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AMES, Iowa — Longtime Ames High School teacher and swimming coach Dan Flannery has died, the Ames Community School District announced. Flannery died of an aneurysm on Tuesday.

Flannery had been the head girls swimming and diving coach at Ames High since 2002 and led the boys’ program since 1998. As head girls coach, Ames’ varsity dual meet record was 140-11-1. The Little Cyclones have won eight team state championships in the last ten years.  

According to the district, Ames became only the third school in Iowa history to win the girls swimming and boys swimming team titles in the same academic year (2018) when Flannery guided Ames High to its first boys championship since 1982.

“Dan was Ames High Pride. He loved our students, our high school, and our community. This is a huge loss for not only our school community, but the swimming community in Ames and across Iowa,” said Superintendent Jenny Risner. “Dan was committed to excellence in his program and his success speaks for itself. But what was even more impressive was his ability to build strong relationships with his student-athletes that lasted well beyond high school. He made those he coached better athletes and better people.”

In addition to coaching, Flannery worked with students in the Alternative Learning Program.

“Students loved him. He was calm, compassionate, and his ability to establish meaningful relationships with his students was one of the leading reasons why he made such a positive impact on the students who needed him the most,” Ames Community School District said.

Counselors will be available at Ames High School on July 22 starting at 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to provide support following Flannery’s death. For more information, contact Brian Carico at brian.carico@ames.k12.ia.us