here's another recent swimming article
U.S. needs true sprinters
Phelps willing to compete in 100 free, but he's better at other strokes, distances.
www.indystar.com/.../article
To some degree I think this is cyclical, in 2000 they were saying all the US could produce was sprinters. Also I think Phelps may become a great sprinter as he gets older and more muscular. I do think there is some reason for concern for male sprinters. We evidently are having trouble getting boys involved in age group swimming(ASCA did a cover article on this as did Splash.) The best sprinters are going to be tall strong fast twitch people, the exact athletes the "glamour" sports want. Hopefully the success of Phelps will help get more boys into swimming.
To some degree I think this is cyclical, in 2000 they were saying all the US could produce was sprinters. Also I think Phelps may become a great sprinter as he gets older and more muscular. I do think there is some reason for concern for male sprinters. We evidently are having trouble getting boys involved in age group swimming(ASCA did a cover article on this as did Splash.) The best sprinters are going to be tall strong fast twitch people, the exact athletes the "glamour" sports want. Hopefully the success of Phelps will help get more boys into swimming.
