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MARCH 2022 • VOL 63 • NO 03 FEATURES
028 LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER
010 AN EPIC SHOWDOWN EXPECTED
Katharine Berkoff’s dad, David, is an Olympic medalist and former world record holder. Today, Katharine, a junior at North Carolina State, is experiencing her own swimming success.
by Dan D’Addona As Swimming World selects its Top-10 team rankings for this year’s Women’s NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships at Georgia Tech, March 16-19, one thing appears certain: Virginia (last year’s first-time national champion) and Stanford (winner of the previous three straight national titles) could provide one of the most epic two-team showdowns in decades.
015 TEXAS TOPS TOP 10 by David Rieder With teams from around the country converging in Atlanta, March 23-26, for this year’s men’s NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, Texas will have a squad heavily favored to repeat as champions and extend Coach Eddie Reese’s national team titles record to 16.
018 FINALLY...A SENSE OF NORMALCY by Jesse Marsh and Dan D’Addona NCAA Division II schools were able to come together last year after COVID-19 canceled the 2020 Championships. However, Division III schools are especially looking forward to this year’s meet since this will be the first time in two years that they will have the opportunity to compete for a national championship.
023 ISHOF FEATURE: THE CASE FOR BRINGING LIFESAVING SPORT BACK INTO THE OLYMPIC GAMES by Bruce Wigo Lifesaving was included in the second Modern Olympic Games of Paris 1900 as part of the swimming program and as an exhibition sport. One of its objectives then was to teach competitors and spectators how to save a human life. Today, the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) strives to rejoin the world’s greatest sporting event. This article addresses the sport’s journey and explains why the only humanitarian and most vital sport should be included in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
026 WORLD RECORD FLASHBACK: A COMPLETE EFFORT by John Lohn World record holders are uniquely etched into the lore of the sport, defined by a time frame never previously known in the sport. This month, as an homage to these epic pacesetters, Swimming World unveils “World Record Flashback,” a new feature that examines—in detail—a global standard from the past. And for this debut piece, it wasn’t difficult to select our first subject. We had to go with the GOAT.
by David Rieder
030 NUTRITION: SMELLS FISHY! by Dawn Weatherwax Omega-3 fatty acids are small, but mighty! Many athletes do not realize their impact on health and athletic performance. They have been shown to aid in eye, heart and brain health, reduce inflammation, and they have a positive impact on muscle.
COACHING 032 PROBLEMATIC TEAMMATES (Part 1)
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ON THE COVER
The University of Virginia women won last year’s NCAA Division I Championships—their first national swimming and diving team title in school history. The Cavaliers will look to repeat with a strong team, but should find a tougher road to the title with improvements from so many schools, including 11-time team champion Stanford. Among some of the top swimmers for Virginia is Kate Douglass, 50 free champ in 2021 who also finished runner-up in the 100 free and 100 fly. In February, she also became the second fastest performer all-time in the 200 yard breast, missing Lilly King’s American record by a half-second. (See feature, pages 10-12.) [ Photo Courtesy: Virginia Athletics ]
by Michael J. Stott This is the first of two articles exploring the dry deck coaching conundrum of teammate behavior, a dynamic every bit as important to team health and welfare as what transpires in the pool. In this month’s issue, brothers Don and Ron Heidary, head coaches of Orinda Aquatics (Calif.) and two of international swimming’s foremost authorities on team character and culture, share the foundation of their “Character First” philosophy.
040 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: BUOYANCY ISSUES FOR FLOATING AND KICKING by Rod Havriluk The concept of buoyancy is not only fundamental for someone learning to swim, but is also important for competitive swimmers seeking to maximize performance. Information about both the magnitude and the location (distance from the ankles) of the buoyant force is critical to achieve optimal body positions for floating, kicking and swimming.
TRAINING 039 DRYSIDE TRAINING: NO GYM? NO WORRIES! by J.R. Rosania With all the sophisticated equipment in gyms these days, one would think that’s the only recourse when it comes to dryland training. Not so: If you’re limited with space and/or time, you can purchase a stretch cord and stability ball, and turn your bedroom into your dryland area.
JUNIOR SWIMMER 047 UP & COMERS: ELIZABETH GREGORY by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COLUMNS 008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT
042 SPECIAL SETS: KAII WINKLER— WORKING HARD TO REACH HIS GOALS
009 THE OFFICIAL WORD
by Michael J. Stott Coach Adam Madarassy of Eagle Aquatics in Miami, Fla., shares two favorite sets that he has given to 15-year-old Kaii Winkler, the No. 1 Florida recruit (fourth nationally) in the Class of 2024.
036 2022 SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY
043 Q&A WITH COACH JORDAN WOLFRUM, UCLA
048 GUTTERTALK
by Michael J. Stott
044 HOW THEY TRAIN SAM BARON: UCLA SOPHOMORE BUTTERFLYER AND IMer
046 HASTY HIGH POINTERS
050 MAKING WAVES (Best of Social Media) 051 PARTING SHOT
by Michael J. Stott
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SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE (ISSN 0039-7431). Note: permission to reprint articles or excerpts from contents is prohibited without permission from the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for errors in advertisements. Microfilm copies: available from University Microfilms, 313 N. First St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Swimming World Magazine is listed in the Physical Education Index. Printed in the U.S.A. © Sports Publications International March 2022.
VOICE FOR THE SPORT
THE CROWDED GLOBAL CALENDAR:
GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS BY JOHN LOHN
L
ooking for a gift for the swimmers or swimming-connected individuals in your life? Get them a calendar or personal organizer. Or introduce them to the best digital planner you know. After all, they’re going to need the managerial support over the next several months—and coming years. Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has dealt the world myriad difficulties, the health of millions of individuals at the forefront of this ongoing crisis. On a much smaller scale, when measured against the medical impact, the pandemic has hurled schedules into chaos, including the upcoming agenda for our sport. As 2022 dawned, the plan was for the next edition of the World Championships to be held in Fukuoka, Japan. However, that competition, already delayed by a year when the Olympic Games in Tokyo were pushed back by 12 months, was further pushed back by COVID-19 factors—with 2023 its newest date. For many athletes, this latest postponement wasn’t too much of a concern, as numerous regional events around the globe were scheduled: Commonwealth Games, European Championships, Asian Games. Yet, for the United States, there was a sudden problem. Without the World Champs in Fukuoka, American stars would not have a focus meet for the summer. How would they measure their progress? Would they lose sponsorship opportunities? How would they sharpen their racing chops on the road to the 2024 Olympics in Paris? There were obvious concerns. Then, as quickly as Caeleb Dressel covers the 50 meter freestyle, there was a surprise answer. In a statement in early February, FINA revealed that it would—indeed—hold a World Championships during 2022, with Budapest emerging as the site. Was the decision made to accommodate the United States, the inarguable superpower in the pool? Those dots can be connected. “As an aquatics community, we are finding solutions around the pandemic, and (the Budapest) announcement is an important step in this process,” FINA said. “We know we need to be imaginative in our approach in navigating through the current health crisis for our athletes. (This) agreement is a testament to this work. FINA also recognizes that the pandemic is evolving differently according to time and place. “We are extremely fortunate to have event hosts that share our passion for aquatics and have the willingness, capability and flexibility to organize FINA’s most prestigious event. We are deeply grateful to all our hosts and know that aquatics athletes feel the same way. With four FINA World Championships and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games over the next four years, we are maximizing the racing opportunities and earnings potential for established and emerging aquatics athletes alike.” While there was no doubt relief in American corners, the decision by FINA to conduct an “extraordinary” World Champs in Budapest does not offer comfort to athletes in other locales. Rather, the addition of this global event only complicates this summer’s schedule. Which event do I prioritize? Should I skip one of the meets? If I race at all competitions, how will that affect my long-term training? All of these questions are logical. This summer’s slate will now include multiple major competitions, and there is a likelihood that swimmers—with connections to each—will pick and choose where to race. These decisions will, undoubtedly, lead to less-than-full-strength fields, with some swimmers racing in peak form at one location and in less-than-ideal shape at another. For the athletes, tough calls must be made. Additionally, the International Swimming League’s decision to contest its fourth season over a six-month period adds to the scheduling dilemma. More, with a World Champs scheduled for every year from 2022-25 (and with an Olympics also in there), these competitions will feature less prestige than in the past. The former biennial approach of the World Championships held greater cache. FINA’s move to add a World Champs to this summer may have been a plus for American swimmers, but the sport’s calendar is a traffic jam, akin to an age-group warm-up with inadequate lane space. Where will swimmers go? How will they perform? How will medals be viewed? Time will tell. If nothing else, get your planner ready. You’re going to need it. v
John Lohn Editor-in-Chief Swimming World Magazine 8
MARCH 2022
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MAKING HEADS OR TAILS OF IT BY DEREK PAUL
B
ased on a change to Article 102.5.2 of the USA Swimming Rules & Regulations approved by the USA Swimming House of Delegates in September 2021, alternatives to inwater swim-offs are officially codified. The updated language, proposed by Lake Erie Swimming, is intended to give swimmers alternatives to swim-offs consistent with previous practice and interpretations of the USA Swimming Rules and Regulations and Officials Committees. Earlier versions of the language codifying swim-offs offered no alternatives to in-water competition of the event for which the athletes had tied. However, previous guidance from the USA Swimming Officials and Regulations Committees had, in practice, offered swimmers alternatives to simply racing again. Recent guidance had allowed for one athlete to simply defer, or, if mutually agreed upon, allowed the flipping of a coin to determine the result. The new language of Article 102.5.2 codifies the practice of allowing alternatives to simply re-swimming the original race. By adding “unless the swimmers, coaches and referee mutually agree to resolve the tie in an alternative manner, such as coin toss or racing a different distance/event,” the new rule makes it clear that ties may be resolved using a variety of different methods. The most common methods may remain flipping a coin or the traditional swim-off, but referees, coaches and athletes now have the flexibility to resolve a tie in a way that makes sense to them. In addition to adding an element of fun to a sometimes dreaded necessity, this could benefit a swimmer who may have been required to swim a longer, more grueling race three times in one day. For example, if two athletes tied for the first alternate position in the 200 fly, they now have the option to race in the 50 fly rather than swim the 200 fly for a second time as part of the preliminary session. Recently, you may have seen two teammates from the University of Tennessee resolving a swim-off with a game involving the two athletes grabbing at a cup. As in all instances where an alternative method is to be used, the swimmers, their coaches and the referee were required to mutually agree with this proposed method. While the goal is to allow for an easy resolution to the tie, it is anticipated that the referee will not disagree with a method or an alternate distance or event agreed to by the athletes and coaches. It should be noted that this rule applies only to USA Swimming-sanctioned events, and there is not an equivalent in the NCAA or high school swimming. We look forward to hearing more creative and entertaining ways to resolve a tie! v Derek Paul is the Rules and Regulations Committee chair for USA Swimming.
EXCELLENCE AWARD PAM BIRNBRICH Pam Birnbrich of Ohio Swimming is an official with a history in both Arizona and Ohio. Upon returning to Ohio in 2011, she quickly became active in the LSC and was elected as the officials chair in 2015. When she took over, there was little encouragement to work outside the LSC or pursue national certification. Evaluators were almost always local, so the opportunity to work with new people and learn different ways of doing things didn’t really exist. Few officials were involved with governance, and communications to officials was not consistent. Pam assessed needs within the LSC and drafted committees that were promptly staffed, many by officials who were just waiting to be asked to help. They produced outstanding training material for all positions that were rolled out to the LSC through training modules. The training greatly helped standardize and elevate the skills of Ohio officials and provided clear expectations and a path for advancement. In concert with raising the skill set in each position, Pam was instrumental in drafting a new Officials Travel Reimbursement Policy that radically increased the budget for expenses incurred when traveling to meets. The policy included meets before the national level, encouraging officials to gain valuable experience and national certification at meets outside the LSC. You can see the effects of this policy in the large increase in Ohio officials applying for and working on the national deck. Pam’s leadership and dedication has brought many positive changes for officials in the Ohio Swimming LSC.
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WOMEN’S NCAA PREVIEW
AN EPIC SHOWDOWN EXPECTED As Swimming World selects its Top-10 team rankings for this year’s Women’s NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, one thing appears certain: Virginia (last year’s first-time national champion) and Stanford (winner of the previous three straight national titles) could provide one of the most epic two-team showdowns in decades. BY DAN D'ADDONA
T
he NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships return after a tumultuous two years when an NCAA Championships was canceled, followed by last year’s meet without fans because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Scheduled for March 16-19 at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, the women’s NCAAs will finally be able to return to its normal “business as usual.” Virginia won its first national championship last year, holding off North Carolina State in a rise of the ACC among national powers. The Cavaliers will look to repeat with a loaded team, but should find a tougher road to the title with improvements from so many teams, including 11-time team champion Stanford.
1. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS
Last year: 1st (491 points) Coach: Todd DeSorbo In 2021, the Virginia Cavaliers surged into one of the most dominating NCAA champions in history. The Cavaliers had stars, exciting races and stellar relays, claiming their first national title in school history. Alex Walsh won the NCAA title in the 200 yard IM and finished fifth in the 200 free and 200 breaststroke. She also was part of the winning 400 free relay. Kate Douglass won the 50 freestyle and was runner-up in the 100 free and 100 butterfly. And in February, she became the second fastest performer in the 200 breaststroke, missing Lilly King’s American record by a half-second! Virginia also has key returners in Maddie Donohoe in the distance events and Ella Nelson teaming with Walsh in the breaststroke and IM races. The Cavaliers, however, lost Olympian Paige Madden to graduation after leading the way a year ago with three wins. But Virginia has freshmen Emma Weyant and Gretchen Walsh ready to pick up the slack. Weyant made the Olympic team in the 400 IM, while Walsh nearly qualified and is putting together a stellar short-
course season at Virginia. With Virginia and Stanford reloading with some of the top freshmen in NCAA history, this could be the best showdown in recent memory.
2. STANFORD CARDINAL
Last year: 9th (159 points) Coach: Greg Meehan After winning three consecutive NCAA titles from 2017-19, the Stanford Cardinal missed out on a chance to have a much anticipated duel with Virginia in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A few key swimmers graduated, and Stanford dropped all the way to ninth in 2021. But Greg Meehan’s squad is reloaded for 2022. Stanford added Olympic freshmen Regan Smith and Torri Huske, and two-time Canadian Olympian Taylor Ruck returned after taking an Olympic training redshirt year. That trio alone could be the biggest boost of any three swimmers in one year. All three have the potential to win at least one individual event, if not more. They also completely transform the Stanford relays, making them title contenders in all five of those events. Last year’s 400 IM NCAA champion Brooke Forde returns for a fifth year, while the Cardinal also will count on Isabel Gormley, Anya Goeders, Lillie and Lucie Nordmann, Allie Raab, Morgan Tankersley and diver Carolina Sculti.
3. TEXAS LONGHORNS
Last year: 3rd (344.5 points) Coach: Carol Capitani The Texas women put together an impressive performance in 2021 with a relatively young team, adding 154 points to move from fifth in 2019 to third. Olivia Bray, now a sophomore, was runner-up in the 200 butterfly, while junior Kelly Pash tied for fourth and sophomore Emma Sticklen was seventh. That butterfly depth will provide a
>> PICTURED ABOVE: Virginia returns two of its three individual champions from 2021, including (from left) Alex Walsh (200 IM, who also placed fifth in the 200 free and 200 breaststroke) and Kate Douglass (50 free, who also finished runner-up in the 100 free and 100 butterfly). In February, Douglass became the second fastest performer in the 200 breaststroke, missing Lilly King’s American record by a half-second! [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
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>> After winning three straight NCAA team titles from 2017-19, Stanford finished ninth in 2021, with Brooke Forde (pictured) the only event winner, taking the 400 IM. However, the fifth-year senior will be joined this year by an impressive trio of Olympians, including freshmen Regan Smith and Torri Huske as well as two-time Canadian Olympian Taylor Ruck, who is returning after taking an Olympic training redshirt year. [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
needed punch for the Longhorns this year. Evie Pfeifer was runner-up in the 500 freestyle last year, and returns for a fifth year. Meanwhile, Julia Cook and Anna Elendt were individual scorers as well. Divers Paola Pineda, Jordan Skilken and Janie Boyle also scored last year in at least one event, and all three return. The loss of Grace Ariola, who retired for medical reasons, definitely is a blow points-wise. But the addition of Olympic distance specialist Erica Sullivan could be the difference between third and fourth with the points she could put together in the distance events.
4. NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK
Last year: 2nd (354 points) Coach: Braden Holloway As runners-up last year, the Wolfpack had their highest-ever finish, marking the first time the ACC captured the top two team spots. Katharine Berkoff was a huge part of that, winning the 100 backstroke and helping NC State win the 400 medley relay in an NCAA record 3:24.95 as well as the 200 medley relay. She also finished fifth in the 200 backstroke and eighth in the 50 free. Meanwhile, Sophie Hansson won the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Senior Kylee Alons will also be counted on to score points, and should be a factor, especially on relays. She was part of both NCAA title medley relays last year and also took fourth in the 50 free and sixth in the 100 free. Julia Poole and Kate Moore are both returning NCAA scorers who took a fifth year of eligibility. Emma Muzzy and Andrea Podmanikova also are returning scorers. The Wolfpack edged Texas last year by 9-1/2 points, but the Longhorns should have the edge this time around between these two extremely close teams.
5. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
Last year: 5th (266 points) Coach: Margo Geer The Alabama women were perhaps the surprise team of the women’s NCAAs last year. Their crowning moment was winning the 400 freestyle
relay and rolling to fifth place overall. Flora Molnar was the only senior from that relay, as Morgan Scott, Kalia Antoniou and Cora Dupre all return. Meanwhile, Rhyan White, who made the Olympics in both backstroke events, finished second in the 100 and 200 backstroke and helped the medley relays earn All-America honors. Not only is White returning and continuing to build on her strong performance in Tokyo, but nearly all of the swimmers who amassed 266 points at last year’s NCAAs are returning.
6. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Last year: 6th (224.5 points) Coach: Mike Bottom The Wolverines have put together a run of strong performances at NCAAs the past few years, competing as a Top5 team on a regular basis. Last year, though, Michigan was sixth... and could finish there again. But with a couple of unexpected strong performances, Michigan, which finished third in 2019, could be a surprise team again in 2022. Coach Mike Bottom’s squad is led by its “Butterfly U” duo of Maggie Mac Neil and Olivia Carter. Mac Neil won last year’s NCAA title in the 100 butterfly, while Carter won the 200 butterfly, a rare feat for teammates. Mac Neil is coming off of a stellar Olympic Games in which she won the gold medal in the 100 butterfly, then also became a SCM world record holder. She was the Swimmer of the Meet at last year’s NCAAs after out-dueling Virginia’s Kate Douglass in two of their three individual showdowns, including an NCAA record-breaking performance in the 100 butterfly. Carter has been strong as well this season and could repeat in the 200 butterfly after her dominant win last year by 1.54 seconds— the largest margin of victory in an individual event other than NC State’s Berkoff’s victory in the 1650 (4.55 seconds). But the Wolverines need more than their butterflyers to put together big races at NCAAs. Kathryn Ackerman took seventh in the 400 IM at last year’s NCAAs, and is poised for a breakout sophomore season. Victoria Kwan, Letitia Sim and Kaitlynn Sims could also be scorers for the Wolverines, who might be what is needed to help Michigan return as a Top-5 team. CONTINUED ON 12 >> MARCH 2022
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WOMEN'S NCAA PREVIEW / Continued from 11
9. USC TROJANS
Last year: 22nd (51 points) Coach: Jeremy Kipp The University of Southern California had a tough reality check at NCAAs last year, taking 22nd. A couple of years ago, led by Sweden’s Louise Hansson, the Trojans looked poised to become a perennial Top10 and even Top-5 team, but have not been able to keep up that pace. USC has an added boost this season with graduate transfer Calypso Sheridan. The Australian was an All-American in multiple events at Northwestern as an undergrad, and will be a welcome addition, giving USC big-time point capabilities. Meanwhile, Anicka Delgado of Ecuador could also help the Trojans. She did not compete at NCAAs last year, focusing on training for the Tokyo Olympics, where she finished 25th in the 50 free and 31st in the 100 free. Delgado will help the relays, along with Laticia Transom, Isabelle Odgers and Kaitlyn Dobler. If these athletes can score some individual points and put together a couple of strong relays, it could be a surprising finish for the Trojans.
>> Olivia Carter of Michigan could repeat in the 200 butterfly after her dominant win last year by 1.54 seconds—the largest margin of victory in an individual event other than NC State’s Katharine Berkoff’s victory in the 1650 (4.55 seconds). [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
7. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
Last year: 4th (290 points) Coach: Teri McKeever Cal may not be in its accustomed place as NCAA title contenders, but the Golden Bears are still a team not to be taken for granted in a big meet. Isabel Ivey returns, and the senior could be a title contender in multiple individual events. Ivey will also anchor several relays for Cal. Meanwhile, Isabelle Stadden will be a contender in the backstroke events after putting together a strong season. Robin Neumann, Alicia Wilson and Ema Rajic have all been Olympians and will play big parts on the Cal relays, as will Ayla Spitz and Rachel Klinker. If they can put together equally strong individual events, the Golden Bears could do better than expected.
8. TENNESSEE LADY VOLUNTEERS
Last year: 10th (153 points) Coach: Matt Kredich Irish star Mona McSharry gives the Volunteers a huge presence in several events heading into the NCAA Championships. She can swim several freestyle events as well as her signature breaststroke, and provide Tennessee with a huge relay component. She was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2021, and the Tokyo Olympian will have an even bigger impact on the team this season. The Irish connection runs deep with the Volunteers, as Ellen Walshe, another Tokyo Olympian from Ireland, has boosted the team’s outlook as a freshman. Cassidy Bayer, who transferred last year from Cal, could be a wild card here as well. If Tennessee can use its depth to put together some strong relays, it could improve on last year’s Top-10 finish. 12
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10. GEORGIA LADY BULLDOGS
Last year: 8th (181 points) Coach: Jack Bauerle Though not the powerhouse they have been in the past, the Bulldogs have some big pieces on this year’s team that could keep them in the Top 10. Senior Dakota Luther is a title contender in the 200 butterfly and should help Georgia’s medley relays. Meanwhile, breaststroker Danielle Della Torre and sprinter Gabi Fa’amausili returned for a fifth season because because of the NCAA’s extra year granted to those affected by the pandemic. Zoie Hartman could also be a factor for Georgia in the breaststroke and IM events, as well as sprinter Maxine Parker. Freshman freestyler/flyer Duné Coetzee of South Africa will look to make an impact in her first NCAA Championships.
OTHERS TO WATCH
There is, as always, a good chance other teams could crack into the Top 10 with a strong performance at NCAAs. Ohio State is loaded with depth and finished seventh last year. Another strong performance, especially in the relays, could easily see the Buckeyes land in the same area. Louisville could also make some waves with a similar team to Ohio State, while Indiana, Florida and Kentucky could also have some breakout performances. Wisconsin has Olympian Phoebe Bacon, who took fifth in the 200 backstroke in Tokyo. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year won the 200 back at last year’s NCAAs and should continue to help the Badger relays. v
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MEN’S NCAA PREVIEW
TEXAS TOPS TOP 10 With teams from around the country converging in Atlanta, March 23-26, for this year’s men’s NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, Texas will have a squad heavily favored to repeat as champions and extend Coach Eddie Reese’s national team titles record to 16. BY DAVID RIEDER
A
t the 2021 NCAA Championships, the Texas men captured a record-setting 15th team title and added to head coach Eddie Reese’s credentials as the winningest college swimming coach in history. Texas won just three events over the course of the meet: the 800 freestyle relay, 1-meter diving and 400 medley relay. None of those wins came during the last two days of the meet, and none were in an individual swimming event. But Texas had just enough to take down longtime rival Cal by 27 points. Two days after the meet, Reese announced his retirement after an amazing 43 years leading the Longhorn men. He planned to continue in his role through the U.S. Olympic Trials and then become head coach emeritus, but in June, the 80-year-old Reese reconsidered his decision and decided to return and write another chapter as the greatest swimming coach of all time.
1. TEXAS LONGHORNS
Last year: 1st (595 points) Coach: Eddie Reese Last year’s duel against Cal was a tight contest. Don’t expect the same this year. Texas already put on a show in early December when the Longhorns faced off with the Golden Bears at the Minnesota Invitational, and this Texas team looks balanced and dominant. One Texas swimmer, Drew Kibler, qualified for the U.S. Olympic team last year, and Kibler will be among the top swimmers in the 100 and 200 yard free. But the main star for Texas is Carson Foster, who recorded the fastest time in the world in the 400 meter IM in 2021 after narrowly missing the U.S. Olympic team. Foster will be one of the favorites in both IMs at NCAAs. Breaststroker Caspar Corbeau, sixth last year in the 100 breast and fourth in the 200 breast, is a national-title threat in both events, and
senior sprinter Daniel Krueger and fifth-year Alvin Jiang are among the impact returners. Texas also adds transfer Cameron Auchinachie, who has made a huge impact in sprint freestyle and backstroke, and freshman freestyler Luke Hobson. Jake Foster, Braden Vines, David Johnston and Peter Larson all earned top-10 finishes last season, while freestyler Coby Carrozza has shown significant improvement, and freshman backstroker Anthony Grimm could make an impact right away. Add it all up, and the Texas group looks nearly unbeatable.
2. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS
Last year: 2nd (568 points) Coach: Dave Durden Dave Durden’s Golden Bear squads have finished either first or second at the NCAA Championships every season except Durden’s first two years on the job. That means Cal has four national championships and seven runner-up finishes during that span. Like many of the top squads, Cal returns most of its key pieces from last year’s team, including four prominent swimmers taking advantage of the NCAA waiver allowing last year’s athletes to add an extra year of eligibility. The fifth-years for Cal include Trenton Julian, who took second in the 200 fly, third in the 200 free and fourth in the 500 free last year before narrowly missing the U.S. Olympic team, along with IMer Sean Grieshop and backstrokers Daniel Carr and Bryce Mefford. Mefford qualified for the Olympics and placed fourth in the 200 meter backstroke in Tokyo. Sophomore Destin Lasco joins that duo to complete the nation’s top backstroke squad. Olympic finalist Hugo Gonzalez is a likely A-finalist in whatever event he swims, and senior breaststroker Reece Whitley and sophomore sprinter Bjorn Seeliger are both returning top-three finishers from a
>> PICTURED ABOVE: The main star for Texas is Carson Foster, who recorded the fastest time in the world in the 400 meter IM in 2021 after narrowly missing the U.S. Olympic team. Foster will be one of the favorites in both IMs at NCAAs. [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ] CONTINUED ON 16 >> MARCH 2022
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MEN'S NCAA PREVIEW / Continued from 15
>> Kieran Smith, the American record holder in the 500 freestyle and last year’s NCAA title winner in the 200 free, won bronze in the 400 meter free at the Olympics and also qualified for the individual 200 free final. [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
season ago, while freshmen Jack Alexy and Gabriel Jett look like this year’s big additions.
