Throughout Berlin High School’s rich history, a coach has rarely had a greater impact than Phil Sass. Known as Uncle Phil to many of his swimmers, Sass built the Berlin swimming scene from the ground up, founding the high school team and then leading multiple athletes to state championships and collegiate success.
“Phil gave so much to the Berlin community. Looking back, I have no idea how he ran a successful business and spent so many hours at the pool. I will be forever grateful for everything Phil did for me, and I owe many of my successes in life to him,” former Berlin and UW-Milwaukee Swimmer Susan (Harmsen) Voigt ‘03 said.
Swimming, and playing water polo at UW-Madison, Sass always had a deep connection with the pool. So, when the opportunity presented itself, Sass took his knowledge of swimming and competition and applied it to Berlin’s community.
“While living in Berlin, his two daughters (Caroline and Christine) were part of the Berlin swim club, which was run by Berlin Parks & Rec at the time. When Berlin Parks & Rec decided to discontinue the swim club, a group of parents started the Berlin Barracuda Swim Club, for which my Dad was an unpaid volunteer assistant coach,” Phil’s son and former swimmer Alan Sass said.
From being a volunteer assistant coach, the only way to go is up and that is exactly what Sass did, quickly becoming the Barracudas head coach.
“Eventually, the other coaches decided to pursue more full-time work, so my Dad took over the Berlin Barracuda Swim Club as head coach,” Sass said.
After keeping club swimming alive, Sass set his sights on a new goal: establishing swimming as an official high school sport and becoming the first-ever boys and girls Berlin High School swim coach in 1994.
“When he and the parents group felt the students who were with the Berlin Barracuda Swim Club would benefit from the opportunities associated with a high school team, he approached the school board and requested swimming for boys and girls be added to the sports available via WIAA,” Sass said.
He quickly found success, thanks in part to using the three D’s: Desire, Determination, and Dedication. Instilling these in his athletes created resilient, tough, and driven swimmers who found success year after year.
“I think one big reason he got the best out of his athletes was because he didn’t sugarcoat things. When I first joined the team I was terrified of him, but that grew into respect as I continued swimming. If you worked hard and listened to him, you’d improve. If you didn’t want to work hard, you probably weren’t going to last on his team,” Voigt said.
These three Ds didn’t just stay in the pool; Sass set up many of his athletes to be successful in all aspects of their lives.
“I didn’t realize it until I was older, but so many skills I learned in the pool helped set me up for success outside of the pool. Waking up for 5:30 a.m. practices and spending my weekends at meets taught me dedication. When I was balancing school, practice, sleep, and socializing, I was learning about time management and prioritization,” Voigt said.
One of Sass’s most significant years was 2001, when he received both the Boys and Girls WIAA Coach of the Year award and the boys team won the state title. The winning culture Sass cultivated on that team was the exact recipe for success.
“The 2001 state championship team was a perfect example of what contributes to successful teams – individuals who are committed to improving themselves (personal accountability), committed to improving their teammates (accountable to others), and all the while, committed to putting in a LOT of work. That is what is most meaningful – we were able to see the results of such a great team,” Sass said.
Whether coaching swim, building Wisconsin Spice, or working in the community, Sass dedicated himself to being the best man he could be. Sass passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 13, 2025 following his battle with Alzheimer’s. However his impacts on Berlin and the swimming program will be apparent for decades.
“As a whole, my Dad lived his life with incredible passion. Whatever endeavor he pursued – whether coaching swim teams, owning and operating Wisconsin Spice, or hosting tailgate parties before Wisconsin Badger football games – he did so with the expectation to be the best at it. He believed that hard work translated to desired results and never took the easy way out of any situation,” Sass said.
