By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

The YMCA of Central Florida– which runs facilities with 26 different pools – will not resume its competitive aquatics programs as the YMCA returns from closure during the coronavirus pandemic.

The YMCA confirmed the news this week, noting that aquatics facilities will remain in operation, but competitive aquatics programs will not. The YMCA of Central Florida offered swim teams at 11 different sites, along with water polo at 5 sites and synchronized swimming at one site.

The YMCA of Central Florida‘s statement is below:

The YMCA, like many non-profit organizations, is experiencing significant operational and financial challenges due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the prolonged projection for a full recovery. As a result, the Y determined it does not have the capacity at this time to safely reopen and financially sustain YCF aquatic programs with the level of quality they require. Therefore, the difficult decision was announced today that Y will not resume YCF aquatic programs for the foreseeable future. We encourage our competitive level athletes to explore other program options outside of YCF and welcome all Y members to continue using the pools at any of our reopened YMCA locations. To learn more about how you can help support the life-changing work of Y, please visit ymcacf.org/give.

The YMCA of Central Florida website lists 23 different locations for either YMCA facilities, early-childhood learning centers, residential camps or program locations. The site also touts 26 aquatics facilities including two Olympic-sized pools.

This spring, YMCA Short Course Nationals were one of the first major U.S. swimming events canceled by the novel-2019 coronavirus. Not long after, the YMCA canceled Long Course Nationals, which were to take place in July and August.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: YMCA of Central Florida Won’t Resume Aquatics Programs

By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

The National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) has released its All-America lists for high school swimmers in the 2019-2020 school year.

You can see the full high school All-America lists here

NISCA compiles the All-America lists each year. A few of the rules for selection:

• The lists only include swimmers between 9th and 12th grade.
• Swimmers must be on a school swim team and scholastically eligible to compete.
• The lists are compiled based on times swum during high school swim seasons and submitted by programs during the application window from November 1 through June 15.
• Athletes must hit All-America standards to be considered: those hitting “automatic” All-America times earn All-America status immediately. Those hitting “consideration” times earn All-America status if they rank within the top 100 of eligible, submitted times in that event.

The lists typically compile the top 100 times in each event – but this year, a number of events don’t have 100 names. That’s likely owing to faster “consideration” times and the cancellation of high school sports seasons in multiple states due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The lists include national high school record-holders Matt Brownstead (50 free), Claire Curzan (100 fly), Torri Huske (100 fly), Phoebe Bacon (100 back), Kaitlyn Dobler (100 breast) and Gretchen Walsh (50 free/100 free).

Three swimmers head up two different events apiece: Walsh (50/100 free), Bacon (200 IM/100 back), and Jake Mitchell (200/500 free). By state, Indiana leads 6 of 22 total events. Tennessee leads 4 events and Pennsylvania 3.

Notably absent are the #1-ranked recruits in both the girls and boys senior classes. Regan Smith didn’t compete in Minnesota’s high school season, and Carson Foster didn’t compete in Ohio’s high school season. #2-ranked boys recruit Luca Urlando is also absent – his high school season was canceled during the coronavirus pandemic.

Here are the list leaders in each event:

Girls:

• 200 free: Lillie Nordmann (TX) – 1:43.62
• 200 IM: Phoebe Bacon (MD) – 1:55.39
• 50 free: Gretchen Walsh (TN) – 21.59
• 100 fly: Claire Curzan (NC) – 50.35
• 100 free: Gretchen Walsh (TN) – 46.98
• 500 free: Emma Weyant (FL) – 4:40.85
• 100 back: Phoebe Bacon (MD) – 50.89
• 100 breast: Kaitlyn Dobler (OR) – 58.35
• 200 medley relay: Harpeth Hall (TN) – 1:40.02
• 200 free relay: Carmel High (IN) – 1:32.61
• 400 free relay: Harpeth Hall (TN) – 3:20.81

Boys:

• 200 free: Jake Mitchell (IN) – 1:34.05
• 200 IM: Rick Mihm (PA) – 1:43.98
• 50 free: Matt Brownstead (PA) – 19.24
• 100 fly: Matthew Jensen (PA) – 46.58
• 100 free: Sam Hoover (NC) – 43.10
• 500 free: Jake Mitchell (IN) – 4:14.68
• 100 back: Wyatt Davis (IN) – 45.80
• 100 breast: Ethan Dang (WA) – 52.76
• 200 medley relay: Carmel High (IN) – 1:27.94
• 200 free relay: St. Xavier High (OH) – 1:20.86
• 400 free relay: Carmel High (IN) – 2:56.36

For the first time, NISCA has also released Para Swimming All-America lists. You can see those lists and more below:

• Para Swimming All-America lists
• Diving All-America lists
• Water polo All-America lists
• Academic All-America lists
• Scholar Team Awards (Swimming, Diving, Water Polo)

Read the full story on SwimSwam: NISCA Announces 2019-2020 High School All-Americans In Swimming

By Torrey Hart on SwimSwam

In light of some universities’ decision to hold classes primarily – or entirely – online this fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Monday that international students cannot remain in the U.S. if they take a fully online course load.

According to ICE, students facing fully-online semesters must leave the country or transfer to a school with in-person classes.

“Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States. Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.”

International students may have “hybrid” (mixture of in-person and online) semesters, but schools have to certify them to the U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). If a school begins the semester with classes on campus but has to switch to being entirely online, the same rules apply and schools have 10 days to alert the SEVP of the change.

The move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration push for the nation to reopen in spite of the pandemic. Trump tweeted Monday: “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!!”

Harvard and Princeton announced Monday that they will only invite students back to campus in groups segmented throughout the academic year. At Harvard, up to 40% of the undergrad population will be allowed on campus at once, with all freshmen coming in the fall and all seniors on-campus in the spring – that means that seniors are looking at an all-online schedule in the fall. At Princeton, freshmen and juniors will be allowed on campus in the fall, while sophomores and seniors will be there in the spring.

Last week, USC announced that it would move undergraduate instruction primarily online for the fall, save labs, studios, research courses, and selected others requiring in-person meetings; UCLA is taking a similar approach. The California State system announced in May that its campuses will remain closed for the fall semester.

It’s not clear at this time exactly what the new ICE rules mean for international collegiate athletes training at and attending American universities. There are other visa options besides F-1 and M-1 specifically designed for athletes to train in the US, but those visas sometimes offer restrictions on competing in collegiate athletics.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: ICE: Foreign Students Cannot Attend Online-Only School From the US This Fall

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Dual citizen Ali Galyer, who in 2018 declared for New Zealand as her sporting citizenship, will move to her adopted country to continue training toward the 2021 Olympic Games. Galyer flew to New Zealand on Monday.

Galyer was born in Brisbane, Australia and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. She has New Zealand heritage through her father Roy who was born in Matamata and grew up in Te Puke and Tauranga. Galyer’s mother was born in Canada and is an Australian Citizen.

She will train at the Coast Swim Club in Auckland, New Zealand under head coach Michael Weston. Among others who train there is Helena Gasson. She shared the country’s domestic Swimmer of the Year award last season after breaking 7 National Records in butterfly and IM events.

Eve Thomas also represents the club in domestic competition, though she trains in Australia.

Galyer represented New Zealand last summer in both the 100 and 200 meter backstrokes. In the 100 back, she finished 30th in a time of 1:01.53, while in her specialty, the 200 back, she qualified for the semi-finals and placed 12th overall in 2:10.19. Her best time in that event is 2:09.77, which ranked her just outside of the top 25 in the world in 2018.

Galyer completed her collegiate career at the University of Kentucky in the spring, where she scored 80 points at the SEC Championships – a meet that wound up being the final one of her collegiate career after the NCAA Championships were canceled.

