Edward McCullough
Edward McCullough is a nationally renowned senior swimmer that has established numerous state and national records.
The Sharon man began his sports career as a basketball star at Claysville High in Washington, Pennsylvania, and took up swimming at Slippery Rock State College from 1957 to 1961. There he won a conference championship in the 200 backstroke and helped the 400 medley relay team to a conference title. He earned sixth place at the NAIA nationals in the 200 individual medley. But it was in senior swimming that the now retired Brookfield teacher—an Ohio Centennial Teacher and Presidential Awards for Excellence nominee and current Buhl Club swim instructor—grabbed attention.
In the 40-44 age group, he set numerous AAU and YMCA state and national marks, including posting among the AAU National 10 best times to become a member of the elite AAU National Top Ten Team.
In 1978, he took seven first places at the state YMCA meet, setting six state records. He followed up in 1979 with seven more firsts. In 1980, he was national YMCA age group champion in the 50, 100 and 200 backstroke as well as 1,650 freestyle.
He continued to bring home state and national gold medals each year, before advancing to the 45-49 group where he won national titles and set national records in the 100 and 200 backstrokes at the National YMCA Masters Swim Championships in Chicago in 1983.
He has continued to dominate masters swimming events to this day. In each age group, he established records in various state and national competitions. Just this past year he won four gold medals and one silver at the Ohio State Bicentennial Senior Olympics on top of grabbing five gold medals at the Keystone State Games. Even more impressive, at the Keystone Games he established age-group records (65-69) in all five events.
He has served more than 30 years as a PIAA swimming official and was the first licensed swimming official in Mercer County. He helped found and served as president of the Shenango Valley Swimming Chapter for officials of the PIAA.