Charlie Sava

Charles Sava (June 6, 1910 – May 1, 1983) was a Hall of Fame American swimming coach, who led the women's team of San Francisco's Crystal Plunge Swim Club to 10 consecutive National AAU championships between 1944-1948. Sava's best known Olympic swimmers included 1948 two-time gold medalist Ann Curtis Cuneo, 1948 London Olympic diver Vicki Draves, 1948 London Olympic backstroker Barbara Jensen, 1968 Mexico City Olympic Silver medalist Lynn Vidali, and 1952 Helsinki Olympic freestyler Delia Meulenkamp Dooly. 1964 Tokyo Gold Medalist Donna de Varona, and 1972 Munich Olympic gold medalist Mark Spitz did some training with Sava, but also received essential training from Coach George Haines at the Santa Clara Swim Club.