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
It is my OPINION that many colleges with smaller swim teams would have done away with both men's and women's swim teams had Title IX not pressed them to keep a women's team. Swimming simply does not generate revenue, which seems to drive so many athletic departments these days. Again, this is only my opinion.
I'm not well-versed on this whole debate, but can offer one anecdote. The University of Montana (not a huge school) got rid of its men's swimming program in the late 1970s. That may have predated the whole Title IX business. Our age group team swam in that pool, and for several years it was still decorated with large banners and various signs from other universities in the conference.
There may be other factors at work. Universities had plenty of money in the 60s and early 70s, were adding buildings and academic programs like crazy, hiring a lot of young faculty, etc. Then the funding started drying up.
It is my OPINION that many colleges with smaller swim teams would have done away with both men's and women's swim teams had Title IX not pressed them to keep a women's team. Swimming simply does not generate revenue, which seems to drive so many athletic departments these days. Again, this is only my opinion.
I'm not well-versed on this whole debate, but can offer one anecdote. The University of Montana (not a huge school) got rid of its men's swimming program in the late 1970s. That may have predated the whole Title IX business. Our age group team swam in that pool, and for several years it was still decorated with large banners and various signs from other universities in the conference.
There may be other factors at work. Universities had plenty of money in the 60s and early 70s, were adding buildings and academic programs like crazy, hiring a lot of young faculty, etc. Then the funding started drying up.
