David Ericksen

Stroll into the lobby of the Astoria Aquatics Center and take a look at the AHS record board and there you will find the name of David Ericksen, the holder of two individual records as well as one relay record. At the time of his induction in December of 2006 Ericksen holds the records in the following: 200 Free (1:52.33) and the 100 Breast (1:01.88), as well as sharing the 400 Free Relay record with Len Chamberlain, Bill Chamberlain and Darryl Fleck with a time of 3:31.10. Of these, the one that promises to stand the longest is his breast stroke record as no AHS swimmer has even neared it in the 18 years that have passed since he established it in February of 1988.

These records, however, do not begin to tell all there is to know about Ericksen’s athletic feats. He also ran cross country and track for four years during his distinguished career at Astoria High, competing at the state level one year in cross country and for three years in track and field, highlighted by a third place state finish as a member of the school record holding 4X400 Relay (2:25.7) in 1987. His participation in running sports and swimming served as a harbinger for future cross-training runners/swimmers as it was beneficial for him in all three. This established a long held tradition of cross training that is still employed today by the coaches and athletes of both running and swimming.

Ericksen’s feats in swimming, however, are those that led to his induction in the Hall of Fame. David was a leader in and out of the pool, highly regarded by his peers as well as his competition. His teammates three times selected him Most Valuable Swimmer and once the Most Inspirational swimmer. The crowning achievements were his performances in the winter of 1987- 88. During this time he set and held four individual records and shared two relay records (no other Astoria swimmer male or female has ever held this many records at one time) , leading his teammates to the school’s first Cowapa League Championship trophy and an historic sweep of all of the ten events in the meet. Swimming “under the weather” he captured the 50 Free by one half second and then returned to the pool fifteen minutes later to capture the 100 Butterfly in a P.R. of 59.43 seconds. He closed the meet by anchoring the 400 Free Relay to first place finish. The next week he led his team to a second place in the district meet which was considered the AA State meet by coaches and swimmers alike He followed this up with an eighth place finish in the 100 Breast at The state meet, improving upon his eleventh place finish in 1987.

Following graduation from AHS Ericksen enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University where he swam for two years once earning All Conference honors in the 100 Breast. At the time of his induction Ericksen lives in Eugene with his wife Heidi and children McKenzie and Leif enjoying all that a growing family offers, while his swimming legacy still resides in his hometown.