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
Good article. People like Matt Grevers get full scholarships. Everyone else gets bits and pieces. Club swimming.....2000.00 a year for fees, competition, and equipment. State college with room and board, tuition, extra fees(every program seems to take on that 1-3K on top of tuition), books, 20K a year is the low.
Best thing I did was get 529's for the kids, although I was too late to get my son 4 years, could not afford the payments. But that just covers tuition, the required dorm room, the books(he pays for them with his job and is now living at home), are mighty expensive.
Anyway, back to the subject. Despite Geeks numbers, I know the coaches in this part of the country worry about the lower numbers of kids in general, and not just that, but that the more talented athletes are going to other sports. However, the upcoming Olympics always boosts the numbers in sports like swimming and gymnastics, so this year there will be a boost in numbers.
What I do see is a big increase in summer rec swimming around here. That short 3 month light hearted atmosphere is appealing. You can always get a small percentage of these kids to at least try year round swimming.
Good article. People like Matt Grevers get full scholarships. Everyone else gets bits and pieces. Club swimming.....2000.00 a year for fees, competition, and equipment. State college with room and board, tuition, extra fees(every program seems to take on that 1-3K on top of tuition), books, 20K a year is the low.
Best thing I did was get 529's for the kids, although I was too late to get my son 4 years, could not afford the payments. But that just covers tuition, the required dorm room, the books(he pays for them with his job and is now living at home), are mighty expensive.
Anyway, back to the subject. Despite Geeks numbers, I know the coaches in this part of the country worry about the lower numbers of kids in general, and not just that, but that the more talented athletes are going to other sports. However, the upcoming Olympics always boosts the numbers in sports like swimming and gymnastics, so this year there will be a boost in numbers.
What I do see is a big increase in summer rec swimming around here. That short 3 month light hearted atmosphere is appealing. You can always get a small percentage of these kids to at least try year round swimming.
