HAYWARD, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay department of intercollegiate athletics is thrilled to announce the formation of the James "Jim" DeLacy and Ruth Shaps Scholarship endowment, the University's first endowed scholarship for women's swimming. Jim DeLacy coached both Swimming and Water Polo for Pioneer Athletics, before embarking on a career with the Oakland Fire Department. Both Jim and Ruth are active Masters swimmers and still compete, and they have both set world records in swimming for their age groups.
 
The DeLacy-Shaps endowment will award an annual scholarship to student-athletes in the Pioneer women's swimming program who have strong potential, but need financial assistance. Jim and Ruth created their endowment in order to provide a "helping hand" to Pioneer swimmers because, looking back, many of their life achievements wouldn't have been possible without the support they received as students and young adults.
 
Head Swimming Coach Shane Pelton acknowledged the significance of this scholarship, "Jim's and Ruth's generous gift ensures permanent scholarship support for swimmers with talent and commitment and it will help ease the financial burden of paying for college for selected students. Jim and Ruth both have a lifelong commitment to swimming and we are honored to have their support." Because the DeLacy-Shaps scholarship is endowed, it will pay annual scholarship support in perpetuity.
 
Athletic Director Jason Carmichael explained, "Pioneer Athletics can only offer forty percent of the NCAA scholarship maximum, but endowed scholarships provide stable financial support directly for our athletes. This first, permanent scholarship in Swimming acknowledges an outstanding program with a long legacy of excellence at Cal State East Bay, tracing back to our days as Cal State Hayward when Jim coached Swimming and Water Polo."
 
Originally from Hawaii, Ruth received a scholarship to attend the private Punahou School, where she competed in swimming. Her experience at Punahou enriched her life and wouldn't have been possible without scholarship assistance. Ruth later settled in the San Francisco Bay Area and raised two children while working as a medical technologist specializing in microbiology at Children's Hospital Oakland.
 
Jim's parents could not afford anything extra, including swimming lessons. He started swimming on a team at a Sacramento YMCA. Eventually, two-time Olympic coach Sherm Chavaoor let him swim for free at the Arden Hills Country Club. Jim attended Sacramento City College, then UCLA, where he swam with Olympians and national champions and made All-American.
 
Coach Cal Caplan brought Jim to Cal State Hayward to be assistant Water Polo coach from 1972-74 and then Jim became head coach of Men's and Women's Swimming from 1974-80. During that time, Jim oversaw the transition of the Women's Swimming program from a lunchtime recreation program to a full NCAA sport, equivalent to the Men's Swimming program. While at Hayward, Jim coached the Flying Finns, a Hayward age group team. He ran for and was elected to the board of the Hayward Area Recreation & Park District (HARD), serving from 1978-82. He also served on the NCAA swimming & diving rules committee and took graduate courses. In 1980 Jim joined the Oakland Fire Department, retiring as a captain in January 2009 after nearly 30 years.
 
Jim and Ruth see swimming as an asset that provides rewards throughout a lifetime. Both retired now, they continue to enjoy swimming for their physical health, mental wellbeing, as well as comradery and a social network.
 
The Pioneer swimming team is having a great season. They completed the Biola Invite with a first-place finish and senior Allie Klinger was named PSCS Female Swimmer of the Week. In the spirit of Jim's and Ruth's continued involvement in competitions, two of Cal State East Bay assistant swim coaches and former Pioneer All-Americans Caitlin DeNise and Claire Beaty competed in the 2019 Toyota U.S. Open Championships and Claire also qualified for the 2020 Olympic Trials.