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
In fact, in our modern age, your education won't turn on an athletic scholarship.
Consider one such Division I school that is competitive in many sports (though its swimming teams perform in line with its appallingly bad football teams). This school admits freshman classes of about 1,600 and this spring is likely to reject more than half of the 1,600 applicants who had combined SAT scores (math plus critical reasoning) of more than 1,500 – just as it’s likely to reject about two-thirds of those who will graduate as their high schools’ valedictorians. Instead, its admissions office will send “fat envelops” to kids who are well rounded: these kids have great scores and grades but also are accomplished in something else like swimming. Once admitted, the school's decision on financial aid is based solely on financial need.
Hmmm.... Sounds somewhat like my alma mater (although the SATS have changed and are no longer "math and critical reasoning": they're math, verbal and an essay and I believe the combined score has changed as well as a result of adding essays). I'm not sure I agree about the desirability of being "well rounded" as the most desirable criteria for college admission. From the people in admissions that I know, they are now looking for the angular, not well rounded student. So they would rather see someone be kick ass at something (sports, piano, debate, dance, whatever) and amazing at academics than someone who joined every club, participated in every activity, padded their resume, etc. But you certainly need more than good grades nowadays.
I know some really good swimmers at DIII schools having great swimming careers and doing well academically. Perfectly fine way to go.
In fact, in our modern age, your education won't turn on an athletic scholarship.
Consider one such Division I school that is competitive in many sports (though its swimming teams perform in line with its appallingly bad football teams). This school admits freshman classes of about 1,600 and this spring is likely to reject more than half of the 1,600 applicants who had combined SAT scores (math plus critical reasoning) of more than 1,500 – just as it’s likely to reject about two-thirds of those who will graduate as their high schools’ valedictorians. Instead, its admissions office will send “fat envelops” to kids who are well rounded: these kids have great scores and grades but also are accomplished in something else like swimming. Once admitted, the school's decision on financial aid is based solely on financial need.
Hmmm.... Sounds somewhat like my alma mater (although the SATS have changed and are no longer "math and critical reasoning": they're math, verbal and an essay and I believe the combined score has changed as well as a result of adding essays). I'm not sure I agree about the desirability of being "well rounded" as the most desirable criteria for college admission. From the people in admissions that I know, they are now looking for the angular, not well rounded student. So they would rather see someone be kick ass at something (sports, piano, debate, dance, whatever) and amazing at academics than someone who joined every club, participated in every activity, padded their resume, etc. But you certainly need more than good grades nowadays.
I know some really good swimmers at DIII schools having great swimming careers and doing well academically. Perfectly fine way to go.
