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
Parents
Former Member
I was actually responding to Evil Title IX Hater, not you Sam. (Although I love his ALS status!) I see many great male athletes in swimming that could definitely do other sports. In fact, I see a trend toward much buffer teenage males rather than just the stereotypical long lanky ones. And they all seem to be imitating the new loping freestyle trend.
But I will give you that swimming is perhaps not as "cool" as other sports. And it takes a unique individual who can tolerate the pain. Plus, the number of workouts they have some kids doing at a young age is enough to make anyone run screaming. My kid, who is a social butterfly and loves her teammates, still complains that swimming takes so much time she has "no life." (This is wrong.)
Maybe it all comes down to boys liking video games more than girls. If so, how do you get the boys away from them?
Sorry for being so testy. Should have known it was Mr. Smith and not me...
I couldn't agree more about the workouts and time. I don't know what the answer is. You have to put in so much time and effort in this sport, and socially it is very challenging not to mention academically.
How do yo make it more fun? You have to put in the time to develop VO2 Max at an early age (did I just go there Geek?). Then there are some draconian coaches that take the fun away and train everyone as if they are distance swimmers as some sort of badge of honor among other coaches to tell everyone how much they beat their kids up in workouts. Ruins so many talented kids it is unfortunate.
P.S. As a father of 1 girl and 2 boys, I am torn. I love the fact that boys are more interested in video games than my daughter. Just don't want MY boys to be the same way! :doh:
I was actually responding to Evil Title IX Hater, not you Sam. (Although I love his ALS status!) I see many great male athletes in swimming that could definitely do other sports. In fact, I see a trend toward much buffer teenage males rather than just the stereotypical long lanky ones. And they all seem to be imitating the new loping freestyle trend.
But I will give you that swimming is perhaps not as "cool" as other sports. And it takes a unique individual who can tolerate the pain. Plus, the number of workouts they have some kids doing at a young age is enough to make anyone run screaming. My kid, who is a social butterfly and loves her teammates, still complains that swimming takes so much time she has "no life." (This is wrong.)
Maybe it all comes down to boys liking video games more than girls. If so, how do you get the boys away from them?
Sorry for being so testy. Should have known it was Mr. Smith and not me...
I couldn't agree more about the workouts and time. I don't know what the answer is. You have to put in so much time and effort in this sport, and socially it is very challenging not to mention academically.
How do yo make it more fun? You have to put in the time to develop VO2 Max at an early age (did I just go there Geek?). Then there are some draconian coaches that take the fun away and train everyone as if they are distance swimmers as some sort of badge of honor among other coaches to tell everyone how much they beat their kids up in workouts. Ruins so many talented kids it is unfortunate.
P.S. As a father of 1 girl and 2 boys, I am torn. I love the fact that boys are more interested in video games than my daughter. Just don't want MY boys to be the same way! :doh:
