I think one way to get more boys or teenage boys involved with swimming is by getting states to expect the sport of water polo. My state doesn't do it and a lot of other states don't do polo. But if more states adoptive the sport more young men would be involved with swimming at least in the high school level. Most guys at my high school in California during the 1970's played Water Polo in the summer and fall and swam in the spring. They were in better shape in swimming and could work more yardage than if they swam for only 3 months which is common for states without water polo. Water polo is so popular with teenagers in California that they introduce even girls teams in the 1990's. Most boys like a sport which is similar to hockey except that its in a pool instead of an ice rink. Also, US water polo would gain by having a bigger pool to draw from on their national team instead of 80 percent or more just coming from California.
Parents
Former Member
Back in the 1970's, I think families with a little above the national income saw swimming the same way they did tennis. The Bashashoffs, probably the most talent sister and brothers combinations of the 1970's were blue collar and this didn't always set well with families that had parents that were businesss executives or engineers. Both Jack and Billy like their sister Shirley would not have made it big in traditonal sports. Many upper-middle families that use to get johnny into swimming or tennis or figure skating, are more into getting them into football, or soccer-which once in the US was mainly popular in hispanic neighorhoods, or baseball or basketball or hockey.
Back in the 1970's, I think families with a little above the national income saw swimming the same way they did tennis. The Bashashoffs, probably the most talent sister and brothers combinations of the 1970's were blue collar and this didn't always set well with families that had parents that were businesss executives or engineers. Both Jack and Billy like their sister Shirley would not have made it big in traditonal sports. Many upper-middle families that use to get johnny into swimming or tennis or figure skating, are more into getting them into football, or soccer-which once in the US was mainly popular in hispanic neighorhoods, or baseball or basketball or hockey.
