How many guys from other countries does it take to win a National Championship?
Good thing they all attended classes on campus the entire year..... :-)
Makes everyone feel proud to see the American Record holder on the 4th place podium.
If there truly is an organization being formed by the ASCA, CSCAA & USA Swimming to work on this effort can they truly avoid a discussion about the impact of allowing the limited (and declining) resources and opportunities to swim at the college level to be spent on training other countries athletes?
I can't imagine these 3 organizations will make any significant progress. The one missing organization is the NCAA and they are not going to allow a restriction on foreign athletes. Maybe USA Swimming can fund scholarships designated for U.S. athletes and that will help. Perhaps, you might get some coaches to be a bit more patriotic in their recruiting, but at best it will be a voluntary thing.
The coaches should get a rule change on the online courses and off-site training. However, Chris is right that the rule change should be broad enough to apply to any NCAA athlete, not just foreigners. I still think Division II is the place for U.S. bubble swimmers. Division I is a hopeless place for anything other than elite swimmers with its general fixation on football and basketball budgets.
Tim
If there truly is an organization being formed by the ASCA, CSCAA & USA Swimming to work on this effort can they truly avoid a discussion about the impact of allowing the limited (and declining) resources and opportunities to swim at the college level to be spent on training other countries athletes?
I can't imagine these 3 organizations will make any significant progress. The one missing organization is the NCAA and they are not going to allow a restriction on foreign athletes. Maybe USA Swimming can fund scholarships designated for U.S. athletes and that will help. Perhaps, you might get some coaches to be a bit more patriotic in their recruiting, but at best it will be a voluntary thing.
The coaches should get a rule change on the online courses and off-site training. However, Chris is right that the rule change should be broad enough to apply to any NCAA athlete, not just foreigners. I still think Division II is the place for U.S. bubble swimmers. Division I is a hopeless place for anything other than elite swimmers with its general fixation on football and basketball budgets.
Tim
