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
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Former Member
Back to topic:
At the age group level there seem to be an equal amount. I think the best male athletes have a hard time staying in this sport due to pressures of playing more "socially acceptable" sports for males.
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 think Sam has said it best. There may be a lot of broad-based participation (a good thing) but many of the top athletes abandon the sport. I doubt that this is going to lead to its down fall. But I don't ever see swimming challenging other sports for popularity, either. Lets face it, we have a niche sport.
Best thing going for us on a national level is that it will take just a handful of standouts to bolster our Olympic team. Sounds like many of the will come from the Potomac Valley!
Back to topic:
At the age group level there seem to be an equal amount. I think the best male athletes have a hard time staying in this sport due to pressures of playing more "socially acceptable" sports for males.
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 think Sam has said it best. There may be a lot of broad-based participation (a good thing) but many of the top athletes abandon the sport. I doubt that this is going to lead to its down fall. But I don't ever see swimming challenging other sports for popularity, either. Lets face it, we have a niche sport.
Best thing going for us on a national level is that it will take just a handful of standouts to bolster our Olympic team. Sounds like many of the will come from the Potomac Valley!
