By Dan Dingman on SwimSwam

SwimSwam’s daily swimming workout series is a collection of workouts written by coaches from a variety of backgrounds. All daily swimming workouts have been written using Commit Swimming. The workouts themselves are not indicative of SwimSwam’s or Commit’s views on training. They strictly reflect the opinions of the author swim coach.

Workout Context

• Purpose:  Base building
• Target age group:  15-18 years old
• Target level:  National/ Collegiate Level
• Weeks until target meet:  3 weeks
• Team Location:  United States
• Course:  25 Yards
• Shared workout link:  Click here to view this workout on commitswimming.com

The Workout

1 x 600 easy

12 x 50 @ :50 Kick w/ board (25 moderate/25 sprint)

12 x
    1 x 100 @ 1:30 free w/ 1/2 each 25 underwater
    2 x 50 @ :35 sprint
    
1 x 400 easy

12 x 50 @ 1:30 (odd drill / even sprint–[thinking about the 2nd half of 100])

#Mid-Distance
    2 x 500 @ 6:00 build
    
#IM #Sprint
    10 x 75 @ 1:10 (50 stroke / 25 free)
    
2 x
    1 x 25 No Breath BC
    1 x 50 1 Breath BC
    1 x 75 2 Breaths BC
    1 x 100 3 Breaths BC
        
1 x 600 easy

David Fox
Head Coach, Phillips Academy

SwimSwam’s daily swimming workout is powered by Commit Swimming.

Swimming news for swim coaches and swim teams, courtesy of Commit Swimming. Click here to view all daily swimming workouts on SwimSwam.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Daily Swim Coach Workout #151

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

Rio Shirai of Japan has steadily been improving across several events including the women’s 100m backstroke, giving her nation a spark of hope in a discipline devoid of an Olympic finalist since 2012.

Recently in practice, the 20-year-old Toyo University athlete posted an unofficial time of 1:00.44 in the 1back, just over a second off her own lifetime best, only a handful of weeks back in the water post-coronavirus-lockdown.

To put her 1:00.44 time trial into context, last year at 19 years of age Shirai fired off a big-time 100m back performance of 59.42 to take the gold at the Japan Student Championships, ranking her 9th in the world in the process. That result checked in as Shirai’s lifetime best and inserted her onto the list of all-time Japanese performers in slot #5.

At the same meet, the teen produced a world-class 2:07.87 200m backstroke for another career-quickest milestone, situating her as 5th in the world for the 2019/20 season.

Shirai followed up those domestic game-changing swims with another sub-minute 100m back clocking of 59.83 to register a new meet record at the 2020 Konami Open this past January.

With a Japan-hosted Olympic Games next year, Shirai’s emerging talent has the potential to be on full display in front of a home crowd. If she wants to swim the 100m back on the big stage, she’ll need to beat out the likes of Anna Konishi and Natsumi Sakai at her own domestic Trials to get there. However, even her time trial of 1:00.44 would have placed 2nd at the 2019 Japan Swim, the nation’s qualifying meet for the 2019 FINA World Aquatic Championships.

Looking at Japan’s recent Olympic history in the women’s 100m back event, in London, now-retired Aya Terakawa busted out an Asian record-setting swim of 58.83 to snag 2012 Olympic bronze behind winner Missy Franklin of the United States and runner-up Emily Seebohm of Australia.

But, just 4 years later, the highest women’s 100m backstroke finish in Rio by a Japanese swimmer came in the form of the aforementioned Sakai. Only 15 years of age at the time, Sakai hit a time of 1:01.74 to place 26th in the back sprint to finish well out of the top 8.

Things continued to look a little bleak in Budapest, as there was zero Japanese representation at the 2017 FINA World Aquatic Championships in the women’s 100m backstroke. The top finisher at the nation’s qualifying meet, the 2017 Japan Swim, was Konishi, clocking a time of 1:00.72 and falling short of the Japanese’mandated qualifying mark of 1:00.25.

Sakai was strong in the 1back final in Gwangju at last year’s World Championships, hitting a time of 59.56 to place 6th. Shirai focused on the 200m free for Gwangju instead, making her mark by finishing 8th in a time of 1:57.14. That was after she punched a monster lifetime best of 1:56.82 in the semi-finals to become just Japan’s 2nd female every to hit a 2free mark under 1:57.

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・ 泳いでる姿を見たいとたくさんコメントを頂くので6月に泳いだ100m背泳ぎの動画を載せます

By Coleman Hodges on SwimSwam

On SwimSwam Podcast, we’re giving you an in-depth listen at all things swimming. Host Coleman Hodges welcomes guests and guest co-hosts alike to get perspective on our ever-changing swimming universe and break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

We sat down with Trevor Freeland, the 2nd black man to ever win an ACC championship in swimming. Freeland was a member of the famed PDR Swim Team of Philadelphia coached by Jim Ellis in the 1980s that was immortalized in the Lionsgate film Pride. Freeland spoke candidly on his time at PDR and the adversity he faced being on the first-ever all-black swim team. However, Freeland emphasized that he focused on the positive interactions he had with people, and learned from a young age to brush off micro-aggressions from outsiders.

Freeland went on to swim for the University of Virginia under Mark Bernadino, where he saw success in and out of the pool. Not only did he win a conference championship with UVA, but earned his bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering. Freeland went on to earn his MBA from Duke and is now the Managing Director of Deutsche Bank.

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RECENT EPISODES

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam Podcast: Trevor Freeland on Pride Movie, Swimming as a Black Man

By Nicole Miller on SwimSwam

Dick Pound, one of the founders of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) founders, has denounced recent comments made by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). 

Last month, ONDCP sent a report to Congress asking it to pull approximately $2.7 million in funding from WADA if it does not implement key governance reforms. ONDCP claimed that this was due to many reasons, the most prominent one being WADA’s handling of the Russian doping scandal despite the fact that the organization levied harsh punishments, including a four year ban of Russia from the Olympic Games. 

Speaking in a recent interview, Pound commented on the situation stating, “It’s certainly the first time that a major partner who’s been in WADA and played an important role from the very beginning all of a sudden is threatening to take its marbles and go home. It’s really inexplicable. There’s no reason for it. It can do no good in the fight against doping in sport. It’s not really conduct you expect from one of your founding partners.”

“Were I a responsible member of the Congress, I would want to know why a report was submitted to my attention by the executive branch despite the ONDCP’s knowledge that it was replete with factual errors and omissions,” Pound said, “the effect of which was to encourage me to act on the basis of an erroneous and incomplete factual matrix. I would have serious concern that, as a member of the Congress, I had been deliberately misled by the executive branch.”

Pound was the first president of WADA and is a former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee. He is also the chairman of the Olympic Broadcasting Services, the organization that the IOC created to maintain standards of Olympic broadcasting around the world.

Last week, WADA also released its own comments on the situation, disputing several “facts” that the ONDCP presented. In addition to its response, WADA published its 5 year plan to combat doping, which will be implemented from 2020 until 2024.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: WADA Founder Dick Pound Denounces Negative Comments Made by US Government

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.