In early June, New Zealand declared ‘victory’ in the battle against the coronavirus, with life having essentially returned to normal there, at least domestically. New Zealand registered 1,534 coronavirus cases nationally with 22 deaths as of Monday, with no deaths reported since late May and only occasional new cases. Kentucky, meanwhile, has recorded almost 17,000 cases of the coronavirus and 615 deaths with a smaller population than New Zealand. While Kentucky has seen a slight uptick in new cases over the last few weeks, the climb has not been anywhere near as dramatic as other states.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Ali Galyer Will Move to New Zealand to Continue Training for Tokyo Olympics

By Torrey Hart on SwimSwam

The Ivy League is likely to push the upcoming football season to the spring of 2021, The Athletic reported Monday.

On Wednesday, the conference is expected to officially announce a plan to push all fall sports to the spring semester, with implications of the decision potentially having a widespread impact. Recall, though it seems like a lifetime ago, that the Ivy League was the first to cancel its men’s basketball postseason tournament in March, with top conferences – like the Pac-12 – following suit shortly thereafter.

NCAA Division I Fall Sports:

• Men’s & Women’s Cross Country
• Women’s Field Hockey
• Men’s Football
• Men’s and Women’s Soccer
• Women’s Volleyball
• Men’s Water Polo

The league also canceled all spring sports on March 11 and left it up to schools to determine if they would attend remaining winter sports championships, including in swimming, before those events were also canceled.

The Ivy League competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) of college football, formerly known as 1-AA. No Ivy League teams qualified for the FCS football playoffs last season.

“My suspicion is that the majority of presidents in the FBS are uncomfortable with the notion of playing football this fall but for various reasons don’t want to be the first to step out and say that,” one Power 5 administrator told The Athletic. “So, more than anything else, that decision provides the cover they need. I expect it’ll be a big domino.”

Harvard and Princeton announced Monday that they will only invite students back to campus in groups segmented throughout the academic year. At Harvard, up to 40% of the undergrad population will be allowed on campus at once, with all freshmen coming in the fall and all seniors on-campus in the spring. Regardless of where students are based, however, they will take classes entirely online. At Princeton, freshmen and juniors will be allowed on campus in the fall, while sophomores and seniors will be there in the spring.

Swimming’s most notable Ivy League attendee, Dean Farris, told SwimSwam in May that he planned to return to school next year following a would-be Olympic redshirt season.

Around the nation, additional schools are slowly releasing their plans for the fall. Some are opting for hybrid (part online, part in-person) formats, or to host classes entirely online. However, a new wrinkle has emerged from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s announcement Monday that international students can’t remain in the U.S. if their fall semesters are entirely online.

Last week, USC announced that it would move undergraduate instruction primarily online for the fall, save labs, studios, research courses, and selected others requiring in-person meetings; UCLA is taking a similar approach. The California State system announced in May that most of its campuses will remain closed for the fall semester.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Report: Ivy League Expected to Push All Fall Sports to Spring 2021

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

For the past few months, SwimSwam has been posting a daily swimming workout to help inspire swim coaches around the world who are looking for new ideas to try with their swimmers. Since most of the world’s pools are currently closed for business, we wanted to give swimmers and coaches an alternative set of dryland workouts to use to stay fit during the quarantine. These workouts will be designed to be done around the house. Some will use basic equipment, like medicine balls or stretch cords, while others will be all body-weight exercises.

These workouts are provided for informational purposes only.

See more at-home training ideas on our At Home Swim Training page here

CORE DAY

As swimmers around the world are preparing for a gradual return to the pool, it’s time to start honing in our dryland workouts with some moves more specific to swimming (though, general fitness will continue to benefit you even once you are back in the water). Today’s workout will be a mix of core work and cardio.

WARMUP

• 5-10 minutes of whole body stretching
• 30 seconds arm circles
• 30 seconds leg swings
• 30 seconds jumping jacks

WORKOUT:

Today’s workout is going to consist of both cardio and core work, with the purpose being to complete core work while tired and out of breath.

• 60 seconds plank
• 60 seconds jump rope
• 15 leg lifts
• 60 seconds jumping jacks
• 45 seconds flutter kicks
• 20 crunches
• 60 seconds high knees
• 45 seconds russian twists
• 60 seconds jog in place

60 seconds rest

Repeat workout 2-3 more times, with 60 seconds rest between each round.

COOLDOWN:

Remember to get some protein within 30 minutes of concluding the workout, and remember to drink plenty of water.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Daily Dryland Swimming Workouts #106 – Core with an Elevated Heart Rate

By SwimSwam Partner Content on SwimSwam

Courtesy of Gary Hall Sr., 10-time World Record Holder, 3-time Olympian, 1976 Olympic Games US Flagbearer and The Race Club co-founder.

The Propulsion Phase-Front Quadrant

The following is an excerpt from our forthcoming book, Fundamentals of Fast Swimming.

As we observe the path of the swimmer’s hand from the side, with the swimmer moving from left to right, the hand continues along the perimeter of the two-foot clock face going from 3 o’clock toward 6 o’clock. Now, the swimmer’s hand is moving backward (and some downward) relative to the still water and begins generating propulsion. During the early (front quadrant) part of the propulsion phase, the hand and the forearm move backward relative to still water, while the upper arm continues moving forward. There is absolutely no contribution to propulsion coming from the upper arm in the front quadrant. Rather, the upper arm is a source of frontal drag during this phase.

Gary Sr. finishes the front quadrant propulsive phase in .21 seconds and moves into the back quadrant. Photo: The Race Club.

Zane Grothe is in the front quadrant phase of his right arm pulling motion. Notice the very high elbow to reduce frontal drag from the upper arm (VM technology). Photo: The Race Club.

During the early propulsion, it is correct to think of the hand and forearm as being a single unit, connected by a stiffened wrist. However, there is a widely held belief among swimmers and coaches that in this early propulsion phase, the forearm is responsible for as much or more of the propulsion as the swimmer’s hand. That is not true. While we are not able to measure the propulsion coming directly from the forearm during the pull, there are three very good reasons why we believe that the hand contributes the large majority of propulsion from the pulling arm.

First, the hand is a relatively flat surface. While the forearm may be long and may have more surface area than the hand, it is rounded in shape. In fluid mechanics, the shape of the object is more important than the surface area in determining drag force. The flow of water around a flat surface will produce much more frontal drag than the flow around a rounded surface. To generate the most propulsion, we want to maximize the drag force of the hand and arm moving backward to generate more speed of the body moving forward. Newton’s third law of motion states that the swimmer’s hand pushes backward against the water with the same force that the water pushes against the swimmer’s hand. This results in the swimmer moving forward. One action will result in a reaction. This is a perfect example of Newton’s third law.

Second, the hand is moving backward in the water at a greater speed than the forearm. The propulsive drag force is principally related to the type of surface (flat vs rounded), the total surface area and the speed at which that surface moves backward. The hand moves a farther distance backward under water than any other part of the arm in the same amount of time.

Third, and perhaps the most convincing, if you have ever tried swimming with your fists closed, you will find that the amount of propulsion generated from the pulling arm is greatly diminished. Even then, you are not eliminating the hand completely. You are simply making it smaller. Yet, with the same sized forearm moving at the same speed backward, the amount of propulsion a swimmer can generate from the small, tight-fisted hand is small. The full, flattened hand, with fingers and thumb slightly separated, is where most of the pulling propulsion comes from.

The swimmer’s shoulder represents the boundary between the front quadrant and the back quadrant. When the pulling hand is in front of the shoulder, it is in the front quadrant. Once it passes the shoulder on its way backward, it enters the back quadrant. Since the hand does not enter the propulsion phase until it is about 1 – 1.5 feet in front of the swimmer’s shoulder, the hand spends very little time in the propulsion phase while it is in the front quadrant (approximately .15-.21 seconds). Yet, it is an important phase.

Before we had Pressure Meter technology (PM from AP Labs Italy) that measures pressure (force/unit area) on the hand, we engaged in several debates with coaches over where the pulling hand generated the most propulsion—front quadrant vs back quadrant. From a biomechanical perspective, it would seem that the maximum force should be generated as the hand is somewhere near the shoulder on its way back. It turns out, the maximum force of the pulling hand can occur in either quadrant, or right at the shoulder, depending on where the swimmer puts more effort and how well the swimmer utilizes two important coupling motions of the body, shoulder rotation and hip rotation. In other words, it also depends on the freestyle technique being used.

These two rotational motions of the body have a profound influence on the propulsion of the pulling hand. They occur at different times. The peak shoulder rotational speed typically occurs when the hand is in the front quadrant, at, or just past the shoulder, depending on what freestyle technique is being used. The hip rotation occurs about .2-.3 seconds later when the pulling hand is nearing or is at the end of the back-quadrant phase and during the release phase. Whether you consider that the hip rotation occurs first or second depends on whether you are measuring from the start of the underwater pull or from the start of the arm recovery. Either way, it is important to recognize that these two parts of the body rotation do not occur simultaneously.

If the swimmer is rotating more aggressively with the shoulders, but maintaining a more stable hip position, we will find the greatest pulling propulsion occurring in the front quadrant or near the shoulders. If the swimmer pushes the hand hard out the back and rotates the hip aggressively, we can find the peak hand pressure or force occurring toward the end of the pulling propulsion phase or even in the release phase. The three different techniques of freestyle, shoulder-driven, hip-driven and hybrid, all result in different locations of maximum pulling force. 

Finally, we would like to clarify one other point. We often hear coaches speak about swimmers finding ‘clean water’ with the pulling hand. To us, this implies that a swimmer somehow needs to move his hands from side to side, to get away from swirling water, to maximize pulling propulsion. 

As the hand moves backward in the water, since water is incompressible, the water on the palm side of the hand is motionless until the hand reaches it. Then it must flow around that surface, forming a vortex behind it. The swirling vortex on the back side of the hand results in a small slipstream behind the hand, but not in front of it. Because the hand is a less-streamlined shaped object than the forearm, a larger vortex will be formed behind it. The pressure difference between the palm side and the back side of the hand or forearm is what determines the amount of propulsion. Since force is a vector, which has magnitude and direction, we want the direction of the force vector to remain as straight backward as possible during the pulling motion. Any in-sweeping, out-sweeping or sideways motion of the hand, which is typical of the S-shaped pulling motion that some swimmers use, will simply result in less magnitude of force pressing backward.

Distance freestyler Zane Grothe (left),uses a high-elbow pull with less propulsion and less frontal drag, while sprinter Margo Geer (right) pulls deeper with more propulsion and more frontal drag. Photo: The Race Club.

Once the hand passes the shoulder, or the 6 o’clock position on the perimeter of the clock, it enters the back quadrant and must take a little detour to keep pressing backward. In the next article, we will explain why.

Yours in swimming,

Gary Sr.

Gary Hall, Sr., Technical Director and Head Coach of The Race Club (courtesy of TRC)

Like The Race Club on Facebook

Follow The Race Club on Instagram

Follow The Race Club on Twitter

Connect to The Race Club / Gary Hall Sr. on Linkedin

INFO@THERACECLUB.COM

See The Race Club HQ here.

THE RACE CLUB

Because Life is Worth Swimming, our mission is to promote swimming through sport, lifelong enjoyment, and good health benefits. Our objective is for each member of and each participant in The Race Club to improve his or her swimming performances, health, and self-esteem through our educational programs, services and creativity. We strive to help each member of The Race Club overcome challenges and reach his or her individual life goals.

The Race Club provides facilities, coaching, training, technical instruction, video, fitness and health programs for swimmers of all ages and abilities. Race Club swim camps are designed and tailored to satisfy each swimmer’s needs, whether one is trying to reach the Olympic Games or simply improve one’s fitness. Our programs are suitable for beginner swimmers, pleasure swimmers, fitness swimmers, USA swimming or YMCA swimmers, or triathletes; anyone who wants to improve swimming skills. All of our Race Club members share an enjoyment of being in the water and use swimming to stimulate a more active mind and body.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Six Phases of the Freestyle Pulling Cycle: The Propulsion Phase

By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam

Courtesy: Celina German

In late May, I scrolled through my Instagram to see Speedo USA’s new hashtag #SwimOn. I, a loyal swimmer for many years, struggle with the right re-entry protocol to practices and pools. I became weary that the hashtag #SwimOn was a literal translation, meaning swim onward despite the challenge. However, 15 to 18-year-olds were teaching 21-year-old me that #SwimOn is more than just the verb. Athletes replied that the hashtag is about the community coming together, motivation, and hope of returning to swimming practice one day. Now, in my mind, #SwimOn is to Endure On, to feel like you might be swimming upstream, but you are still kicking. From this mental exercise, I wish to explore the broader implications that swimming has taught me. I believe specific swimming experiences are intertwined with universal teachings that we all can learn from. I present you a laundry list of swimming-life lessons, metaphors, and anecdotes from a person who patiently awaits whatever her last year of collegiate swimming will bring.

1. Poorly Executed Streamlines do not Predict Slow Finishes

From one false starter to another, I assure you that I am no good at standing still on the blocks before the whistle is blown. I was infamously known on my club team as “the one who got a qualifying cut yet false-started.” For those who don’t know, false starting can be called if the swimmer excessively moves their feet on the block before the race. Because of my age-group wiggliness, I created a fear infused habit. I banked on my fast-twitch muscles to get me off the block even if I did wait a little longer to ensure never getting disqualified again. It was a long battle back to trusting myself that I could stay calm but react quickly after the whistle. I remember my 2017 senior state 50 free prelim race. It had been years since I false-started. I got on the block, waiting to hear the official. With loud heats of people behind me, I listened for my turn to pounce. The whistle was a faint whisper. I saw my competitors diving in before the official blew again the whistle, this time louder. I dove in with such a strong drive to win that, at the turn, I barely had anyone in front of me. I dug at the water and ended up in first with no one, not even the official, expecting me to shine.

If you haven’t already, you will experience times when you have no one expecting you to accomplish anything. Like a parent returning for a degree or a seventh-grader advancing to a high school algebra class, feeling behind at the start, sometimes, gives us renewed interest to get ahead. Especially now, my fellow swimmers might feel behind on training, don’t cap your hopes and dreams simply because no one has gone through this before.

2. Missing your Event Happens

I still remember my first event that I missed. Heat 3 of Girls 11-12 100 Fly was quickly coming up, and I was goofing around with my best friend without a care in the world. I was walking away from the bleachers and saw the scoreboard. That’s when I tripped over my own jaw. I was so embarrassed that I froze, avoided my coach for another fifteen minutes, and paced frantically trying to solve the insolvable. My coach came up to me eventually, still a little vexed. However, he was nowhere as worried as me. He just reminded me of my next race. Since then, before most meets, I’ll unwillingly dream about something going horribly awry at the meet. I might accidentally miss an event, wear the wrong suit, etc. I often wake up chuckling the next morning, knowing that any night terrors can’t faze me anymore. There will always be another race. I assure you.

I will bet all the pennies in my house that we all, the collective readers of this article, have in this quarantine either missed or were extremely late to a zoom meeting, heck, maybe even a work-related one. I used to sweat the little stuff at the beginning too. I also kept dwelling on all the “events” (summer trips, study abroad experiences, birthday parties, meets) I am currently missing. If you still feel that way, find solace in the future that awaits you with open arms. Embrace your upcoming events and #SwimOn.

3. You Will Make the Most Unexpected Friends at Swim Meets

I’ve had my fair share of Zones, IHSAAs, Sectionals, and other championships that afford swimmers from multiple states to convene and race together. I probably at one time, in my uninformed childhood days, thought that the whole United States was composed of my beloved home state of Indiana because I couldn’t imagine a bigger world. At one of my first summer Zones meets, I met some swimmers from Ohio. Could you even imagine how excited I was to hear someone lived outside of the state of Indiana?! It was mind-boggling. We swam in the same warmup lane, owned the same goggles, heard about Justin Bieber’s new movie, and just got along! It made me really happy seeing both of our separate worlds of swimming collide on that hot sunny day in August.

We live right now in such a politically, socially, economically diverse time, where people can make a playlist of the news, tv, and media they want to watch and engage with. Globalization doesn’t require us to come across the same news article or video unless it is viral. At times, life and its people can feel so polarized. When it feels like there is no common ground, think of me and my first Ohio friend, who was different yet similar to me. Without swimming, I wouldn’t have met her. Search for and uncover your similarities with people you might not expect.

4. Swimming is as Much About What Happens Outside the Pool as it is About What Happens in the Pool

I once had an employer ask me when will their kids “like” swimming. I asked them to define what it means to enjoy the sport. They said, “You know, enjoy it enough to attend practice and eventually swim fast.” I thought back to when I started liking swimming and when I began swimming “fast.” I concurred that the day I started enjoying swimming was when I fell in love with the time outside of swimming. That utterly confused him. However, my fellow swimmers out there, don’t you agree that all the tik-tok dances you practice on deck before diving in, or the carpool talks when you’re going home, or your summer adventures in between double practices make the sport worthwhile? Don’t get me wrong. I love hard work as much as the next high-achieving athlete. I just knew that when I was having fun and enjoying life, I believed in my strengths and raced with more heart.

Reading the fourth bullet point out loud amidst a pandemic seems ironic and a tad comical. I can assure you that, in all my days in quarantine, there has not been one day I woke up and said, “Ah, yes. This feels like swimming.” Because it doesn’t. Right now, if you haven’t gotten the approval to return, swimming feels like it has everything to do with a pool, a scoreboard, a loud coach, and lane lines. I challenge you to remind yourself that your teammates have a storm of swim memories, waiting to be relived with you. Relive them. Why do people watch reruns if there are new movies in theaters? Some classics just remain our favorites. Let those classics (your teammates, memories, swim jokes) remain your favorites until you make new ones.

5. The Washed-up Alum Remains Both the Olympic Wannabe and the Competitive Age Grouper.

As I enter my last year at Kenyon College, even before COVID-19 became the theme of 2020, I knew senior year would be uncharted waters. I am not sure if it’s just me, but when I go to a new pool, new championship, or new team, I feel I am entering alone, void of my previous experiences, achievements, and identities. Part of me believes that I act this way because of the saying, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” I always felt it demands that we reinvent ourselves at every turn. Famous example: you qualify for NCAAs, but you get to the pool and are unsure of yourself and your caliber.

While most of the world is going through their first pandemic, you might be questioning if your ship can conquer these uncharted waters. When you return to your work, will you feel like the same employee equipped for your job? When I return to collegiate athletics, will I feel like the same swimmer that can qualify for nationals? To be honest, I don’t know. What is based in fact, however, is that I once wanted to be an Olympic swimmer. I also somehow swam fast enough in age group that I podium-ed quite a bit. These accomplishments never can be taken away from me. While I don’t like seeing my reflection in old trophies or staring at the colorful layers of ribbons of yesteryear, I have been leaning into my past successes. Thinking of previous moments of success makes me believe that I’m equipped to get through this adverse moment too. We remain the same people we were before COVID-19, just now with more experience. With that, I remind you all to #SwimOn.

ABOUT CELINA GERMAN

Born and raised in Bloomington, Ind., Celina German has been swimming since she was five, visiting her local outdoor pool. After those summers, there was no turning back! Celina continued on to represent Counsilman Center Indiana Swim Team, Team Indiana, and Fishers Area Swim Tigers. In 2017, she matriculated into Kenyon College, after being recruited to swim. Now, she is a rising senior, majoring in History and concentrating in Women’s and Gender Studies. Learning to navigate the fluctuating course of collegiate athletics and rigorous academics is probably one of her favorite challenges! She loves pulling from every skillset possible to establish her sea legs. Celina plans on applying for graduate school in African American studies and pursuing a career in publishing. It is highly probable she will join masters swimming! 

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Swim Advice For Non-Swimming Moments: Reflections From A Forthcoming Swammer

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Hungary’s Fanni Fabian has verbally committed to the Cal Golden bears for fall 2021. Fabian attends Base High School and Elementary School of the University of Szeged and trains with Swimming Club Szeged.

TOP TIMES (LCM / SCY conv.)

• 100 free – 56.54 / 50.10
• 200 free – 1:59.37 / 1:45.48
• 400 free – 4:13.17 / 4:43.65
• 100 fly – 1:03.44 / 56.34
• 200 fly – 2:09.94 / 1:55.63
• 200 IM – 2:19.47 / 2:01.93
• 400 IM – 4:49.57 / 4:15.53

Fabian was the 200 fly silver medalist at the 2019 European Summer Juniors, where she was fifth in the 200 free and swam on Hungary’s 400 free relay, 800 free relay and mixed 400 free relay. She also placed fifth in the 200 free at the 2018 European Summer Juniors.

At the 2019 World Junior Champs, Fabian placed fourth in the 200 fly and fifth in the 200 free.

Fabian brings in fantastic mid-distance free speed, similar to a Robin Neumann type (rising Cal senior). Her 200 fly is also very impressive and probably her top event, while she has potential, too, in the IM (especially the 400). All of Fabian’s top times come from 2019, save for the 100 fly, which is from 2018.

Cal just graduated the fastest 50-yard freestyler in history, Abbey Weitzeil, who is also one of the best 100 and 200 freestylers in history, too. Neumann returns as the top 200 freestyler (1:44.0) and the #2 100 freestyler (48.4) and #2 500 freestyler (4:39.2), while rising junior Isabel Ivey (47.8 last season) and rising sophomore Ayla Spitz (4:39.2 last season) are the top returners in the 100 and 500, respectively. Rachel Klinker, also a rising sophomore, is another mid-distance standout returner for the Bears; she was 1:45.4/4:42.7 in the 200/500 last year, and she also clocked a 1:53.8 to lead the program in the 200 fly.

With her converted times, Fabian would’ve been invited to the 2020 NCAA Champs in the 200 fly, while she would’ve been just within reach of a 200 free invite. She would’ve been Cal’s #2 200 butterflier and their #5 200 freestyler last year.

In Cal’s class of 2025, one of the largest in recent memory, Fabian joins Alicia Henry, Annika McEnroe, Elizabeth Cook, Ella Mazurek, Jessica Davis, Lea Polonsky, McKenna Stone, Melanie Julia, Mia Kragh, Shelby Suppiger, and Stephanie Akakabota.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour 

Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.

FFT SOCIAL

Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster

^{FFT is a SwimSwam partner.}

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Euro Summer Juniors Silver Medalist Fanni Fabian of Hungary Picks Cal

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

SEC runner-up Liam Bell has decided to stay at Alabama after entering the NCAA transfer portal in mid-March, multiple people close to the situation have confirmed to SwimSwam.

In his rookie season, Bell finished 2nd at the SEC Championship in the 100 breaststroke and 4th in the 200 breaststroke. In total, he scored 63 individual points for the Crimson Tide, which made him their 4th-best scorer en route to a 4th-place finish overall at the meet.

Under first-year head coach Coley Stickels, Alabama had a very young core to their program last season. While their top scorer, and 50 back World Champion, Zane Waddell exhausted his eligibility, the team’s next 9-best scorers at the SEC Championships were all underclassmen, most of them freshmen and sophomores.

In his first season at Alabama, he dropped 8-tenths of a second in the 100 breaststroke and almost 4-and-a-half seconds in the 200 breaststroke. While the NCAA Championship meet was ultimately canceled because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Bell was seeded 6th in the 100 breaststroke and 16th in the 200 breaststroke going into that meet. He was also entered to swim the 200 IM.

TOP TIMES PRE-COLLEGE

• 50 free – 20.29
• 100 free – 44.18
• 200 free – 1:39.73
• 100 breast – 52.21
• 200 breast – 1:57.30
• 100 fly – 48.78
• 200 IM – 1:48.85

LIFETIME BESTS WHILE AT ALABAMA

• 100 breast – 51.39
• 200 breast – 1:52.93
• 200 IM – 1:44.35

While many programs have internal policies about athletes being removed from team activities when they enter the transfer portal, entering the portal does not require an athlete to transfer. The tool was developed originally as a digital compliance tool to help compliance administrators manage the transfer process from start to finish.

The system was developed for the 2018-2019 academic year, when the NCAA moved to a “notification-of-transfer” model, where student-athletes must be placed in the portal within 2 business days of a request to enter the portal. This deviated from a prior model, where student-athletes had to request permission from their coach, and then an increasingly-senior group of administrators, for permission to contact other coaches. Without that permission, student-athletes were unable to be offered athletics aid at the new school.

This, in addition to having to send paperwork to each school the student-athlete eventually contacted, created an administrative burden and inefficiency that the portal was designed to reduce.

Schools can reduce or stop giving athletics aid at the end of a term where a request was made to enter a transfer portal; once a student-athlete has withdrawn from the portal, schools can also add them back to their roster and restore athletics aid, if they choose to.

Bell is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, where he attended Druid Hills High School. In high school, he was the youngest male swimmer to qualify for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, and was the 2019 US Junior National Champion in the 100 meter breaststroke.

Last summer, before beginning competition for Alabama, Bell was the 20th-ranked American in the 100 breaststroke in long course with a 1:01.19.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SEC Runner-Up Liam Bell Decides to Stay at ‘Bama after Entering Transfer Portal

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic nationally and globally has changed the way we think about and do almost everything in our lives.

Within our sport of swimming, in addition to changing the way we train and compete, the pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the way that collegiate programs recruit student-athletes.

While the NCAA has officially extended the recruiting dead period for Division I schools until at least the end of August, the CSCAA has requested that period to be extended for off-campus visits until December and on-campus visits until August. This would mean that coaches and athletes wouldn’t have face-to-face contact for another 5 months, at least.

But with the recruiting period for the class of 2022 open, and with most programs still trying to fill out their 2021 classes, coaches still have to recruit. The rolling cuts of programs means that many swimmers are even looking for programs for the fall of 2020.

Coaches still have to look for ways to get their prospective student-athletes excited about schools and programs without that face-to-face contact, without the recruiting weekends filled with parties and team activities, and without the handshakes and other cultural norms that have developed bonds in society for centuries.

So how has this change impacted recruiting? We talked to a number of Division I head coaches and recruiting coordinators to get their take on what has changed in recruiting during the quarantines.

7 Ways College Recruiting Has Changed during Quarantine

1. Zoom and Facetime – Yes, these services have always been available, and they’ve always been used to some extent in recruiting. But now that business, school, games, and seemingly every other social interaction has gone online, everyone is becoming way more comfortable with these services and they’re becoming more engrained in our lives. Zoom and FaceTime have replaced regular phone calls as the most common verbal remote communication for most programs.

2. “Virtual” Campus Visits – In its most raw form, a number of coaches have been giving recruits virtual tours via a facetime walk around campus, or sending photos of their favorite campus spots, to prospective student-athletes. If the recruiting dead period bleeds into the fall, or even if it doesn’t and there continues to be some level of discomfort with campus recruiting trips, one coach proposed that this could grow into a full recreation of a normal ‘official’ visit. That would include meeting the staff, meeting the support staff, and meeting the team.

3. No Meets Means More Projecting – In the next few seasons, we’re going to learn a lot about which coaches are really good at projecting swimmers’ improvement curves and which coaches have relied on reputation to grab superstars once they’ve already developed. A huge percentage of swimmers being recruited now lost their taper meets at the end of the 2019-2020 season once everything was shut down in March. For the class of 2022s, that means many best times are still from when they were 14 years old. This is not something we’re really used to in swimming, which unlike “ball” sports are far more objective in evaluating talent. Don’t be surprised if coaches start asking a lot more questions about your parents’ foot size and hand size, rather than just times, as they try to develop new models for identifying top talents.

4. Delayed Commitments – The class of 2022 was already going to be delayed a little by new NCAA rules that put off the contact period until right before the start of their junior years of high school. But now, we would expect the pandemic and quarantine to delay that even more. Without official visits, without meets to show their improvements, athletes may wait until the spring or even their senior year, as used to be the norm, to take trips and make commitments. This will especially be noticeable for top-15 type programs that are used to having almost-complete classes by December of their junior seasons.

5. Discussions about Program Finances – The financial pressures placed on college athletics programs by the pandemic and ensuing quarantine has been well-discussed here and elsewhere, and recruits are getting smarter about it. Multiple coaches, especially at the mid-major level, told me that they’ve been receiving more questions than normal about it. So far, four Division I swimming & diving programs have been cut this off-season (Boise State women, East Carolina men & women, UConn men). While a historic run of cuts, there’s still a general sense that there might be another shoe waiting to drop. Student-athletes are keen to ensure that they don’t get thrust into a last-minute recruiting situation, so they’re asking a lot more questions about financial solvency. Most Power 5 programs, with big state school endowments and giant football stadiums, feel confident about their futures. This leaves coaches in a tough situation between honesty with their student-athletes and hurting their chances at a recruit.

6. Independent Campus Visits – The recruiting dead period doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to commit to a school sight unseen, it just means that you can’t meet with coaches and athletes while on campus. Student-athletes, presuming campuses are open, are still able to take independent campus visits alongside other prospective university students who are not athletes. It’s not quite the same experience, but if that on-campus visit is important to you, then this option is still there, albeit at your own cost. For what it’s worth, this author never set foot on his college’s campus before showing up on move-in day.

7. More Local Commitments – One coach said that he suspected more student-athletes would stay closer to home. In part, this is a dovetail off the above – if a prospective student-athlete isn’t getting an expenses-paid trip to go visit colleges, they’re probably more likely to visit schools close to home, especially ones within driving distance. There’s a bigger idea here, though. After the general chaos that all of our lives were thrown into when the country began to shut down, we are all going to have a natural tendency to seek familiarity and comfort. One way to get that familiarity and comfort is by staying closer to home, closer to the people and places you know, in the pools where you may have raced Senior Champs or Sectionals meets before, and where your parents can rush up to come get you if your campus winds up closing early again.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 7 Ways College Recruiting Is Changing during Coronavirus Pandemic

By Giusy Cisale on SwimSwam

Il trofeo Settecolli sarà per gli italiani il punto di ripartenza dopo il lockdown seguente la pandemia di Coronavirus.

Il DT della squadra Nazionale Cesare Butini ha tracciato un quadro riepilogativo della situazione, a quasi due mesi dalla riapertura delle piscine.

Attraverso il sito web federale Butini fa alcune considerazioni molto interessanti.

RIPRESA ATTIVITA’

A partire dalla metà del mese di Maggio, la maggior parte degli atleti è riuscita a rituffarsi in piscina.

Secondo Butini, anche senza obiettivi di competizione internazionale, gli azzurri stanno svolgendo il loro lavoro di preparazione con alta motivazione.

Dichiara sul punto:

“L’attività natatoria di preparazione, pur confrontandosi con le enormi difficoltà del momento, ha ripreso quasi a pieno regime. Va dato merito che, pur in mancanza di obiettivi internazionali a breve termine, gli atleti stanno affrontando, grazie al supporto dei tecnici, gli allenamenti quotidiani con un alto livello motivazionale. A circa sei settimane dalla riapertura, l’attività di preparazione è ripresa in tutta Italia”

RADUNI E COLLEGIALI

In molte località italiane si stanno svolgendo o si svolti i primi collegiali di allenamento. Gruppi di atleti provenienti anche da diverse regioni, che insieme svolgono la preparazione fisico-atletica.

Tra questi raduni vengono indicati, oltre quelli di Ostia, Verona e Roma:

• Ostia 24 giugno/2 luglio – 8/18 luglio
• Cittadella (dedicato ai velocisti) 13/18 luglio – tecnico Claudio Rossetto
• Merano 19 luglio – 1 agosto – gruppo di allenamento del tecnico federale Stefano Morini

Infine, sul prossimo Trofeo Settecolli, che accorperà anche il Campionato Italiano Assoluto, Cesare Butini dà alcune anticipazioni:

La manifestazione, alla quale parteciperanno atleti stranieri, sarà disputata a serie e rappresenterà un’ottima occasione per finalizzare la preparazione. Sarà inoltre il modo migliore per terminare il percorso tecnico dell’attuale stagione e ripartire con il giusto entusiasmo per una stagione densa di impegni internazionali dove i Giochi Olimpici di Tokyo che rappresentano l’obiettivo tecnico principale”.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Verso Il Settecolli: Bilancio Della Ripresa E Situazione Attuale

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Russian sprinter Ekaterina Nikonova has verbally committed to the Florida Gators for fall 2021.

TOP TIMES (LCM / SCY CONV.)

• 50 free – 25.32 / 22.36
• 100 free – 55.02 / 48.79
• 200 free – 2:00.57 / 1:46.41
• 400 free – 4:20.70 / 4:51.86
• 100 back – 1:03.07 / 54.75
• 200 back – 2:16.37 / 1:58.97

At the 2019 European Summer Juniors, Nikonova claimed the bronze medal in the 50 free. She was also seventh in the 100 free and swam on several Russian relays at the meet, including a 54.57 split on their silver medal-winning 400 free relay. She was a finalist in the 100 free at the 2019 World Junior Champs, and also swam on several Russian relays there (including a 54.48 split).

With her converted bests, Nikonova would’ve been right up at the top of Florida’s sprint free group last season. Paired with 2025 classmate Micayla Cronk (22.9/48.2/1:44.3), Florida has secured a 1-2 sprint punch for fall 2021. At the 2020 SEC Champs, Nikonova would’ve been a C-finalist in the 50 and 200 free and a B-finalist in the 100 free.

Florida had five women between 22.2 and 22.6 in the 50 free last season, and three women at 48-seconds in the 100. That was a step up from the 2018-19 season, where they had three women in 22-mid in the 50 and only one under 49 in the 100; there hasn’t been a lights-out freestyle sprinter on the Gators roster, though, since 2016 grad Natalie Hinds, who was 21.6/47.1 at her best.

Nikonova adds huge sprint potential to an already very strong class of 2025. She joins #17 Brooke Zettel, #6 Micayla Cronk, Georgia Bates, Mary Kate Kelley and HM Olivia Peoples in UF’s class of 2025.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour 

Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.

FFT SOCIAL

Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster

^{FFT is a SwimSwam partner.}

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Florida Lands Euro Summer Juniors Medalist Ekaterina Nikonova of Russia

By Sanuj Srivastava on SwimSwam

NIE Dwara Nikla Article Jisme Btaya Gaya Ki Disappointment, Setback And Frustration Ye Wo Words Hai Jo Kuch Top Swimmers Ke Saath Chat Karne Ke Baad Frequently Saamne Aate Hai. Jaisa Ki Hum Sabko Pata Hai Ki Pandemic Ki Wajah Se Across The Country Swimming Pools Closed Hai. Six Swimmers Aise Hai Jinhone Tokyo Olympics Ke Liye B Qualification Mark Attained Kar Liya Hai. A Mark Achieve Karne Ka Goal Unse Dur Hota Jaa Raha Hai Kyu Ki Swimming Facilities Ki Inaccessibility Ki Wajah Se.

Freestyle Swimmer Khade Ko Aisa Lagta Hai Ki Pools Jaldi Nahi Open Hone Wale Hai, A Cut Attain Karna Difficult Ho Sakta Hai. “Hum Log Jab Bhi Pool Mei Training Karna Start Karte Hai, Toh Hamesha Zero Se Karna Padta Hai. Hume Ab Five To Six Months Aur Lagenge Training Ke Us Level Tak Reach Karne Ke Liye Jo Hum March Or Usse Pahle The. Agar Couple Of Months Aur Pools Closed Rahte Hai Aur Humlog Training Nahi Kar Paate Hai Toh Shayad Hi Koi Indian A Cut Mark Ko Achieve Kar Sake,” Khade Ne Kaha.

Khade Ne Last Year 22.44s Ke Timing Ke Saath 50m Freestyle Mei B Qualification Mark Achieve Kiya Tha. Sajan Prakash (200m Butterfly, 1:58.45), Srihari (100m Backstroke,54.69s), Kushagra Rawat (800m Freestyle, 8:07.99), Aryan Makhija (800m Freestyle, 8:07.80), And Advait Page (800m Freestyle, 8:00.76) Ne Bhi B Mark Achieve Kiya Hai, Par Isse Tokyo Ticket Mil Jayega Is Baat Ki Guarantee Nahi Hai. Sirf A Cut, Jo Ki Uphill Task Hai, Wahi Assure Karta Hai. Khade Ke Liye Target Hai 22.01, 1:56:48, Sajan Ke Liye 53.85, Srihari Ke Liye 53.85. Rawat, Page Aur Makhija Ke Liye 7:54:31 Clock Karna Hai.

In 6 Swimmers Mei Se Sajan Sabse Lucky Hai. Kyu Ki Wo Thailand Mai Hai Aur Waha Training Kar Rahe Hai. “USA, Australia, Europe Aur Other Countries Mei Bhi Swimmers Training Kar Rahe Hai. Baaki Duniya Humse Aage Thi Jab Hum Log Apne Peak Par The. Aur Ab Toh Humne Kuch Steps Piche Bhi Le Liye Hai, Baaki Log Improve Kar Rahe Hai,” Khade Ne Add Karte Huye Kaha.

“Ye Ek Drawback Hai Jo Hum Training Nahi Kar Paa Rahe Hai. Mai Hope Karta Hu Ki Government Jaldi Hi Pools Ko Open Karne Ke Liye Permission De Degi. Atleast Unke Liye Toh Permission Milni Hi Chhaiye Jo A Mark Achieve Karne Ke Kaafi Close Hai. Ye Bahot Frustrating Hai Ki Other Athletes Ko Training Karne Ke Liye Allow Kar Diya Gaya Hai But Swimmers Ko Nahi,” Srihari Ne Kaha.

Swimming Federation Of India Is Problem Se Aware Hai. Officials Try Kar Rahe Hai Swimmers Ko Phir Se Pool Mei Lane Ke Liye, Government Se Request Kar Ke But Abhi Tak Kuch Hua Nahi.

Despite That, Dronacharya Award-Winning Coach Nihar Ameen Abhi Bhi Positive Hai. “Mai Hope Karta Hu Ki Pools Jaldi Hi Open Ho Jayenge Aur Hamare Swimmers Phir Se Training Kar Payenge. Jitne Jaldi Ye Good News Sunne Milegi Utna Accha Hoga.”

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Pool Close Hone Se Indian Swimmers Ke Liye Tokyo ‘A’ Cut Hasil Krna Hoga Muskil

By Lydia Ferrari Kehoe on SwimSwam

FINA has released a ‘mid-way status’ of their Strategic Plan for 2018-2021 which was originally released in April 2017. The updated document was released last month and addresses three main areas:

1. Their main achievements in 2018+2019
2. The key actions planned for 2020/2021
3. Adjustments made due to the coronavirus pandemic

As we reported at the time of its original release, FINA proposed the inclusion of a further 5 events to the Olympic programme. They were:

• Men’s 800m Freestyle
• Women’s 1500m Freestyle
• Mixed 400 Medley Relay
• Mixed 400 Freestyle Relay
• 50s in each stroke for both men and women

Shortly after their proposal, it was confirmed that the first three events on that list would be added to the Olympic roster for Tokyo 2020, however, FINA have reiterated in this new document that they remain committed to “further develop and present arguments for the inclusion of additional Swimming events (e.g. mixed relay and 50m events in the program of future Olympic Games).

• You can read the full FINA Strategic Plan ‘Mid-way Status’ 2018-2021 document here.

The document also highlighted how swimming now has an extra day in its Olympic program due to the inclusion of these three events. The addition of the distance and medley relay events will create more opportunities for specialists in these areas such as Katie Ledecky, Simona Quadarella, Gregorio Paltrinieri, Henrik Christiansen and David Aubry.

Among other changes that FINA is pushing for by the Paris 2024 Olympic Games:

• FINA also states that they are actively working towards the inclusion of high diving events at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• FINA is trying to increase the number of participants in the open water 10km marathon swimming events at the Olympics from 25 to 30 for both men and women

This is part of a broader effort by FINA to expand Olympic fields in aquatic sports, which includes more participants in water polo and artistic swimming at the Tokyo Games. That runs counter to the International Olympic Committee’s overall goal of reducing the athlete quota by 500 for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Projected Deficit For 2020

Olympic-themed publication Inside The Games says that they have been privy to an internal FINA communication that has projected the deficit for this year to be between $10.40 million and $20.8 million.

The worldwide pandemic has caused the rescheduling of many events including the FINA World Championships, World Short Course Championships and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. If this year has happened as planned, FINA would have stood to earn around $40 million at the end of it.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: FINA Still Pushing To Add Stroke 50’s To Olympic Lineup

By Sanuj Srivastava on SwimSwam

Sports Ministry Ne Saturday Ko Announce Kiya Ki Elite Athletes Ko Training Dene Ke Liye Indian Coaches Ko 2 Lakh Rupees Ki Chhut Di Jayegi. Iske Piche Ye Reason Hai Ki Coaches Ko Encourage Kiya Jaa Sake Taaki Wo Accha Results Produce Kar Sake Aur Former Players Ko High Performance Trainers Banne Ke Liye Attract Kar Sake.

Ye Announcement Thursday Ko Ministry Ke Decision Ke Baad Aaya Jab Sabhi Foreign Coaches Ke Contracts Ko Next Year September 30 Tak Increase Kar Diya Gaya Aur Sabhi Future Hiring Ko Both Indian And Foreign Four Year Ke Liye Olympics Ke Saath Sync Kar Diya Gaya Taaki Continuity Bani Rahe.

“Several Indian Coaches Bahot Accha Results Show Kar Rahe Hai Aur Unhe Unke Hard Work Ke Liye Reward Diya Jaana Chhaiye. Government Bhi Chahti Hai Ki Across The Country Se Best Coaching Talent Ko Attract Kiya Jaaye Elite Athletes Ko Train Karne Ke Liye. Aur Hum Ye Bhi Nahi Chahte Hai Good Coaches Ko Join Karne Ke Liye Compensation Par Lagne Wali Cap Rukawat Bann Sake,” Sports Minister Ne Kiren Rijuju Ne Release Mei Kaha.

“Increased Remuneration Aur Longer Contract Period Bhi Ex- Elite Athletes Ko High Performance Sporting Ecosystem Ke Liye Attract Karega, Aur Unke Experience Aur Skill Ka Use Hoga Athletes Ko Major International Conpetitions Including Olympics Mei Train Karne Ke Liye.”

Eminent Coaches Jo Ki Already Various Public Sector Undertakings (Psus) Mei Work Kar Rahe Hai Wo Bhi Allowed Hai Deputation Join Karne Ke Liye Aur Eligible Hai 4-Year Contract Aur Higher Salary Structure Ke Liye.

Remuneration Decide Kiya Jayega Ex-Athlete’s Ke Performance Par Aur As A Coach Unki Success Kya Rahi Hai Is Par.

“Sabhi New Coaches Aur Existing Coaches Jinhe New Contract Diya Gaya Hai Wo Apni Training Impart Karenge National Camps Aur SAI’s National Center Of Excellence (Ncoes) Mei, Aur Unhe Sports Ministry Aur National Sports Federations Jointly Select Karega,” Ministry Release Ne Kaha.

Sports Ministry Grassroot-Level Talent Scouting Ko Bhi Resume Karegi 2028 Olympics Par Dhyan Dete Huye Jab Covid-19 Ki Wajah Se Jo Situation Arise Hui Hai Wo Improve Ho Jayegi Tab.

Elite Indian Coaches/Ex Athletes, Including Those Jo Psus Mei Hai Aur Leading Sports Promotion Boards Part Rahega Talent Scouting Committee Ka Jo Ki Country Ke Various Parts Mei Tour Karegi Aur 10-15 Age Group Ke Raw Talent Ko Scout Karegi. – India Today

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Indian Coaches Ko Unke Hard Work Ke Liye Reward: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju

By Daniela Kapser on SwimSwam

1 – Die andere Hälfte eures Duos ist muskulöser

So ist es nun mal. Auch wenn du männlich bist und sie weiblich. So sind wir Schwimmer nun mal gemacht. Du kannst uns nicht bei einem Sit-up Wettbewerb schlagen. Ist schon okay. Aber du kannst bestimmt schneller laufen als wir.

2 – In deinem Leben wird es immer ein bisschen nach Chlor riechen

Das Gute ist: Du wirst dich dran gewöhnen. Und es irgendwann gar nicht mehr wahrnehmen.

3 – Du wirst die Kunst der Massage erlernen

Du bist es leid, zu hören, wie sehr unsere Schulter schmerzt. Also versuchst du es mal mit einer Massage. Wenn du aber einmal dieses Talent angebracht hast – dann wirst du erst mal auf längere Zeit verpflichtet.

4 – Nasses Haar ist die Normalität

Du erwartest schon, dass deine bessere Hälfte nasse Haare hat. Die Mädels tragen gerne die Haare zum praktischen Knoten hochgebunden, für Make-up nach dem Training war sowieso keine Zeit. Aber der natürliche Look  oder “Nude Look” ist ja noch nie aus der Mode gekommen – was für ein Glück.

5 – Du lernst, den Schwimmsport zu schätzen

Wenn du noch nicht viele Erfahrungen mit dem Schwimmsport gemacht hast, wird du lernen, dass Schwimmen viel schwieriger ist, als du gedacht hast. Du wirst den Schwimmsport aus einer anderen Perspektive sehen und mehr Verständnis für die Leistungsschwimmer haben und ihre tägliche Schinderei.

6 – Dein Freund oder deine Freundin isst mehr als du

Zwangsläufig essen Schwimmer viel. Weil sie beim Training wirklich viele Kalorien verbrauchen. Und sie nehmen auch gerne noch ein zweites – oder dritte Mal nach. Pass auf, dass du nicht zu kurz kommst.

7 – Ihr trefft euch zu den komischsten Zeiten

Am Sonntag zusammen ein bisschen abhängen? Das bedeutet nach dem morgendlichen Training, also 11.00 Uhr vormittags. Freitagsabend? 21.00 Uhr. Zwischen zwei Trainingseinheiten? Dann seht ihr euch von 12.00 bis 15.00 Uhr.

8 – Du fängst an, dir Bestzeiten und Hauptschwimmlagen zu merken

Und du kennst sogar die Reihenfolge, in der Lagenstrecken geschwommen werden. Oder den Unterschied, in welcher Reihenfolge die Lagenstaffel schwimmt. Wenn jemand sagt, seine Freundin/Freund wäre ein Schwimmer, kannst du mitreden – und ohne Probleme eine längere Konversation über Zeiten und Schwimmstile führen.

9  Nasse Umarmungen

Natürlich kannst du einer Umarmung auch nicht widerstehen , wenn dein Freund oder deine Freundin nach einem Rennen direkt aus dem Pool auf dich zustürzt. Ist vielleicht zuerst ein bisschen gewöhnungsbedürftig, aber eigentlich okay.

10 – Schwimmer lieben es, sich zu entspannen

Die Chancen stehen recht gut, dass sie öfter mal total kaputt sind und dann einfach nur noch auf der Couch liegen möchten ,viel essen, ein bisschen Game of thrones sehen oder ein Videospiel zocken. Und das natürlich im Gammellook. Aber – so viel Zeit zusammen zu verbringen – das ist dann schon ein guter Tag.

11 – Du bist verrückt nach deinem Schwimmerdate

Schwimmer sind einfach speziell. Sie sind engagiert, loyal und lieben ihren Sport. Und wenn du die “Spielregeln” kapierst  – dann ist dein Freund/deine Freundin auch engagiert und loyal zu Dir – und ebenso verliebt wie in den Sport.

.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 11 Dinge, die normal sind, wenn man Schwimmer(innen) datet

By Jared Anderson on SwimSwam

USA Swimming is now accepting online applications for phase two of its COVID-19 Relief Program, which offers up to $1.5 million to support swim clubs affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Back in April, USA Swimming pledged $1 million to help support member clubs while the pandemic had shut down training and competition for clubs across the country. By May, USA Swimming announced that it had awarded almost $1.5 million in grants and promised up to $1.5 million more in a second wave of grants. The first round saw grant applications from about 317 clubs, or about 10% of USA Swimming‘s club membership.

The application period for phase two opened as of July 1, per the USA Swimming website. Applications are due in by Friday, July 10.

Clubs can be considered for grants up to $5,000, and USA Swimming says the expected average grant is about $3,000. The relief program guidelines for round 2 recommend that clubs use the grants to help member families with “relief from club dues obligations”, to retain local counsel to help navigate the club’s local re-opening rules, to cover facility rental fees, or to offset club operating expenses, though the grants are “not to include staff payroll expenses or purchase of equipment.”

USA Swimming‘s site says award determinations should be completed by July 22 and announced and distributed during the week of August 10.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Application Period Open For Additional $1.5M of USA Swimming COVID Grants

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

USA Swimming received between $1 and $2 million as part of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), according to information released by the US Small Business Administration this week.

Release of Information

Under pressure from Democrats, who sought more transparency for the stimulus program designed to help U.S. small businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic, the SBA released information this week for all organizations that received at least $150,000 in loans. The program has received some criticism, including accusations that banks have prioritized larger ‘small businesses’ over smaller ‘small businesses.’ There were also criticisms that large firms for whom the program was not intended, including investment firms that manage billions of dollars in assets, received loans.

• See also: Shake Shack returns $10 million emergency loan to the US government

The loans are actually made by banks and other financial institutions, but guaranteed by the federal government. Under the terms of the program, businesses may have their loans partially or completely forgiven if the company meet certain requirements, including not reducing payroll by more than 25%.

• Read more about the program and its terms here, from smartasset.com

So far, the federal government has distributed PPP “loans” in the amount of $521,483,817,756 across almost 5 million loans. About two-thirds of the loans were under $50,000, with .1% of the loans accounting for more than $5 million.

The money is earmarked specifically for payroll expenses, benefits, and taxes on competition. Up to 40% of the loan may be used to cover mortgage interest, rent, and utilities.

Any loan amount that is not forgiven carries an interest rate of 1.0% and a two-year term. Most of the money is expected to be forgiven.

USA Swimming & Olympic Sports

Most of the national sports governing bodies under the guise of the United States Olympic Committee applied for, and received, PPP loans under the program.

• Access the full list of PPP recipients over $150,000 here.

Exact amounts of the loans are not listed, but ranges are given.

Aquatic Sports Federations:

• USA Swimming – Between $1 million and $2 million
• USA Water Polo – Between $350,000 and $1 million
• USA Diving – Between $150,000 and $350,000
• United States Masters Swimming – Between $150,000 and $350,000

USA Artistic Swimming is not listed in the report, though with total annual revenues of under $2 million, it is possible that they received less than $150,000 from the program.

In addition to USA Swimming, a number of pools, pool operators, swim schools, and USA Swimming clubs received large PPP loans

Teams that received PPP Loans:

Note: this list is not exhaustive, given the scope of the companies that received PPP loans.

Programs that received between $150,000 and $350,000:

• Berkeley Aquatic Club, New Providence, New Jersey
• Carmel Swim Club, Carmel, Indiana
• Crawfish Aquatics, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Dad’s Club Aquatic Center, Houston, Texas
• Excel Aquatics, Brentwood, Tennessee
• Empire Swimming, White Plains, New York
• First Colony Swim Team, Sugar Land, Texas
• Fullerton Aquatics Sports Team (FAST), Fullerton, California
• KATY Aquatic Team for Youth, Katy, Texas
• Lakeside Aquatic Club, Flower Mound, Texas
• Machine Aquatics, Vienna, Virginia
• Mecklenburg Aquatic Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
• New Trier Aquatics
• Nitro Swimming Bee Cave, Austin, Texas
• NOVA of Virginia Aquatics, Henrico, Virginia
• Occoquan Swimming, Manassas, Virginia
• Quicksilver Swimming, San Jose, California
• Rochester Swim Club Orcas, Rochester, Minnesota
• Waterloo Swimming, Austin, Texas

Programs that received between $350,000 and $1 million:

• City of Midland Aquatics, Midland, Texas
• De Anza Cupertino Aquatics, San Jose, California
• Houston Swim Club, Houston, Texas
• Imagine Swimming (Manhattan Makos), New York, New York
• Nation’s Capital Swim Club (NCAP), Bethesda, Maryland
• Santa Clara Swim Club, Santa Clara, California
• SELA Aquatics, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• SwimAtlanta Aquatics, Atlanta, California
• Irvine Novaquatics, Irvine, California

USA Swimming has already distributed $1.5 million in grants to member clubs to help them survive the coronavirus shutdown, while an application period for another $1.5 million opened earlier this month.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: USA Swimming Receives Between $1 Million and $2 Million in PPP Loans

By Anne Lepesant on SwimSwam

Megan Mastropaolo from Bristow, Virginia has announced her plans to transfer to George Mason University next fall. Mastropaolo graduated from Patriot High School in 2019 and spent her freshman season at East Carolina University which in May dropped their swimming and diving teams.

“I’m excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my swimming and academic career at George Mason University. This decision wasn’t easy, but I want to thank everyone at ECU for the amazing memories and especially Coach Matthew Jabs for pushing me to be the best athlete that I can be! I appreciate George Mason for immediately reaching out and I am so thankful for all my teammates at ECU, friends, and family for guiding me throughout this process. Can’t wait for the next 3 years! Go Patriots!”

In high school, Mastropaolo swam under Jeremy Linn at Nation’s Capital Swim Club. She specialized in backstroke and IM and placed 7th in the 200 back at the 2019 Potomac Valley Short Course Championships. At ECU, she competed in 9 meets during the regular season and made the American Athletic Conference Championship meet roster. She came in 2nd in the 200 back and 3rd in the 100 back against UNCW. She was runner-up in the 200 back at the ECU Tri-Meet and placed 3rd in the same event against UMBC.

Her best times, which date from high school, are:

• 100 back – 57.84
• 200 back – 2:02.82
• 200 IM – 2:09.61
• 400 IM – 4:32.66

George Mason women finished 8th at the 2020 Atlantic-10 Conference Meet. It took 56.88/2:02.15 in the backstroke events and 2:04.71/4:27.09 in the IMs to score at the A-10 Championships.

View this post on Instagram

I’m excited to announce my commitment to continue my swimming and academic career at George Mason University. This decision wasn’t easy, but I want to thank everyone at ECU for the amazing memories and especially @matthewbjabs for pushing me to be the best athlete that I can be! Can’t wait for the next 3 years! Go Patriots!