 conference championships and 4 state 
championships.
  In 1991, Mr. Ashleigh began participating in Masters water polo. He 
played on various teams and won three world championships and placed 
second three times. While playing Masters, he had the opportunity to 
play water polo in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Great Britain, 
Croatia, Hungary, Italy and India. He was inducted into the California 
Community College Athletic Hall of Fame in two divisions (coach and 
player) and was named the 2008 S.O.S. Athlete of the Year. In 1978, Mr. 
Ashleigh was elected into the U.S. Water Polo Hall of Fame and will be 
inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate David 
Ashleigh upon his many achievements being honored at the new Dave 
Ashleigh Aquatic Center. I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing 
Mr. Ashleigh congratulations on his many accomplishments and many years 
of continued success.

                          ____________________