Below are the number of entrants for each event at the Junior Nationals for 2008. What do these figures mean for men's swimming long term? The number of boys in the sport trails girls quite siginficantly in many events. In relays where a team tends to show its depth, boys are out numbered by girls nearly 2:1
If things continue or get worse we've got problems ahead of us in 2 Olympics.
It's a good thing collegiate budgets aren't cutting mens swimming these days.... :-)
ncsassociation.homestead.com/PsychFINAL.htm
.............Women Men
1650/1000... 78.. 75
Med. Relay... 97.. 51
100 free... 264.. 140
100 ***... 179.. 102
200 back... 173.. 111
200 fly... 149.. 91
800 fr rly... 81.. 43
50 fly... 170.. 106
50 ***... 151.. 82
200 free... 252.. 159
400 IM... 183.. 106
400 free rly... 84.. 45
100 back... 194.. 152
500 free... 188.. 112
200 ***... 152.. 82
100 fly... 242.. 161
200 fr rly... 84.. 45
50 back... 135.. 115
200 IM... 268.. 169
50 free... 282.. 153
800/1500 fr... 98.. 67
400 med rly... 105.. 54
I can't count the nmber of times I have seen talented 10 and under boys and 11-12 boys basically quit. It is not because of video games, that is too easy an answer. It is just not cool to talk to their friends (unless they are other swimmers) about their swimming events since none of their friends understand the sport in the first place. Like it or not, kids want to fit in.
I dunno, swimming is no less cool now than it was back in the sacred 70s.
It is no secret that, on average, young girls have more drive and focus and are better students than young boys. At my son's swim practice, girls outnumber the boys (he is 9) but there are plenty of fast boy swimmers too.
The video phenomenon is real. We severely limit his access to games, TV and computer (weekends only, and for a limited time -- and he has to "earn" the game time by reading books or exercising for the same amount of time). And he does not have the latest and greatest, by any means (Nintendo DS, one step up from a Gameboy).
But when he gets together with his friends, it is STILL almost all they talk about (some girls too, but mostly boys). I will absolutely not let him take it to a swim meet -- he would completely miss his events -- but he still gravitates over to other swimmers just to WATCH them play. I am amazed at the addictive power of these things.
I can't count the nmber of times I have seen talented 10 and under boys and 11-12 boys basically quit. It is not because of video games, that is too easy an answer. It is just not cool to talk to their friends (unless they are other swimmers) about their swimming events since none of their friends understand the sport in the first place. Like it or not, kids want to fit in.
I dunno, swimming is no less cool now than it was back in the sacred 70s.
It is no secret that, on average, young girls have more drive and focus and are better students than young boys. At my son's swim practice, girls outnumber the boys (he is 9) but there are plenty of fast boy swimmers too.
The video phenomenon is real. We severely limit his access to games, TV and computer (weekends only, and for a limited time -- and he has to "earn" the game time by reading books or exercising for the same amount of time). And he does not have the latest and greatest, by any means (Nintendo DS, one step up from a Gameboy).
But when he gets together with his friends, it is STILL almost all they talk about (some girls too, but mostly boys). I will absolutely not let him take it to a swim meet -- he would completely miss his events -- but he still gravitates over to other swimmers just to WATCH them play. I am amazed at the addictive power of these things.
