USA Swimming announced their list of the "30 most influential" people in swimming over the past 30 years.
www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx
OK, any list like this is going to be controversial, but one of the things I found somewhat bizarre is that of the 30 people honored only seven of them were active in the pool in the last 30 years. Also there are only 5 women. Lastly the list is a little heavy on USA Swimming executive types. Chuck Wielgus? Please...:shakeshead:
Anyone else have any comments? Who's missing that should be on the list?
Thanks for jogging my failing memory, Anna Lea...
More on the Vassallo/Suzuki/Berkoff connection:
swimswam.com/.../
The longevity of Berkoff's career (finishing out at Harvard after the '88 Olympics), and the NCAA's delay in instituting a 15m rule, perhaps explains why the underwater dolphin technique is associated with him.
Any/All Paralympic swimmers
Just watch their swimming on the internet since the US Media does not like to cover the Paralympics.
US Media does not like to cover the Paralympics = para-swimmers do not have much influence outside the bubble that is para-sport (and I say that as a para-swimmer!). Case could be made for eg Dave Denniston or Jimi Flowers to be added to the list. I don't think that even the most decorated of individual para-swimmers are well-known enough to belong on the list on the basis of their swimming achievements. Sadly.
I don't think that even the most decorated of individual para-swimmers are well-known enough to belong on the list on the basis of their swimming achievements. Sadly.I don’t know about that. I agree the even the greatest para-swimmers aren’t well known. But swimmers like Trischa Zorn belong on the list based on her swimming achievements.
From her wiki page “She is the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympic Games, having won 55 medals (41 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze), and was inducted into the Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2012… She competed in the 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004 Paralympic Games”
He's not on any list, but my HS swim coach Dave Walery, of Reavis in Burbank,il. was my mentor that taught me confidence to try harder and to try going to college. I have thanked him to many others as he is now gone. Thanks coach!
