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 hate the focus on college scholarships. I realize that some parents need financial assistance to send their kids to college because tuition is now outrageous outside of in-state schools. But it's this focus on scholarships that creates loco parents who push, push, push. College is not just about sports, although participating in college sports can be very rewarding. Kids who truly love our niche sport will stick with it. If they don't love it, they won't be able to survive the grueling workout schedule. Personally, I see my daughter picking up a field hockey and lacrosse stick right quick. Myself, I went to a school that didn't give athletic scholarships and swam anyway.
Amen, sister, though I realize that it is hypocritical of me to say so (I had a full ride). The financial assistance is very helpful for many BUT...I know some swimmers (the teens, not the parents) who eliminate whole classes of schools simply because they cannot get a full or partial scholarship, regardless of their parents' ability to pay. It is a pride thing.
Now that I am on the other side of the fence, I also realize how ludicrous it is to choose a school based largely on its athletic program. It is an important consideration, sure: if you plan to spend 3-6 hours a day training, you probably want to make sure you like the coach, enjoy the team, have good facilities, etc. But for most the "glory" of swimming, such as it is, fades much more quickly than the impact of your education.
Paul, I have to side with Aquageek and the others on this. I respect the opinions of the experts but I'll take hard numbers over perception any time. Check out the Junior National results (going on right now) to see some very fast swimming by youngsters. And whether one approves of the practice or not, the reality is that many (most?) college swim coaches have been recruiting internationally for decades. It doesn't portend any great disaster for US swimming.
I'm surprised US dominance of swimming has held on as long as it has; in fact, I think we are more dominant now than at some points in the past. Look at international basketball: we were far more dominant at one point, and then later once again they let the pros play (remember the first Dream Team?). Those days are long gone.
I hate the focus on college scholarships. I realize that some parents need financial assistance to send their kids to college because tuition is now outrageous outside of in-state schools. But it's this focus on scholarships that creates loco parents who push, push, push. College is not just about sports, although participating in college sports can be very rewarding. Kids who truly love our niche sport will stick with it. If they don't love it, they won't be able to survive the grueling workout schedule. Personally, I see my daughter picking up a field hockey and lacrosse stick right quick. Myself, I went to a school that didn't give athletic scholarships and swam anyway.
Amen, sister, though I realize that it is hypocritical of me to say so (I had a full ride). The financial assistance is very helpful for many BUT...I know some swimmers (the teens, not the parents) who eliminate whole classes of schools simply because they cannot get a full or partial scholarship, regardless of their parents' ability to pay. It is a pride thing.
Now that I am on the other side of the fence, I also realize how ludicrous it is to choose a school based largely on its athletic program. It is an important consideration, sure: if you plan to spend 3-6 hours a day training, you probably want to make sure you like the coach, enjoy the team, have good facilities, etc. But for most the "glory" of swimming, such as it is, fades much more quickly than the impact of your education.
Paul, I have to side with Aquageek and the others on this. I respect the opinions of the experts but I'll take hard numbers over perception any time. Check out the Junior National results (going on right now) to see some very fast swimming by youngsters. And whether one approves of the practice or not, the reality is that many (most?) college swim coaches have been recruiting internationally for decades. It doesn't portend any great disaster for US swimming.
I'm surprised US dominance of swimming has held on as long as it has; in fact, I think we are more dominant now than at some points in the past. Look at international basketball: we were far more dominant at one point, and then later once again they let the pros play (remember the first Dream Team?). Those days are long gone.
