Here is a topic that I have often wondered about over the years. We all know of the swimmers that make the Olympics and gain national and international attention as a result. The swimmers that I often think of are those that for one reason or another, missed the Olympic team but may have been dominant in college or at a national level.
Here are a few names that come to mind to kick this thing off. John Trembley, head coach at the University of Tennesee and former swimmer there, also has got to have the biggest calves in the history of the sport!. Talk about a great flyer and a dominant force in the NCAA in the early 70's! From stories that I heard, he was major competition for Mark Spitz in college, even beat him on occasion. Any more input on JT's college career would be most appreciative. I attended his camps at Mercersberg Academy in Pa when I was in high school, those were great days.
John Trembley brings to mind another phenom swimmer in Andy Cohen. Devastating sprinter, I believe the first to break the 20 second plateau, he was the man. Unfortunately he was in a serious car accident in college and broke both wrists! After healing he tried swimming again but re-broke them on a start and had to start all over. I believe he tried for the 84 games but his range of motion in his hands was so limited it was detrimental to his stroke and he just missed. Rowdy Gaines wouldn;t be where he is today if it wasn't for Andy's misfortune.
The third and final swimmer that comes to mind was a guy that I watched when I first got started and a few grades ahead of me at a rival high school. Wade King was amazing in high school and swam the 100 fly in 50.00 back in 1985! I was competing at the meet and in all my swimming experiences I never witnessed anything like that swim. The crowd was in shock as he ripped through the pool, absolutely dominating. I was coached by his dad in summer league, crazy guy with a "You can't lick our Cocks" bumper sticker. Wade went on to South Caroline and had a great collegiate career but just missed th Olympics. He was a dominant swimmer in the NCAA's but when it came to Olympic qualifying he was always a brides maid and never a bride.
So there are a few of my favorite swimmers that the world was cheated out of knowing. They are some of my all time favorites. Any memories on these three guys or new additions are most welcome.
Wayne, you must be talking about Jonty Skinner from South Africa that swam for Don Grambril at the University of Alabama. In August 1976, swam in the AAU LC Nationals in Philadelphia and set a World Record in the 100 Meter Free in :49.44. He broke the record that was set about a month before by Jim Montgomery at the 1976 Montreal Olympics in a time of :49.99. That record lasted from 1976 until 1981 when Rowdy Gaines broke it in 1981 with a time of :49.36. He won the 100 Yard Free at the 1975 NCAA Championships in a time of :43.92 which was an NCAA and US Open Record. He did not get the American Record because he was not a US citizen and it was still held by Andy Coan at :43.99.
I remember reading an article in either Sports Illustrated or Swimming World about him trying to aquire citizenship in the US. South Africa, due to its racial policies did not compete in the Olympics and did not plan to in 1976. Politics played a major role in that country's athletic programs and this became a problem of both governments from a diplomacy standpoint. His family still lived in SA and he did not want his family punished in any way because of this. SA did not want to set a precedent for future athletes with a favorable decision. He even said that if he could not get US citizenship he would swim for a country that would let him and he even talked of swimming for Canada. He just wanted the chance to swim in the 1976 Olympics.
It turned out that the US or any country did not want to get into an international controversy and he did not gain citizenship. So he had to watch from the sidelines. He won 4 straight AAU National Titles from 1976 to 1978 (76, 77 LC, 77, 78 SC) and it would have been interesting for him to swim against Montgomery, Joe Bottom, and Jack Babashoff. He was inducted into the ISHOF in 1986. He was a force in swimming back then and still is today.
He was the USS/USA Swimming Resident Team Coach from 1994 until 2000 and was responsible for coaching some of the best swimmers in the USA. Before that he was an Assistant and then Head Coach of both the Women's and Mens teams at Alabama. Right now he coordinates all of the testing tracking and assessment of the National Team athletes. He organizes the technical support for National Team Coaches and Swimmers at National and International competitions. He was also a successful Club coach for San Jose Aquatics. His teams won 1 National and 6 Junior National Team Titles.
He had swimming book published with Don Grambril back in 1989 called "Tide Team Work". His contribution was in applying computer techniques to workouts for different swimmers. He would break down the energy system, work description, and yardage. I believe the book is out of print now.
Wayne, you must be talking about Jonty Skinner from South Africa that swam for Don Grambril at the University of Alabama. In August 1976, swam in the AAU LC Nationals in Philadelphia and set a World Record in the 100 Meter Free in :49.44. He broke the record that was set about a month before by Jim Montgomery at the 1976 Montreal Olympics in a time of :49.99. That record lasted from 1976 until 1981 when Rowdy Gaines broke it in 1981 with a time of :49.36. He won the 100 Yard Free at the 1975 NCAA Championships in a time of :43.92 which was an NCAA and US Open Record. He did not get the American Record because he was not a US citizen and it was still held by Andy Coan at :43.99.
I remember reading an article in either Sports Illustrated or Swimming World about him trying to aquire citizenship in the US. South Africa, due to its racial policies did not compete in the Olympics and did not plan to in 1976. Politics played a major role in that country's athletic programs and this became a problem of both governments from a diplomacy standpoint. His family still lived in SA and he did not want his family punished in any way because of this. SA did not want to set a precedent for future athletes with a favorable decision. He even said that if he could not get US citizenship he would swim for a country that would let him and he even talked of swimming for Canada. He just wanted the chance to swim in the 1976 Olympics.
It turned out that the US or any country did not want to get into an international controversy and he did not gain citizenship. So he had to watch from the sidelines. He won 4 straight AAU National Titles from 1976 to 1978 (76, 77 LC, 77, 78 SC) and it would have been interesting for him to swim against Montgomery, Joe Bottom, and Jack Babashoff. He was inducted into the ISHOF in 1986. He was a force in swimming back then and still is today.
He was the USS/USA Swimming Resident Team Coach from 1994 until 2000 and was responsible for coaching some of the best swimmers in the USA. Before that he was an Assistant and then Head Coach of both the Women's and Mens teams at Alabama. Right now he coordinates all of the testing tracking and assessment of the National Team athletes. He organizes the technical support for National Team Coaches and Swimmers at National and International competitions. He was also a successful Club coach for San Jose Aquatics. His teams won 1 National and 6 Junior National Team Titles.
He had swimming book published with Don Grambril back in 1989 called "Tide Team Work". His contribution was in applying computer techniques to workouts for different swimmers. He would break down the energy system, work description, and yardage. I believe the book is out of print now.
