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
That is bad.
Guys, you have to try and remember what it is like to be a Junior High or HS boy. , and then add to it the fashions of today where shorts have to be big and below the knee.
I have noticed though, HS track was quite popular last year among the guys(new coach that is really making it fun), and they are wearing singlets that are every bit as tight as a speedo.
Former Member
With the posting of that photo.... I feel this thread is deteriorating rather quickly.
Perhaps we should wrap it up and start another controversial hot topic to argue about?
I have a few thoughts....
John Smith
cRAIG YOU ARE right about that. My children go to a school without a swim team. I remember JR High age, my son telling me some of his friends were questioning him "Do you REALLY where those speedos?' and saying no way would they.
That group of boys in Galesburg are a year older than my son. They have been swimming together since they were 8 and under, and have been a fast bunch. At YMCA champs, my sons group would win when it was his up year, and the Galesburg group would win when it was their up group. I wonder though, if there is another group that will follow. Here there is, but groups of swimmers that bond so well and swim so well together don't happen all the time.
Saw the duel in the Pool segment they did on Phelps. This may have already been covered on the forums, sorry if I'm repeating, but he emphasized promotion of the sport and had dreams of bringing it up to a status closer to the other major sports. (he of course realized that this might not be possible, but that he still wants to do what he can).
I think that's really important, and with some hope and encouragement perhaps he and other top swimmers can do something to get swiimming on the map. ???
I just thought it was nice to hear him say that, and it was inspiring. Made me think of this particular thread. Did anyone else see that little blurb? what do you think of it? I don't know much about any past efforts by popular U.S. swimmers to promote the sport and how it has turned out.
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
Aquageek, if you don't think homophobia plays a HUGE part in men not wearing Speedos, perhaps you should do a little research.
Please send links to study that show homophobia is impacting popularity of swimming in US boys. I'd be interested in reading a real study on this.
The US is experiencing great times in swimming and you are saying we are about to lose the sport. C'mon, that's a little overly dramatic.
Former Member
A small bright spot for U.S. male sprinting over the weekend. Ben Wildman-Tobriner wins the 50 free at LC Nationals in 22.13 over world champ Roland Schoeman. Of course, Roland was a half second slower than his winning time in Montreal. But, still, 22.1 is nothing to sneeze at.
Former Member
Aquageek, if you don't think homophobia plays a HUGE part in men not wearing Speedos, perhaps you should do a little research.
The above quote was inthe speedos thread. I know about 10 boys between the ages of 16 to 9yrs old. Three of them are sons of guys who swam in college and two are nephews of guys who swam in college. Almost all of them think that swimming is a gay sport. I like to point out that for obvious reasons their thinking might be wrong. Once at a public pool two of these boys wondered why there weren't private areas inthe locker room to change in because they thought that other peoe would look at them.
If this image doesn't get changed rather fast, men's swimming inthe US is lost. I think that as fewer & fewer guys go into swimming, htis image is going to be the dominate one held by most young boys and a major reason why they won't go into swimming. I will mention that here in Galesburg, our high school men's team is larger than it has been in years. It has also been very successful for about three to four years while our football and basketball teams have had losing records for about 10 to 12 years. Most of the boys I know live in the Champaign-Urbana area or far northern Chicago suburbs.
Former Member
Originally posted by Sam Perry
Funny you should mention that. "A Good Walk Spoiled" was a book written but what I believe to be one of the best sports writers around, John Feinstein. He is an active masters swimmer in the Maryland with Ancient Mariners. Used to come on our local sports talk show once a week in Phoenix, and would sometimes promote swimming. One time I remember him promoting one of their masters swimmers at the 2000 Olympic Trials as being the oldest person to qualify for the meet.
He is someone who could definitely provide some insight to this. IMHO...
Golf is a good walk spoiled was originally said by Mark Twain. Feinstein was borrowing for his book title.
The swimmer Feinstein was promoting as the oldest at the 2000 trials was Wally Dicks, who was a masters teammate of his.
And I agree, Feinstein's books are generally great and he is really entertaining on the radio. He does a weekly spot on Sporting News Radio and once he said that he was calling from the pool deck of the USMS National Championships.
