Kenmore West Pool Renamed to "Robert Pufpaff Aquatic Center"

On January 5, 2024, a ceremony was held to announce the renaming of the Kenmore West Pool, along with the unveiling of two plaques bearing the new name. One plaque is located outside the entrance to the pool on the second floor and the other is inside the pool above the starting blocks.  The pool was renamed to “Robert Pufpaff Aquatic Center” in honor of the former Ken-West swim coach. Coach Pufpaff was well beloved by the student-athletes he coached and he put in a very successful over 20 years with the swim team. The Pufpaff family was at the ceremony and was very thankful for the gesture. Several people spoke at the ceremony, including Nathan Bourke, the current coach of the combined Kenmore girls swim team, and two alumni who were coached by Pufpaff.

Doug Newhouse of the class of 1972 started his speech by thanking those who made the renaming possible before moving on to talk about the impact Coach Pufpaff had on those he coached. The coach had an influence on the swimmers who went further in their swim careers, as well as on the many who did not. Newhouse shared a quote from the coach that he felt represented the attitude he instilled in students: “The desire to win means little if you don’t have the will to prepare.” Newhouse ended his speech with an anecdote of a time when Coach Puffpaff turned what he felt was a poor showing at a meet to a swim he could feel proud of. Craig Langman from the class of 1973 talked of the tenants of Pufpaff’s coaching. These included values of improvement, team buy-in, leading by example, and several ethical and moral values.

The ceremony ended with the reveal of the large plaque boasting the pool's new title. The microphone was then given to Coach Robert Pufpaff himself, who expressed his gratitude for the renaming after him and the people who spoke so highly of him.