The golden age of Sequoia aquatics dawned during his watch, leavened by athletes such as the Hull and Devine brothers, Ted Sweeting, Bobby Whitmore and a score of others. A standout Sequoia athlete (class of '38), Whitmore succeeded the late Bruce Harlan, who left to become diving coach at the University of Michigan. After wartime service in the Marines, Whitmore gave up his captain’s position with the Redwood City Fire Department to earn a teaching credential at Cal Poly, where he starred on the Mustang golf team. At Sequoia, his aquatic teams dominated the PAL and consistently captured regional honors.