Virginia Tech has picked up Pennridge High School’s Joseph Hong, who trains with Penn Charter Aquatic Club under Crystal Keelan. Keelan was a head coach of the U.S. team for the 2019 World Junior Champs, and she was Reece Whitley‘s longtime coach until he went to Cal.

Hong joins VT’s class of 2025.

I am thrilled to announce my commitment to continue my swimming and academic careers at Virginia Tech! I’d like to thank God, my family, coaches, mentors, teammates, and friends for supporting and helping me throughout this process. I’m so grateful for the chance to be part of such an amazing team and I can’t wait to be a Hokie! #GoHokies #TalonsUp

TOP TIMES (SCY)

• 100 breast – 55.74
• 200 breast – 2:00.80
• 200 IM – 1:54.83
• 400 IM – 4:04.03

Hong is pretty much exclusively a breaststroker, and he’s just a touch better in the 200 than the 100. At the 2020 Pennsylvania 3A HS Champs, Hong placed fifth in the timed finals of the 100 breast, going 56.20.

At the Speedo Junior Nationals last summer, Hong scored in the 200 breast C-final at 20th, going 2:20.33 in the final for a lifetime best. He also his a best in a time trial in the 100 breast, going 1:04.70.

Last season, freshman AJ Pouch led the Hokies in the breaststroke events at 52.9 in the 100 and 1:53.6 in the 200, the top breaststroker on the roster by over a second and a half in both events. VT also returns their #2 100 breaststroker, rising sophomore Cobi Lopez Miro (54.62), and their #2 200 breaststroker, rising junior Keith Myburgh (1:55.34).

VT has Spanish breaststroker Carles Coll, 1:02/2:14 in LCM, incoming as part of the class of 2024. Hong will join backstroker Ben Eckerson and the versatile Luan Grobbelaar in VT’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.

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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Penn Charter Breaststroker Joseph Hong Verbally Commits to Virginia Tech

By Karl Ortegon on SwimSwam

Soon after news that Boise State would be cutting their women’s swimming & diving program (and their baseball team) to save money, top backstroker Madesyn Ronquillio has announced her transfer to Nebraska in the Big Ten conference.

I am grateful to announce that I have committed to transfer to the University of Nebraska to continue the rest of my collegiate athletic career. It has been an honor these past two years to compete as a Bronco. I will be forever grateful for the friendships and memories that I have made along the way and I will always love my Bronco swimmers. My time at Boise State did not end how anyone would ever imagine, but I want to thank my team, coaches, and family for getting me through this transition. I have to believe that things happen for a reason, and God is putting me right where I need to be. I am excited for these next two years at Nebraska, and getting the opportunity to work with great coaches and a new swim family. GO BIG RED!

TOP TIMES

• 50 free – 23.92
• 100 free – 53.19
• 50 back – 25.45
• 100 free – 54.09
• 200 back – 1:57.55
• 100 fly – 55.61

In two seasons with the Broncos, Ronquillio dropped from 24.85 in the 50 free and 26.15/55.62/2:02.78 in the backstroke events to her current bests seen above.

At the 2019 Mountain West Conference Championships, Ronquillio finished 12th in the 100 back (55.13/54.60 in prelims) and 14th in the 200 back (1:59.44). She was also 23rd in the 100 fly. She improved at the 2020 MWC Champs, making A-finals in both backstrokes; she was 54.75 for eighth in the 100 back and 1:57.55 for fifth in the 200 back, while she was 20th in the 100 fly (56.48).

Ronquillio competed at the CSCAA National Invitational in both 2019 and 2020, going a lifetime-best 54.09 in 2020, Boise State’s best performance of the season in that event.

Ronquillio would’ve been Nebraska’s only sub-2:00 200 backstroker last season, and she would’ve been their #2 100 backstroker behind rising junior Autumn Haebig (53.29). Nebraska had zero scorers in either backstroke events at the 2020 Big Ten Championships, but Ronquillio would’ve made the 100 back B-final and the 200 back C-final at that meet with her lifetime bests.

She’ll join the Huskers alongside another transfer, former East Carolina butterflier/freestyler Shannon Stott, as well as incoming freshmen Gabby Donahue, Allison Henry, Caitlin Cairns, Ella Stein, and Sarah Barton.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Madesyn Ronquillio Leaves Boise State After Shutdown, Transfers to Nebraska

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.

Josh Hanks of Pine Crest School and Pine Crest Swim Team in Florida has verbally committed to Georgia Tech’s class of 2025.

I am extremely excited to announce my commitment to Georgia Tech to continue my swimming and education! I want to thank my coaches, teammates, friends and family for all their support. Go Jackets!!

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

Last week’s announcement by Dartmouth College that they would be cutting their men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs, along with their golf teams and men’s lightweight rowing team, isn’t the first time that the school has tried to drop its aquatics team.

In 2002, Dartmouth announced the elimination of its swimming & diving teams as well. That was a simpler and smaller time in college athletics, though, where the program’s budget was just $212,000. These days, fundraising thrice that amount in some cases can’t even get a conversation with an athletics director.

One of the first attempts to fundraise to save the program came from sophomore swimmer Jenny Kunkel and her boyfriend at the time Jon Lenihan, who attended Xavier. The pair got the idea to list the item for sale on EBay, when the concept of the online-auction site was still relatively novel and becoming a cultural touchstone.

As was covered by ESPN’s Darren Rovell at the time, the auction did get some traction.

“In the first night, we got 4,000 hits,” said Kunkel.

The cut at the time was made to satisfy about 80% of a mandated ‘trimming’ of the school’s athletics budget.

“They just made this drastic cut,” Kunkel said. “They didn’t even talk about creative ways to possibly finance this.”

The story was later picked up by the New York Times, which reported that a user, Mayday 11111, made a bid for $212,099.99, but later retracted it. That was one of at least 6 bids made for the listing.

The Times interviewed a spokesperson for EBay, who said that while actual sports teams, including 2 minor league baseball teams, had been legitimately sold on the platform, that they ultimately removed it because the swimmers didn’t actually have the authority to sell the team.

But the stunt did bring a lot of attention to the program.

Supporters of the program would eventually launch the John C. Glover fund, which was named after former Dartmouth All-American swimmer John C. Glover, who graduated in 1955. He died while training for the Olympics at Yale in 1956.

In total, $2 million were raised for that fund, which set up an endowment designed to fund the program for the next 10 years. That fund was exhausted in 2013, the school has confirmed to SwimSwam.

While Dartmouth swimmers have begun planning ways to revive their program, and we expect to feature them on the SwimSwam Podcast this week to discuss those efforts, the school seems to have declared that it won’t accept any effort to fundraise for the programs.

The school says that, even if they were funded, that they would decline to continue the sports because they didn’t believe that the sports would have a chance to excel without support from admissions in boosting student-athletes’ spot in line to get into Dartmouth.

Along with announcing the program cuts, the school wrote heavily in their press release about the need to free up spots in incoming classes to recruit non-athletes.

