There has been a lot of discussion since Athens about foreign swimmers training in the United States. Most of them attend U.S. Universities, receive athletic scholarships, and compete at NCAA's. Some notable examples include Duje Draganja (Cal), Fred Bousquet and Kirsty Coventry (Auburn), Markus Rogan (Stanford), and the South African sprinters (Arizona). Some train in the U.S., but don't compete for a university (Inge de Bruijn). All of these athletes benefit from U.S. coaching, from training with U.S. swimmers, and in some cases, from financial support provided by U.S. entities (athletic scholarships). They all turn around and then win medals for other countries.
A couple questions: 1) What do you think about this arrangement generally? 2) Is it of benefit or detriment to U.S. swimming to have these foreign athletes training and competing here? 3) Should we be giving athletic scholarships, which are a scarce resource in swimming, to foreign athletes who will represent their own countries internationally instead of U.S.-born swimmers who will represent us internationally?
I'm sure there are other issues, but these come directly to mind.
Parents
Former Member
Tom Ellison is dead on. If you want a college scholarship from an American University, show commitment and get citizenship. Otherwise pay your own way to the school and swim as a walk-on. US dollars should go to US citizens who will utlimately represent the US in the Olympics AGAINST other athletes from other countries. I'm sick of the US training other countries athletes to kick our own asses on the world stage. The days are over when the US ruled every event in the Olympics like the 1970s. We need to take these countries "down" in Bejing in the 400 free relay. We don't need to stab ourselves in the back and show them how to beat us at our best game.
Better yet.... how about a "thank you" or acknowledgment from the South African relay for their coaching and training in the US after they won their gold medal......... I heard nothing in 2004 from any foreign athlete that trained in the US in terms of thanks or appreciation for a concious decision to leave their own country for something better in the US.
Fact is, most coaches pull in international talent because they fail on the US domestic front in terms of their recruiting endeavors. Ande is right... Eddie Reese has rarely if ever given US money to foreigner swimmers. Why train the enemy that you'll end up facing every 4 years? It's ludicrous !
US kids (and US citizens) should get US money. Foreigners can come swim and join us if they want to in lane 8, but do it on their own dime. We're talking about athletics.... NOT academics here. Don't confuse the two. Competition and winning has NOTHING to do with a well rounded campus.
Sound selfish...... hah...... try winning the 400 free relay at the Olympics.
When you hit the water representing your country, it's a war.
John Smith
Tom Ellison is dead on. If you want a college scholarship from an American University, show commitment and get citizenship. Otherwise pay your own way to the school and swim as a walk-on. US dollars should go to US citizens who will utlimately represent the US in the Olympics AGAINST other athletes from other countries. I'm sick of the US training other countries athletes to kick our own asses on the world stage. The days are over when the US ruled every event in the Olympics like the 1970s. We need to take these countries "down" in Bejing in the 400 free relay. We don't need to stab ourselves in the back and show them how to beat us at our best game.
Better yet.... how about a "thank you" or acknowledgment from the South African relay for their coaching and training in the US after they won their gold medal......... I heard nothing in 2004 from any foreign athlete that trained in the US in terms of thanks or appreciation for a concious decision to leave their own country for something better in the US.
Fact is, most coaches pull in international talent because they fail on the US domestic front in terms of their recruiting endeavors. Ande is right... Eddie Reese has rarely if ever given US money to foreigner swimmers. Why train the enemy that you'll end up facing every 4 years? It's ludicrous !
US kids (and US citizens) should get US money. Foreigners can come swim and join us if they want to in lane 8, but do it on their own dime. We're talking about athletics.... NOT academics here. Don't confuse the two. Competition and winning has NOTHING to do with a well rounded campus.
Sound selfish...... hah...... try winning the 400 free relay at the Olympics.
When you hit the water representing your country, it's a war.
John Smith
