In March of 2018 we lost one of our own to a fatal heart attack. David vonHartitzsch came from an Oklahoma swim family with a proud history — his family name is scattered throughout our record books and pool record boards across the state.

David exemplified the selfless official. He was a regular fixture of meets in our state, from Edmond to Jenks to Bartlesville to Tulsa. He worked tirelessly and always with a sense of humor and smile on his face. David would drive 100 miles to help a fellow official in need of help at a meet and he would be the first one to volunteer for any job that needed to be done.

David’s presence lives on with us at every meet his fellow officials work. To honor his memory, an annual award has been established. The David Michael vonHartitzsch service award is presented each year to the official chosen by their peers who best embodies the character attributes of David -- most notably, selfless service and a love and passion for the sport of swimming.