From the school’s FAQs:

Do you expect online petitions demanding reinstatement of the impacted sports?

In today’s world, it would be surprising if there were no online petitions demanding reinstatement of the affected sports. However, while we will fully appreciate the passion and sentiment such efforts would represent, many thousands of signatures, organized email campaigns, and social media posts will not change the reality of the current circumstances, nor will they reveal anything we don’t already know—that we’ve made decisions that were unexpected, and that will impact the affected student-athletes’ Dartmouth experiences. We are already aware of those unfortunate consequences. As difficult as the decisions were, we made them knowing they are in the best interest of Dartmouth and the long term success of athletics.

Can alumni and others raise funds to save the impacted sports?

In a community as passionate and supportive as Dartmouth, we anticipate that some alumni, parents, and others will advocate fundraising campaigns to save these teams. Some may make very generous pledges in support of such efforts. However, even if financial resources were plentiful, these sports would exist without any admissions support opportunities, making the competitive playing field extremely lopsided. This would result in such a frustrating and unsatisfactory experience that it would be implausible to expect Division I caliber athletes to choose Dartmouth over other options, or to attract and retain qualified coaches to lead the programs in such a scenario.

This leaves swimming & diving, again, in the school’s bullseye, rehaunting old nightmares from years past. The school says that it could find no compelling reason to protect the program from double jeopardy.

Again, from the school’s FAQs:

Why choose swimming and diving again after doing it less than 20 years ago?

We expect some will question our decision to eliminate swimming and diving in particular, in light of the fact that this same sport was eliminated in late 2002 and reinstated in early 2003. But when our recent analysis reached the same conclusion as 18 years ago, and we realized that our current swimmers and divers would be no more or less impacted than the student-athletes in any other sport chosen for elimination, it simply didn’t make sense to arbitrarily exempt swimming and diving from consideration.

The fight continues regardless, to save this college program, and others. With much bigger budgets in play, and much more money required to keep up with the proverbial Joneses, the mountain seems like a higher climb, especially as that mountain grows with the mounting financial impacts of the coronavirus.

But, it does happen, programs are saved from extinction, if rarely. Sometimes it just takes a little ingenuity to light a fire.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: When Dartmouth Swimmers Tried to Sell Their Program on EBay

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

University of Texas swimmer Claire Adams, the 2020 unanimous Big 12 Swimmer of the Year award winner, has announced her retirement from competitive swimming.

Adams is the 2nd international-caliber backstroker in the graduating class of 2020 to announce that she would retire rather than push through to next summer’s rescheduled Olympic Trials, joining 21-time All-American from Kentucky Asia Seidt.

Adams made the announcement in an interview with the Indy Star, her hometown paper – she graduated from suburban Carmel High School.

“I think a lot of us get caught up in the, ‘Oh, I didn’t win at nationals. Or I never swam in an Olympic Trials final.’ That was something that was on my radar,” she told the Indy Star. “I did some cool stuff I should be proud of. I have a lot to work through and think about and reflect on from my 12 years.”

After making her first Olympic Trials appearance in 2012 at just 13-years old, Adams entered the 2016 US Olympic Trials as a member of the US National Team, even as a high school swimmer. Hardship struck when she broke her hand the week before the meet. While she still raced, the injury impacted her performance and she finished 46th in the 100 back and 108th in the 200 back.

Adams went on to be a star at the University of Texas, earning 3 Big 12 Swimmer of the Year awards, 19 All-America selections, and 17 Big 12 event titles. At the end of the 2019-2020 NCAA season, which didn’t end with an NCAA Championship meet because of the burgeoning coronavirus pandemic, she was ranked 4th in the country in the 100 yard back, having swum a lifetime best of 50.51 at Big 12s – which would ultimately be her last career meet.

Claire Adams at the 2019 NCAA Championship meet (photo: Jack Spitser)

Adams ended the 2019 long course season with a season-best of 1:01.92, which ranked her outside of the top 50 Americans in the event. She never again broke a minute after her breakout 59.58 at the 2015 Summer National Championships at 17.

Adams was primed to finish her college career on a high note, saying that she was “in a different place” during that season. But, she leaves the sport without regrets.

“I’m a very healthy human being,” she said. “I have people around me who love me and support me. What do I have to complain about in this moment?”

Now Adams will leave her swimming career behind for new pursuits. She is the recipient of a postgraduate teacher certification scholarship from the Texas Athletics/College Football Playoff Foundation, and she will spend the next year as a student-teacher with 2nd graders.

“She’s really looking forward to seeing who Claire Adams is without swimming,” Capitani said. “That’s scary when something has helped define who you are for so long.

“She definitely has the tools to do exciting things. She just hasn’t done them yet.”

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Former US National Teamer Claire Adams Retires from Competitive Swimming

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.

Virginia Tech continues to roll on the 2025 recruiting front, picking up Upper Arlington Swim Club sprinter Hayden Jay. Jay is a rising senior at Upper Arlington High School in Ohio.

I am beyond excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic careers at Virginia Tech. Thank you to all my family, friends, and coaches who have helped me throughout this journey. I can’t wait to join the Hokie family! Go Hokies!

TOP TIMES (SCY)

• 50 free – 20.94
• 100 free – 45.54
• 200 free – 1:38.93

At the 2020 Ohio Division I HS State Champs, Jay posted a third-place effort in the 200 free (1:39.33) and touched fourth in the 100 free (45.55). In prelims, his times of 45.54 and 1:38.93 in the 100 and 200, respectively, set lifetime bests. Before his junior high school season (the 2019-20 season), Jay was just 47.53 in the 100 free and 1:42.15 in the 200 free, so his improvement curve is sharp and his progressions are recent.

At the end of February, Jay hit LCM bests at the Ohio Mako Senior Circuit meet, going 23.97 in the 50 free, 53.20 in the 100 free, 1:55.27 in the 200 free and 4:08.35 in the 400 free.

Rising junior Blake Manoff led VT in the 100 free (42.6) and 200 free (1:33.6) last season. The Hokies only had three men under 20 seconds in the 50 and three under 44 in the 100, though they had eight swimmer break 1:39 in a deep 200 free group. Incoming Arizona State transfer Khalil Fonder will help bulk up the sprint group (20.3/43.8/1:37.6) right off the bat.

Jay will join breaststroker Joseph Hong, backstroker Ben Eckerson and the versatile Luan Grobbelaar in VT’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.

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Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
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Read the full story on SwimSwam: VT Picks Up Upper Arlington Sprinter Hayden Jay for Class of 2025

By Anne Lepesant 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.

Lyndsey Wehr from Highlands Ranch, Colorado has announced her verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota for 2021-22. She wrote on social media:

“I am super excited to announce my verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to learn and grow as an athlete as well as a student. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this process! GO GOPHERS! #SkiUMah”

Wehr is a rising senior at Arapahoe High School in Littleton. In February, she broke the Centennial League record in the 50 free with 23.49 before going on to the Colorado High School 5A State Championships and taking home the third-place medal with a lifetime best of 23.28. She also finished 5th in the 100 free (51.04) and swam legs on the 5th-place 200 free relay (22.99) and 7th-place 400 free relay (51.28 leadoff). Wehr does her club swimming with Highlands Ranch Aquatics. She competed at the Potomac Valley Short Course Championships in March, finaling in the 50 free (6th), 100 free (4th), 200 free (9th), and 200 back (18th) and earning PBs in the 200 free and 200 back. Last summer, she swam the 50/100 free and 100 back at Des Moines Futures. She went best times in the 50m free (26.55, a Summer Juniors cut) and 100m back (1:10.27).

Wehr will suit up for the Gophers with fellow class of 2021 commits Eliot Kennedy, Hannah Cornish, and Oksana Chaput. Her best times are close to scoring at the conference level. In 2020 it took 23.10/50.57 to final at the B1G Women’s Championships. Minnesota graduated their only finalist in the 50/100 free this season: Zoe Avestruz. Aveztruz and two more members of the 200 free relay were seniors (Kaia Grobe and Chantal Nack) but rising sophomore Olivia Bloomer will overlap with Wehr.

Top SCY times:

• 50 free – 23.28
• 100 free – 51.04
• 200 free – 1:51.82
• 50 back – 27.33
• 100 back – 58.94
• 200 back – 2:05.47

JUNIOR LYNDSEY WEHR WON THE 50 FREE AND BROKE THE CENTENNIAL LEAGUE RECORD

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

SPARTANS AQUATIC CLUB RED VS. GOLD MEET

• July 10-July 12, 2020
• SCY (25y)
• Freeman Aquatic Center, Norcross, Georgia
• Day 1 results (PDF)
• Day 2 results (12 & under)
• Day 2 results (13 & over)
• Day 3 results

The Spartans Aquatic Club’s first meet since March concluded on Sunday in Norcross, Georgia at the Greater Atlanta Christian School. Rising uncommitted high school senior Peter Sacca finished his meet with a 5th personal best time in 5 races when he won the 200 IM.

Sacca swam a 1:52.04 in the 200 IM to win the race by 6 seconds. That undercut his previous best time of 1:53.78. That gives him a new bonus standard for Winter Juniors, though like his previous two new cuts, that swim won’t count as a national standard.

Sacca’s Red vs. Gold Times/Best Times:

• 200 fly – 1:52.19 (previous best: 1:53.98)
• 100 back – 50.57 (previous best: 51.75)
• 100 fly – 48.96 (previous best: 49.50) – New Summer Juniors Cut*
• 50 free – 20.73 (previous best: 21.05) – New Winter Juniors Cut*
• 200 IM – 1:52.04 (previous best 1:53.78)

Sacca wasn’t the only event winner to drop time on Sunday. 15-year old Jensen Nelson finished his meet with a 53.70 in the 100 back and a 1:55.36 in the 200 back. His time in the 100 back, which was his second swim in a very short session, was a best time by .03 seconds; his 200 back time knocked half-a-second from his previous best.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Peter Sacca Finishes Intrasquad with 5th Best Time in 5 Swims

By Olivier Poirier-Leroy on SwimSwam

Mental toughness is a set of skills and learned attitudes that help swimmers view competitive and challenging situations in productive ways.

The mentally tough swimmer:

• Doesn’t get flustered with setbacks, because they know setbacks are temporary.
• Uses mistakes and failures as springboards for improvement.
• Properly frames adversity in real-time, allowing them to make the most of difficult situations.

The combo of these things should be fairly clear…

You get a swimmer that is engaged, present, and more likely to make the most of their talent and time in the water.

Mental toughness, confidence, better concentration—these are skills that can be developed with the right coaching.

Here are some of my favorite ways that swim coaches can help their swimmers sharpen their mental toughness skills.

Ask your swimmers to grade their effort.

This is one of those ideas that seems almost too simple. Like, because it’s not super complicated and fancy, there is something wrong with it.

But as a coach you know that simple is almost always best.

Grading effort in the water helps to give perspective and accountability to the way a swimmer performs. There will be days where an athlete guts out a main set but the times aren’t there. This doesn’t mean it was a “bad” practice.

Challenge your swimmers to account for their effort. Fast or slow, if the effort was there, they can feel confident and good about themselves, and experience less of that confidence-crushing yo-yo that comes with focusing exclusively on the clock.

Swimmers, when they get out of the water at the end of a grueling swim workout, should hold their mindset accountable, and an extremely quick and simple way to do this is by grading their effort.

Out of ten. With smiley/grumpy faces. Whatever.

Doesn’t need to be a four-page report card, just a quick evaluation based solely on their ability to persevere and push in the face of the demands of the practice.

Have them write out three affirmations and read them daily.

A more focused, mentally tougher, and confident athlete doesn’t happen overnight. No matter how powerful and proven this stuff is, you need to work it everyday like a muscle.

A better mental approach to the sport is not an overnight fix, and it’s not a wand you can wave with a few minutes of study and concentration. Thought patterns take time to adjust.

And self-affirmations are a way to put in the reps in a proactive way about developing a killer mindset.

They sound simple enough: Write out a few beliefs that you want to strengthen and read them to yourself until they evict the negative counter-opinions from your brain and swimming.

To make the most of this strategy, ask your swimmers what three things they struggle with the most in the water, and have them write out countering affirmations.

Here are some examples.

• “I get super stressed at swim meets and end up swimming slower than I should.” –> “Pre-race nerves are a normal part of the racing process. I enjoy competing and racing and seeing what I am capable of.”
• “I get frustrated when my teammates swim faster than me during the main set and give up.” –> “How fast I swim is always and will always be up to me.”

Journal out a couple epic races for a high-performance blueprint.

When it comes to getting a swimmer to understand what it takes for them to be mentally and emotionally ready to race their best, there is no need to reinvent the paddle or create a process from scratch.

The blueprint is already there. It just needs to be clearly described, journaled out, so that similar conditions can be emulated in the future.

Often, swimmers will sink into rituals (wearing the same suit, listening to the same playlist, eating the same meal, etc), instead of working towards the same mental and emotional state that made them successful in the past.

These kinds of rituals can be a little bit helpful, but overall, you can’t outsmart poor preparation and an ineffective mental and emotional outlook with a playlist, a favorite pair of goggles, or a cheeseburger.

Have your swimmers write out a series of bullet-points or fully journal out one or two of their best races, focusing on:

• What was their mindset on the day of competition?
• What did they do to get themselves in the zone before racing?
• How did they do to physically get themselves “up” on race day?
• What emotions were they feeling?
• What they were focused on?
• What strategies did they use to increase/decrease excitement/nerves?

And so on. The more details they are able to write out, the clearer and more actionable their high-performance blueprint will be.

They don’t need to discover how to be mentally tough necessarily; they simply need to replicate the mental and emotional conditions that led them to being mentally tough in the past.

High-performance self-talk.

You know bad self-talk without having to hear the words: When a swimmer’s effort sags suddenly when another swimmer passes them, or when they cross their arms and grumble when a big set is being explained.

Words aren’t necessary—you can see it in their facial expressions and effort.

Improving a swimmer’s self-talk is pound-for-pound one of the fastest and proven ways to throw jet fuel on a swimmer’s abilities and talent. It’s incredible to see the difference in attitude and performance when a swimmer takes control of the language they use in their head and in the water.

One study, which took a group of competitive swimmers and gave them a 10-week self-talk intervention, found that they improved 1.5% more than their teammates, who served as the control group.

Ask your swimmers to think back to a challenging moment in competition or practice where they gave up on themselves. What was that limiting self-talk? What did they tell themselves?

A lot of swimmers will resist this exercise. It tests their ego. It reveals a moment of weakness. But it’s well worth teasing it out.

And when they do, guide them through constructing productive and believable self-talk.

• “I’m going to lose, so what’s the point of trying?” –> “I might not win, but I wonder how fast I can go?”
• “This set is way too hard.” –> “This set looks tough, I wonder how long I can stick with it for?”
• “I don’t like doing breaststroke sets, so I am not going to work hard.” –> “It’s not my best stroke, but I can still improve my other strokes by doing great turns and streamlines.”

As you can see from the above examples, the better self-talk isn’t overly cheery or super positive. But it is a whole ton more productive than the negative self-talk that precedes it.

Unleash the power of performance cues.

I absolutely love performance cues and can attest to their effectiveness. Most especially, I appreciate their beautiful simplicity.

To this day, as a solo swimmer, whenever I am doing effort 50s at the pool, I see a consistent and considerable difference in effort and time when I use performance cues compared to when I let my mindset react to the moment.

Performance cues keep swimmers focused on the right thing at the right moment. Not the swimmer next to them, not the pain they are feeling in their legs, not the pressure and expectations of the moment.

(In other words, supreme mental confidence.)

The key with performance cues, as with everything else in this little mental toughness list, is keeping it simple. Overthinking is not helpful in moments when peak performance is required. If you want to go fast, provide some simple directions and get out of your body’s way.

The challenge: Ask your swimmers to take their best event and build a series of performance cues for their race. Have them create cues according to their race strategy.

For example, here are some performance cues for a 100 freestyle.

• Off the start = “Explode!”
• First 50m = “Easy speed!” or “Relaxed sprint!”
• Third 25m = “Accelerate!” or “Make your move!”
• Final 25m = “Dominate!” or “Hulk smash”
• The finish = “Swim through the wall!”

ABOUT OLIVIER POIRIER-LEROY

Olivier Poirier-Leroy is a former national level swimmer. He’s the publisher of YourSwimBook, a ten-month log book for competitive swimmers.

He’s also the author of the recently published mental training workbook for competitive swimmers, Conquer the Pool: The Swimmer’s Ultimate Guide to a High Performance Mindset.

It combines sport psychology research, worksheets, and anecdotes and examples of Olympians past and present to give swimmers everything they need to conquer the mental side of the sport.

Ready to take your mindset to the next level?

Click here to learn more about Conquer the Pool.

COACHES: Yuppers–we do team orders of “Conquer the Pool” which include a team discount as well as complimentary branding (your club logo on the cover of the book) at no additional charge.

Want more details? Click here for a free estimate on a team order of CTP.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 5 Ways Swim Coaches Can Develop Mentally Tougher Swimmers

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

UPPER BODY 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 whole body workout.

WARMUP

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

WORKOUT:

Round 1

• 20 regular pushups
• 15 burpees
• 20 body weight squats
• 15 burpees
• 20 V ups
• 15 Burpees

Take 1-2 minutes rest before next round

Round 2 

• 15 clap pushups
• 15 burpees
• 12 lunges each leg
• 15 burpees
• 60 second plank
• 15 Burpees

Take 1-2 minutes rest before next round

Round 3 

• 10 pushup holds (bend arms to 90 degrees + hold for 5 seconds)
• 15 burpees
• 10 squat jumps
• 15 burpees
• 20 bridges
• 15 Burpees

REPEAT ENTIRE WORKOUT FOR A SECOND TIME.

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 #112 – Monday Muscles

By Giusy Cisale on SwimSwam

CAMPIONATO ITALIANO ASSOLUTO – TROFEO SETTECOLLI 2020

• 11-12- 13 AGOSTO 2020
• Roma, Piscine del Foro ITalico
• Vasca Lunga 50 metri
• SwimSwam Italia Preview

Manca meno di un mese al primo fischio di partenza dopo la pandemia da coronavirus.

Il Campionato Italiano Assoluto sarà il tanto atteso ritorno ai blocchi di partenza per i nuotatori d’élite italiani, ma non solo. La partecipazione di atleti internazionali quest’anno ha un valore aggiunto, atteso che tutti gli atleti del mondo si sono fermati durante i mesi di lockdown.

TEMPI LIMITE ED ISCRIZIONI

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Campionato Assoluto/Settecolli: Iscrizioni, Tempi Limite, Programma Gare

By Coleman Hodges on SwimSwam

If you don’t like the career you’re in, you might want to work in the swimming community and be a part of our swimming family! Go here to see 2809 Swim Jobs.

A3 PERFORMANCE SEEKS AGENTS TO JOIN THE FASTEST GROWING SWIMWEAR BRAND IN AMERICA

A3 Performance is the fastest-growing brand of performance swimwear in America. As an Innovator and Leader in product development, A3 Performance is now taking an innovative approach to brand growth and distribution.

AGE GROUP COACH- ANNAPOLIS SWIM CLUB (ASC)

ASC is looking for an enthusiastic age group coach to primarily work with our 10 & Under swimmers. Preferably looking for candidates to have 2-3 years previous coaching experience, and to feel comfortable leading groups with prepared practices, and a strong ability to teach and correct stroke technique. The hired coach will be expected to work 4 evenings per week, although this can be flexible.

HEAD COACH CWSC, CRAIG, ALASKA

Exciting employment opportunity in Craig Alaska! The Craig Waverunner Swim Club is in search of a new Head Swim Coach. The Waverunners are a parent owned and operated USA Swimming Club. The position is hired through the City of Craig, Alaska and the job position includes being the Head Swim Coach, Lifeguard and Swim Lesson Instructor at the Craig Aquatic Center.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT SWIM COACH

The successful candidate will be actively involved in the recruitment, retention, and day to day operations of the Saint Vincent College Swimming Program. The position includes: a living stipend of $5,000 and a tuition waiver to enroll in a graduate program at Saint Vincent College.  The anticipated start date is August 16, 2020.

FULL TIME AGE GROUP COACH WITH SSAN

Swim Streamline at Northampton (SSAN) is seeking qualified applicants for a FULL TIME AGE GROUP COACH. SSAN is a year-round swim team in the Spring/Woodlands area of Houston, Gulf Swimming. In our 12^th year, with a roster of 300 athletes, we are seeking an experienced coach to work with our Home school and Age Group Programs.

ASSISTANT SWIM COACH AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Under the supervision of the Aquatic Center Director and Head Swim Coach, this position is responsible for assisting the head coach in developing a NCAA Division III men’s and women’s swimming program as well as management and running of the aquatic center.

EVENTS AND LIFEGUARD MANAGER

As the Events & Lifeguard Manager for the facility, the successful candidate will be accountable for leading team-oriented efforts to meet TAC’s high-quality standards in attracting, planning and organizing, and ultimately executing all activities related to hosting local, state, regional, and national level swim meets and events at the facility.

HEAD AGE GROUP SWIM COACH

The Sandhills Sandsharks Swim Team is accepting applications for the position of Age Group Coach. There is room for advancement for the right candidate.

HEAD SWIM TEAM COACH

The State College Branch of the YMCA of Centre County is seeking an experienced Head Swim Team Coach for their team of 150+ swimmers!

HEAD AGE GROUP COACH

The Coto Coyote Swim Team is a year-round competitive swim team and a member of Southern California Swimming.  We have approximately 80 athletes on our year-round team.  We are looking for a hardworking and dedicated coach to fill our Head Age Group coaching position.  We are looking for the right person to fill the position for our team and for our athletes.

ABERDEEN SWIM CLUB HEAD COACH

The Aberdeen Swim Club (ASC), a USA Swimming club in Aberdeen, SD, is seeking an inspiring, energetic full time Head Coach with excellent leadership, communication and team building skills as well as technical expertise to coach and mentor our year-round team of approximately 120 athletes.

SWIMMER DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

The Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County in Irvine, Ca is seeking a Specialist for the JCC Waves Swimming Team and Aquatics Department.

PART TIME DEVELOPMENTAL, AGE GROUP, AND SENIOR COACHES

The Virginia Gators of Charlottesville and the Virginia Gators of Crozet/Waynesboro are looking for Developmental, Age Group, and Senior Coaches for the upcoming 2020-2021 season. The Virginia Gators have had a long standing site in Charlottesville, Virginia and is adding two new locations the 2020-2021 season in Waynesboro, VA and Crozet, VA. It is certainly an exciting time to be a Gator!

ASSISTANT DIVE COACH

Illinois State University invites applications for the position of Assistant Dive Coach. This position will work under broad policy guidance and exercise sound judgment when making critical decisions in an ever-changing and dynamic environment. Independent and collaborative analysis will be conducted to solve problems, develop policies and procedures, and complete complex tasks associated with the position.

FULL TIME MOBILE SWIMMING TEACHER ON GRAND CAYMAN ISLANDS

Looking for happy Self Driven and Highly Motivated Experienced Full-Time Swimming Teacher that can teach from Baby classes, Learn to swim, stroke Improve classes all the way up to adults. You will need reliable transport and Clean and up to date Drivers license as you will be driving around the island teaching classes at  Private Residencies.

HEAD COACH – WILLISTON SEA LIONS SWIM CLUB (ND)

The Williston Sea Lions (WSL) is seeking an experienced Head Coach who will be a dedicated, strong communicator and a positive motivator with exceptional leadership skills to direct the competitive swimming program in Williston, North Dakota. WSL has thrived in the competitive swimming arena for over 50 years, producing quality young swimmers and quality young adults.

SWIM LESSONS DIRECTOR

Are you a talented leader with a caring heart? If you have managerial experience, love kids and like the water, join Cypress Fairbanks (Fleet)  at our award-winning swim school. We are seeking a swim director who will enjoy full and active evenings, spent working both in and out of the pool, constantly interacting with children, families, and coworkers. This is an opportunity to love your job where you will be creating exceptional experiences for customers and employees.

MARLINS OF RALEIGH SWIM TEAM SEEKS FULL TIME LEAD COACH

The Marlins Of Raleigh Swim Team is seeking a full time lead coach for our AG 3 Black and Pre Sr groups at our North Raleigh Site.

A3 PERFORMANCE SEEKS AGENTS TO JOIN THE FASTEST GROWING SWIMWEAR BRAND IN AMERICA

A3 Performance is the fastest-growing brand of performance swimwear in America. As an Innovator and Leader in product development, A3 Performance is now taking an innovative approach to brand growth and distribution.

SWIM COACH/ASSISTANT SWIM COACH

UWCSEA East Dragons Swim Team seeks an experienced and forward-thinking swim coach from August 2020. As Assistant and Development Coach, this person should display initiative and confidence, particularly when leading the Junior Squad and Age Group programmes. The candidate will also be confident coaching at Senior and National Level with an appreciation of scientific coaching principles. The appropriate person should be dynamic and able to adapt to our ever-changing and growing swim programme.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT SWIM COACH

Lewis University is in need of a swimming Graduate Assistant.  GA’s are Assistant Coaches at Lewis.  You will have daily, hands on duties with swimmers.

DAVENPORT UNIVERSITY – ASSISTANT SWIMMING COACH (MEN’S AND WOMEN’S)

This position has responsibilities that include assistant coaching, practice planning and recruitment. These responsibilities are performed in an ethical manner consistent with the University’s mission, and values which include diversity, equity, and inclusion.

SOUTH CAROLINA SWIMMING SPORT DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

SC Swimming, Inc is a Local Swim Committee (LSC) operating under the direction of USA Swimming. Our goal is to provide our members competitive swimming opportunities through local, state, and national meets, training and certifications for coaches and officials, and camps and educational events.

LAKE BELTON HIGH SCHOOL (TX) – HEAD SWIMMING COACH

Lake Belton High School in Belton, TX is looking for a Head Swimming Coach for the 2020-2021 school year. Lake Belton HS will open in the fall with freshman and sophomores, and will compete at the UIL-5A level.

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY – ASSISTANT SWIMMING COACH (MEN & WOMEN)

In the upcoming months, FAU Swim & Dive will be hiring an assistant coach.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA – ASSISTANT SWIMMING COACH

The University of South Dakota is seeking applications for the position of Assistant Swimming & Diving Coach. This position is responsible for assisting the head coach in developing a NCAA Division I men’s and women’s swimming and diving program including but not limited to: recruitment of prospective student-athletes; training and development of team (both academically and athletically); liaison for academics and other departments on campus; assisting with camp and clinics, and administration.

FULL TIME HEAD SWIM COACH

This is a full time position in the Recreation Departments Aquatics Division and is under the direct supervision of the Aquatics Manager/Team CEO and in absence of the Aquatics Manager/Team CEO, the Recreation Director. The primary purpose of the Head Swim Coach is to provide outstanding service through warm interactions.

MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY GRADUATE ASSISTANT – MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SWIMMING

To assist the head men’s and women’s swim coach in building and managing a dynamic team program where swimmers demonstrate exceptional skills while fully committed to the mission and goals of the university and adhering to all Atlantic East and NCAA rules and regulations.

WEB DESIGNER/PRODUCT DESIGNER NEEDED FOR THE REDESIGN SWIMOUTLET.COM

We are seeking a talented web designer/product designer to help us redesign the SwimOutlet.com website. SwimOutlet is the largest swim retailer in the US. This project should last 1.5 – 2 months

CATEGORY MANAGER, SWIMOUTLET.COM COMPETITIVE SWIM

The Category Manager, SwimOutlet.com Competitive Swim is responsible for the online merchandising strategy and driving sales growth by creating and optimizing a compelling assortment of products across all competitive swim categories.

TALLULAH FALLS SCHOOL SEEKS DIRECTOR OF AQUATICS

The Director of Aquatics coordinates all functions of the Tallulah Falls School natatorium, creates appropriate user programs, effectively consults, collaborates and communicates with TFS constituents, and ensures coordination of all aquatic usage.

HEAD COACH/AQUATICS DIRECTOR

The Swim Coach will be the lead to bring out the team’s Vision and Mission. Responsibilities of the Head Coach include analyzing swim techniques and determining skill levels, developing various community programs, educating swimmers on various techniques and styles, developing training and competition schedules and communicating with the Board of Directors, swimmers and families.

ASSISTANT SWIMMING COACH

The Assistant Swimming Coach’s primary responsibility is the coaching and instruction of the sport of Swimming. Approximately 60% of the Assistant Coach’s responsibility is dedicated to the instruction of Swimming through in pool or dry land training and classroom training through use of video and other teaching techniques.

ASSISTANT DIVING COACH

The University of Mary is an NCAA Division II institution and participates in the very competitive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Under direct supervision, this position is responsible for assisting the Head Women’s Swimming Coach in creating and maintaining a successful swimming/diving program for the institution.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT – SWIMMING

Midland University, a private, Christian, liberal arts university in Fremont, Nebraska (just outside of metro Omaha), is seeking a Swimming Graduate Assistant. This position will be offered within our graduate assistant structure, requiring admission to the University’s Master of Education, Master of Science Adult and Organizational Learning or Master of Business Administration programs.

HEAD COACH – VELOCITY AQUATICS (MN)

Velocity Aquatics (VCTY), a year-round competitive swim club in the western suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul, is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Head Coach. The Head Coach will be responsible for leading the overall coaching strategy and vision for the club, serve as the primary coach for the Senior (“Platinum”) swim group, and perform administrative duties related to team operations.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT – SWIMMING

RESPONSIBILITIES: Conducting practices, coaching at meets, and any other items designated by the head coach. Assist student-athletes with individual athlete development and pre-season and conditioning programs.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT – DIVING

RESPONSIBILITIES: Conducting practices, coaching at meets, and any other items designated by the head coach. Assist student-athletes with individual athlete development and pre-season and conditioning programs.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT SWIM COACH

By Braden Keith on SwimSwam

2020 Summer Sprint

• July 11-12, 2020
• Brown Deer, Wisconsin
• LCM (50m)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2020 Summer Sprint”

In his first racing since the Big Ten Championships at the end of February, the NCAA’s fastest 100 yard breaststroker from the 2019-2020 season Max McHugh swam the 50 and 100 meter breaststroke this weekend at a small meet in his home state of Wisconsin.

The meet featured swimmers from 4 Wisconsin teams, with most of the participants coming from the host Schroeder YMCA squad.

McHugh and his older brother Conner, a former NCAA All-American, were the only two representatives from the Door County YMCA Swim Team – a squad coached by their dad Michael.

Max McHugh, who will be a junior at the University of Minnesota next season, had the top times in both of his events, swimming 1:04.89 in the 100 breaststroke and 29.10 in the 50. His older brother Conner swam 1:06.01 and 29.91 in the two events, respectively.

For Conner, the results were his first since December’s US Open.

Max McHugh‘s best times in those events in long course are 27.27 and 1:00.99, respectively. A former member of the USA Swimming Junior National Team, the end of his long course season last summer was interrupted when he and one of his Minnesota teammates were hit by ‘stray gunfire’ in downtown Minneapolis.

He finished his season at a Sectionals, where his swim in the 100 breaststroke ranked him 16th among Americans that season.

His short course results indicated no significant long-term performance impact from the injury, and he hasn’t had many opportunities to swim in long course since. His swims this weekend represent just his 2nd and 3rd official long course races in the last 11 months.

Aside from the McHugh brothers, among the most significant results from the weekend was a win in the 100 fly by 16-year old Jack Lustig in 59.21. That was a 2.7 second improvement over his previous best time of 1:01.95 that was swum in May of 2019.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Max McHugh Swims First Races Since Big Ten Championships in Brown Deer

By Coleman Hodges on SwimSwam

On SwimSwam Podcast, we’re giving you an in-depth listen at all things swimming. Host Coleman Hodges welcomes guests and guest co-hosts alike to get perspective on our ever-changing swimming universe and break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

I sat down with Mitch Dalton, the brand new assistant coach for the Texas women’s swim team. Before that, Dalton was the Director of the National Jr Team for 5 years. Now, I understand what that is… but also, I don’t. Is it a manager? A coach? Mitch broke down how he ended up in that position, what it actually entails, and why the NJT is so important for the future of USA Olympic success.

We ended our podcast with a game based off of James Cordon’s ‘Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts’.  As we didn’t have any disgusting foods to eat, we decided to tweet rather outlandish statements, drawn out of a hat by the other person, if we didn’t want to answer the question or didn’t give a satisfactory answer. We each ended up tweeting once, and I have to say, Mitch’s tweet was pretty golden:

I rather have dinner with @Beyonce than win a Gold Medal at the Olympics.

— Mitch Dalton (@MitchDaltonNJT) July 10, 2020

• Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify
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RECENT EPISODES

Read the full story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam Podcast: Mitch Dalton Plays ‘Spill Your Guts or Tweet Your Guts’

By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam

SwimSwam welcomes reader submissions about all topics aquatic, and if it’s well-written and well-thought, we might just post it under our “Shouts from the Stands” series. We don’t necessarily endorse the content of the Shouts from the Stands posts, and the opinions remain those of their authors. If you have thoughts to share, please send themtoshare@swimswam.com.

This “Shouts from the Stands” submission comes from Ben Delia, the head swimming coach for Franklin & Marshall College.

Uncertainty rules the roost in 2020. COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Championships for Divisions I and III, and it forced the mid-meet cancellation in Division II. Looking ahead to the 2021 championships, there is still a great deal that we don’t know about what schools, conferences, and the NCAA may allow. While many colleges and universities are poised to attempt a return to in-person, on-campus learning this fall, the fate of athletics is hanging in the balance, especially for non-revenue generating sports like swimming.

Swimming is characterized as a winter sport within the NCAA, with a season approximately corresponding to the short course season. This puts most conference championships and NCAA Championships in the mid-February to late-March time frame. A traditional NCAA season features dual meets in the fall, invitationals around Thanksgiving, training trips in December and January, followed by a resumption of dual meets and then championships in January through March.

Why consider moving swimming to spring sport status for 2021?

The normal travel schedule that takes place during the fall semester of an NCAA swimming season presents an untenable situation in the current Covid-19 era, with too much student-athlete movement from September through the winter flu season. Leaving out the possibility of a second wave, with the resurgence of the first wave, current travel plans are being curtailed for the fall. More schools and conferences are likely to limit or suspend non-essential travel.

Additionally, many colleges and universities are implementing condensed academic semesters with longer than normal break periods in between the fall and spring terms. Few college teams would consider holding their athletes on campus through the entirety of the holiday seasons, so any normal winter season would require coaches and athletes to seek permission from administrators to come and go from campus (possibly several times) during the holiday period when most universities will be seeking to clear out their residents. Doing so would be costly at a time when schools face budget crunches, and would also actively work against the Covid-19 spread mitigation efforts being implemented by administrations. On top of this, the NCAA has already implemented a step by step process for resocialization in sport in this era, which would need to be observed following any resumption from a break.

The rapid escalation of cases around the country creates the reality that campuses that do open in the fall will almost certainly see Covid-19 cases in their student populations. In addition to the obvious safety benefits from forgoing competition during a period of heightened risk, planning now for a spring season avoids the near certainty of cancelling scheduled fall competitions, and can provide for a well thought out and planned spring 2021 competitive phase.

What would a spring season look like?

A normal NCAA swimming season allows for a 144-day official season length for Division I and Division II institutions from start through the conference championships. DI and DII can also begin pre-season workouts on the first day of classes for the academic year. The Division III winter season allows for 19 weeks of official practice leading up to the conference championships. In all divisions, the period between conference meets and the NCAA Championships does not count toward the season length caps.

For this hypothetical exercise, I use a template that contemplates teams returning to campus for the official season phase on January 18th, conference championship meets the week of April 22nd-25th, and NCAA Championships May 19th-22nd. Individual conference schedules typically vary depending on exact championship dates, and from a regional scheduling perspective, it is likely that conference meets would be held across several weekends in mid-April depending on pool availability. At the end of the NCAA Championships qualifying period on April 25th, we then allow for 3.5 weeks to the beginning of NCAA’s, which is the standard length of time from the end of the qualifying period to the beginning of the championships.

For the overall season structure, all three divisions would be allowed to practice only during the fall semester. The entire semester could be the pre-season period for Division I and II, while Division III would be limited to 5-weeks of allowable practicing based on the season outline above. 

Parting Shots

I realize that a spring season may not be ideal for all student-athletes, with coaches and athletes preparing for Olympic Trials in June 2021 having to make tough decisions on whether to compete at a May NCAA Championships. The truth is that those with true Olympic aspirations will be making these decisions whether NCAA’s are held in March or May, and at the end of the day coaches and athletes in this position will choose what is best for their athletes on a case by case basis.

Taking an overall viewpoint, the risks outweigh the benefits when considering intercollegiate competition for fall 2020. We have already seen this in the fall cancellation announcements of several prominent conferences and schools across multiple NCAA divisions. Will January be better than September for the start of the season? The truth is we don’t know, but it is becoming increasingly clear that a September start is not a responsible option. If we want to save our seasons for our teams and athletes, now is the time to take bold action, delay the season start, and plan for a spring 2021 NCAA swimming season.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Shouts From The Stands: NCAA Swimming Should Be a Spring Sport For 2020-21

By Nick Pecoraro on SwimSwam

In our new series, Roadmaps – Mapping the Journey of US Swimming Stars, we will explore how modern-day Olympians climbed their way to the top, starting from as early as 8 years old all the way to their elite level today.

It has been 36 years since an American woman won Olympic gold in the 200 IM, when Tracy Caulkins won the title at the 1984 Seoul Olympics. In spite of having a number of talented IMers in the interim, including the former World Record holder Ariana Kukors, none have come out on top of the Olympic podium at the event.

Featured at the lead of the group trying to break that trend, holding the fastest women’s 200 IM time by an American woman in this Olympic quad, is former World/American 100 back record-holder Kathleen Baker. Baker’s best time came in the form of a 2:08.32 win at the 2018 U.S. Nationals meet. While her biggest career swim is the 100 back, Baker came out of high school as a sub-minute 100 yard breaststroker already, so her versatility has been clear from a young age.

Right behind her are more recognizable faces in IM events: Melanie Margalis, Madisyn Cox, Ella Eastin, Meghan Small, and Evie Pfeifer. The top 8 in this event also feature teen sensations Alex Walsh and Justina Kozan. Read on for more about each swimmer’s best strokes in age group, their past international successes, and who is most likely to appear in the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials final in Omaha.

What Were Their Strengths In Age Group?

Not many age groupers would consider themselves an IMer, yet it is a common trend to see a stand-out swimmer excel in more than one stroke. At 12 years old, Kathleen Baker‘s best events included the fly, back, and free while Evie Pfeifer had a raw talent in distance free and breast events. At the same age, Ella Eastin was breaking national age group records in the butterfly events while Meghan Small and Justina Kozan could be seen swimming either fly or free events. Both Alex Walsh and Madisyn Cox have excellent breaststroke skills, yet once in early high school their backstroke events scored high Power Points according to the SWIMS database. Likewise, Melanie Margalis could be seen in both breast and middle-distance free events during her high school career.

The only swimmers of this group to swim the 200 IM LCM at 8 years old were Evie Pfeifer, Ella Eastin, and Madisyn Cox, all within the blistering 3:15-3:25 range. Eastin does not have a 200 IM time at age 9, however, at age 10 she shaved down to a 2:36.61, the 3rd-fastest 10&U time of the 2000s. By 9 years old, Alex Walsh and Justina Kozanreached sub-3:00 in the 200 IM, eventually hitting the 2:30-barrier by age 11 alongside Eastin. Kozan hit 2:12.99 in the 200 IM at the youngest age of the group at 15 years old. Walsh and Meghan Small both reached sub-2:13 by age 16 while Kathleen Baker and Eastin were 18 when reaching the competitive barrier.

Is The 200 IM “Their Event”?

The USA Swimming Power Points system can help a swimmer determine which stroke/event is their best. Of course, the majority of these Roadmaps swimmers’ best event is the 200 IM, with the 400 IM also in their top 3 events. The only exception is Kathleen Baker, whose top 2 events are the 50 and 100 backstrokes with the 200 IM being her next best event. With this in mind, do the rest of the group’s #2 and #3 events reflect their current stroke strengths? Melanie Margalis, Alex Walsh, and Madisyn Cox have either the 100 or 200 breast included in their top 3 events while Ella Eastin, Meghan Small, and Justina Kozan scored high in the 200 fly. Evie Pfeifer‘s third-best event is the 400 free, attributing to her early talent in middle distance freestyle.

Madisyn Cox is the only swimmer of this group to earn a medal in the 200 IM at the long course World championships with her bronze medal from 2017. On the other hand, Kathleen Baker, Melanie Margalis, and Ella Eastin have all earned medals at the short course World championships. Margalis first earned a bronze medal in 2014. Then, Eastin became the World runner-up in 2016. At the 2018 meet, Margalis upgraded to a silver medal while Baker picked up a bronze for a US 2-3 finish. At the same time, Meghan Small became a two-time event runner-up at the 2015 and 2019 Pan American Games while A