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
I think the title of this thread overstates the problem. I read Aquageek's numbers and wonder what the fuss is all about. My own eyeballs here in Central Texas say more girls than boys swim both USS and high school. But is the boy's participation up or down? I can't tell. I think it seems down because there are always so many more heats of girls.
I think the entire sport of swimming still has a problem. Swimming is not respected enough - male or female. Boy swimmers get teased in high school more than girls do - because those doing the teasing (football players for example) have no idea how hard swimming is. My two boys proudly wear shirts that say "If swimming were easy they'd call it football."
I think high school swimming is not appreciated enough. My oldest son derives far more pleasure from high school swimming than USA swimming. USA swimming can be terribly boring and mindless. The largest team in Austin is a training machine. Its head coach generally frowns upon high school swimming. If his kids don't swim for a high school that excuses their swimmers from practice - he doesn't "let them" swim high school. We use to swim for that team but changed several years ago.
Unfortunately many high school coaches are a joke. (but then again so are many USS coaches).
I will say that my boys appreciate what swimming has done for their bodies. They are ripped, lean, and girls look at them. They like that. Part of the marketing for swimming should stress the physical fitness advantages of a 5% body fat swimmer vs. a strong but 20% BF football player. Emphasize how much of a warrior the elite swimmer is.
I think the title of this thread overstates the problem. I read Aquageek's numbers and wonder what the fuss is all about. My own eyeballs here in Central Texas say more girls than boys swim both USS and high school. But is the boy's participation up or down? I can't tell. I think it seems down because there are always so many more heats of girls.
I think the entire sport of swimming still has a problem. Swimming is not respected enough - male or female. Boy swimmers get teased in high school more than girls do - because those doing the teasing (football players for example) have no idea how hard swimming is. My two boys proudly wear shirts that say "If swimming were easy they'd call it football."
I think high school swimming is not appreciated enough. My oldest son derives far more pleasure from high school swimming than USA swimming. USA swimming can be terribly boring and mindless. The largest team in Austin is a training machine. Its head coach generally frowns upon high school swimming. If his kids don't swim for a high school that excuses their swimmers from practice - he doesn't "let them" swim high school. We use to swim for that team but changed several years ago.
Unfortunately many high school coaches are a joke. (but then again so are many USS coaches).
I will say that my boys appreciate what swimming has done for their bodies. They are ripped, lean, and girls look at them. They like that. Part of the marketing for swimming should stress the physical fitness advantages of a 5% body fat swimmer vs. a strong but 20% BF football player. Emphasize how much of a warrior the elite swimmer is.
