I think I'm going to have to disagree a bit with my Longhorn teamates Mr. Commings and The Raz on this subject. It's not good to rely on someone coming out of the woodwork in years to come or simply counting on cycles of ebb and flow over years in the sport.
I have been to many age group meets with my kids the last 4 years. In Georgia, Colorado.... and my home the Great state of Ohio, and enrollment of young boys (ages 8-14) is down further than at any time I can remember in the sport. Gone are the days when I grew up and boys ALWAYS outnumber girls in the sport, and its not merely because more girls are swimming now. It's because boys are interested in other sports..... many of which are easier training sports in my opinion.
This is NOT good for the future of men's swimming. I have a bad feeling the next Michael Phelps will be lured into Soccer or some other sport over the coming years... if not already. Swimming.... particularly the governing body USS.... does NOT do an adequate job marketing the sport to the general public during non Olympic years. We ride too heavily on the success of our Olympic performances in hopes of expanding enrollment, and then every 4 years it dies out quickly. With the added cuts of men's swimming programs in the NCAA Div. I level the growth and continued success of US mens swimming in my opinion is in jeopardy over the next 8-12 years. Michael Phelps is a lucky find for the US. I strongly suggest you take a look at some heat sheets for age group meets in your area. You will likely find that there are about 1/2 to 2/3rds the number of boys heats compared to girls heats in the younger age groups. It's shocking. You're looking at the future of our Olympic team in these reduced heats. You can't rely on a Rowdy Gaines to come into the sport late (like age 13) and dominate especially when the numbers are down so much.
USS needs to find money for a larger national campaign with TV time. Why is it I have NEVER been contacted by USS swimming to donate money?! Why is there NO marketing campaign to solicit funds from ex US swimmers from the past 40 years ?!
In my opinion, this is an all out war against soccer and the evil Big 3 sports. For example...... Australia is hurtin' if you take away their 2 big guns Hacket and Thorpe, there is virtually no one in the pipeline that will take over. The US is in a similar but lessor position. It was truly embarassing that the US had absolutely NO ONE in the 100 free at the Olympics. Let me say it again....
IT WAS TRULY EMBARASSING THAT THE US HAD ABSOLUTELY NO ONE IN THE 100 FREE IN THE FINALS AT THE OLYMPICS !
We should OWN that event ! The 100 free IS United States Swimming. It is our history! Our 400m free relay should NEVER lose at the Olympics or World Games as it is a reflection of depth and speed in our programs.
Face it, our volume of great sprinters are pretty bad right now and thats a reflection of basic athleticism and talent by taking (stealing) "athletes" from other sports with raw speed. Gary Hall saved his butt and the US in the 50 free at Greece, but let's face it, he's an archeology find and not a reflection of up an coming talent. We're relying on someone that probably peaked 2 Olympics ago in the sprints.
The picture is not good for the growth of US men's swimming, and we definitely need to do something about it.
John Smith
The future of US swimming has relied upon, and will always rely upon, a handful of extremely talented kids who get into swimming in a decent program with a decent coach, at an early age, then train their butts off for years.
It depends upon the swimmer having that rare mix of natural technique, body proportions, and intense desire to become great.
It's one coach or a series of coaches who sees the potential in these young athletes then guides and encourages them to find out what they are capable of.
Like Bob Bowman / Michael Phelps
The future of US swimming relies upon the moms and dads who support their kids, take them to practice, take them to meets, pay for it all, while avoiding pushing them too hard. Some parents relocate to place their child with the best possible coach.
It relies on a child being born into a family who can afford to pay for the child to train.
It relies upon the child deciding that swimming is her sport and the child making the choice to reject other sports, to put in the training to become great.
I don't know if a marketing program will change this
Greatness happens
one person at a time
one dream at a time.
It's a child watching Michael Phelps or Amanda Beard or Natalie Coughlin or Ian Crocker or Aaron Piersol or Brendan Hansen on TV at the Olympics who decides
one day that will be me
if the child has the talent and puts in the work
it could be.
It's a few of these current great swimmers taking a few talented swimmers under their wings and telling them
you have what it takes to go all the way.
If you train hard, one day you could do what I did and more.
Ande
The future of US swimming has relied upon, and will always rely upon, a handful of extremely talented kids who get into swimming in a decent program with a decent coach, at an early age, then train their butts off for years.
It depends upon the swimmer having that rare mix of natural technique, body proportions, and intense desire to become great.
It's one coach or a series of coaches who sees the potential in these young athletes then guides and encourages them to find out what they are capable of.
Like Bob Bowman / Michael Phelps
The future of US swimming relies upon the moms and dads who support their kids, take them to practice, take them to meets, pay for it all, while avoiding pushing them too hard. Some parents relocate to place their child with the best possible coach.
It relies on a child being born into a family who can afford to pay for the child to train.
It relies upon the child deciding that swimming is her sport and the child making the choice to reject other sports, to put in the training to become great.
I don't know if a marketing program will change this
Greatness happens
one person at a time
one dream at a time.
It's a child watching Michael Phelps or Amanda Beard or Natalie Coughlin or Ian Crocker or Aaron Piersol or Brendan Hansen on TV at the Olympics who decides
one day that will be me
if the child has the talent and puts in the work
it could be.
It's a few of these current great swimmers taking a few talented swimmers under their wings and telling them
you have what it takes to go all the way.
If you train hard, one day you could do what I did and more.
Ande