3. FLORIDA GATORS
Last year: 3rd (367 points) Coach: Anthony Nesty The Gators finished third last season, a full 200 points behind Cal, but 100 points ahead of any other team, and they figure to be right around the same position this year with two stars returning to collegiate swimming following breakout performances at the Tokyo Olympics. Kieran Smith, the American record holder in the 500 freestyle and last year’s NCAA title winner in the 200 free, won bronze in the 400 meter free at the Olympics and also qualified for the individual 200 free final. Teammate Bobby Finke, meanwhile, became one of the stars of the Tokyo Games when he pulled off come-from-behind wins in the 800 and 1500 free, and he will look to defend his NCAA crowns in the 400 IM and 1650 free. Those two will score the most individual points for Florida, but the Gators also return a strong sprint group led by sophomore Adam Chaney and junior Eric Friese, while senior breaststroker Dillon Hillis and junior freestyler Trey Freeman are both solid bets to score big individual points. Last season, Chaney finished third in the 50 free, and Hillis was second in the 100 breast. Florida finished top-four in all five relays at the 2021 championships, and the Gators return all of their relay performers from that meet.
4. NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK
Last year: 8th (164 points) Coach: Braden Holloway The 2021 NCAA Championships was a down meet for head coach Braden Holloway’s squad, as the Wolfpack had only three top-eight individual finishes for the entire meet: Kacper Stokowski took second in the 100 backstroke, while Ross Dant was eighth in the 500 free and third in the 1650 free. This year, however, NC State should have the pieces to contend for a Top-5 finish. The sprint corps has received an upgrade in the form of freshman sprinter David Curtiss, a finalist in the 50 free at Olympic Trials, while Sam Hoover and Aidan Hayes could also make an impact as freshmen for NC State. Returning pieces for the Wolfpack include Olympic Trials finalists Hunter Tapp (backstroke), Will Gallant and James Plage (both distance freestyle), while returnees Nyls Korstanje (sprint free and fly), Rafal 16
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Kusto (breaststroke) and Luke Miller (freestyle) look much improved from last season.
5. INDIANA HOOSIERS
Last year: 6th (207 points) Coach: Ray Looze The Hoosiers fly slightly under the radar, but they have a strong chance at returning to the Top 5 behind the efforts of junior butterflyer and backstroker Brendan Burns and senior diver Andrew Capobianco. Last season, Burns finished sixth in the 100 back and seventh in the 200 fly while also qualifying for the consolation final in the 100 fly, while Capobianco was the champion in the 3-meter diving event and fourth in 1-meter. Indiana also has a U.S. Olympian returning to the team, distance swimmer Michael Brinegar, and even though he is better in long course, he should be able to score high individually. Sophomore Tomer Frankel, senior Jack Franzman and fifth-year Gabriel Fantoni were consolation finalists at last year’s NCAAs, while fifth-year Bruno Blaskovic is back after missing last year’s championship season with injuries. Freshman freestyler Rafael Miroslaw has been impressive in dual meet action, and while breaststroker Zane Backes has retired, freshman Josh Matheny looks like a possible scorer in both the 100- and 200-yard events.
6. GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Last year: 4th (268 points) Coach: Jack Bauerle Unlike most of the top teams, Georgia actually did lose several key contributors from its 2021 team, which finished fourth in the nation. Javi Acevedo departs after qualifying for three A-finals to conclude his stellar college career, and Camden Murphy, who took third in the 100 fly and fifth in the 200 fly last year, has also moved on. But the Bulldogs do return two of the country’s top performers in Luca Urlando and Jake Magahey, and they added an impact swimmer mid-season in South African Matt Sates. Urlando placed fourth in the 200 fly and eighth in the 100 fly last season, and he narrowly missed the U.S. Olympic team after finishing third in the 200 meter fly at Olympic Trials. Magahey was the upset winner of the 500 free at last year’s meet, and he also placed second in the 1650 free. Dillon Downing (50 free) and Ian Grum (400 IM) are also returning A-finalists from last season, while Sates arrives in Athens having set short course meters world junior records in the 200 free and 200 IM during the fall.
7. ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS
Last year: N/A Coach: Bob Bowman Arizona State did not compete at all during the 2020-21 season, as head coach Bob Bowman redshirted his entire roster due to COVID-19 concerns. Since Bowman took over the program for the 2015-16 season, their highest national finish has been 14th, but this year’s Sun Devils look poised for their best championship results in decades. ASU is led by two national-championship contenders, Leon Marchand in the IM events and 200 fly plus Grant House in the 200 free. Marchand was a finalist in the 400 IM while representing France at the Tokyo Olympics, and >> Georgia returns two of the country’s top performers in Luca Urlando and Jake Magahey he has adjusted well to short course yards. His 3:35.62 (pictured), and they added an impact swimmer mid-season in South African Matt Sates. in the 400 IM in November made him the fourth-fastest Magahey was the upset winner of the 500 free at last year’s meet, and he also placed second performer in history in the event. in the 1650 free.. [ Photo Courtesy: Christina Long, Georgia Athletics ] House, meanwhile, was the only swimmer in the country to break 1:32 in the 200 free in the fall semester. He leads a deep group of sprint freestylers that includes 10. VIRGINIA CAVALIERS Jack Dolan, Cody Bybee and Carter Swift, while Julian Hill provides Last season: 9th (152 points) some punch in the mid-distance events. Coach: Todd DeSorbo Virginia’s men finished ninth last season for 8. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES their best result since Todd DeSorbo took over as Last year: 12th (108 points) head coach in 2017, and a loaded group of sprint Coach: Mike Bottom freestylers will try to put the Cavaliers back in the Top 10 this year. The Wolverines had a disappointing The group is led by a pair of sophomores named Matt: Matt performance at last year’s NCAAs, but Brownstead was a B-finalist in both the 50 and 100 free as a freshman, they look primed for a jump this season. while Matt King transferred from Alabama after placing fifth in the They bring back two swimmers who qualified for the U.S. Olympic 100 free and swimming sub-19 in the 50 free at NCAAs. They should team: Senior Patrick Callan swam on the 800 freestyle relay in Tokyo combine with Justin Grender and August Lamb for some prolific sprint after a sixth-place finish in the 200 free at U.S. Trials, while sophomore freestyle relays. Jake Mitchell qualified for the Olympic team and made the final in the Virginia does lose a pair of impressive breaststrokers in Keefer 400 free after a dramatic solo swim-off at Trials. Neither one finished Barnum and Matt Otto, but Grender (200 back), Noah Nichols (100 in the top eight last season, so Michigan can expect a jump from them. breast) and Casey Storch (400 IM) are all returning B-finalists from Backstroker Wyatt Davis and breaststroker Will Chan have last season, and versatile Sean Conway could sneak into the individual scoring as well. individual scoring potential, as do sprinter Cam Peel and butterflyer Bence Szabados. But the real difference maker for Michigan could be OTHERS TO WATCH Israeli Olympian Gal Groumi, a freshman who owned top-five times Stanford should be in the mix for the Top 10 with Andrei Minakov in the nation in the 100 fly, 200 fly and 200 IM entering championship added to the roster this season following a fourth-place finish in the season. 100 meter fly at the Tokyo Olympics. One A-finalist from last season, breaststroker Daniel Roy, also returns. Meanwhile, Ohio State loses 9. LOUISVILLE CARDINALS Paul Delakis from its seventh-place squad last season, but the Buckeyes Last season: 5th (211 points) will have distance swimmer Charlie Clark and backstroker Hunter Coach: Arthur Alibiero Armstrong, a 2021 U.S. Olympian in the 100 back, as its headliners Last season, the Cardinals scored their firstalong with a solid group of breaststrokers. ever ACC team title in swimming in an upset win USC finished 27th last year, scoring only 21 points, and Trojans over NC State, and then they finished fifth at the head coach Jeremy Kipp has been on administrative leave most of national championships. Louisville then got a the season, but they should still be much improved and pushing for big boost when its top two individual swimmers, the Top 10 with freestylers Alexei Sancov and Victor Johansson plus Nick Albiero and Evgenii Somov, chose to return for a fifth year. breaststrokers Trent Pelini and Ben Dillard leading the way. Last season, Albiero placed second in the 100 fly and fifth in the 100 Missouri, which finished 16th last year, could push for the Top back at NCAAs, and he was the national champion in the 200 fly, while 10 behind returning individual scorers Danny Kovac, Jack Dahlgren Somov took fourth in the 100 breast. and Ben Patton. Virginia Tech finished 11th last year, and the Hokies Somov and Albiero combined with backstroker Mitchell Whyte and return three individual A-finalists: Antoni Ivanov, Carles Coll Marti and freestyler Haridi Sameh to earn a national title in the 200 medley relay. Youssef Ramadan, a title contender in the 100 fly. v Whyte was ninth last year in the 200 back, while Sameh took 17th in the 100 free. IMer Daniel Sos, who did not compete last season, could also score individually. But Louisville will rely on its top individual scorers and its impressive relays (three in the top four last season) for TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MEN’S NCAA DIVISION I COLLEGE SWIMMING. its big scoring load. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT
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[ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
COLLEGE PREVIEWS
FINALLY...A SENSE OF NORMALCY NCAA Division II schools were able to come together last year after COVID-19 canceled the 2020 Championships. However, Division III schools are especially looking forward to this year’s meet since this will be the first time in two years that they will have the opportunity to compete for a national championship. NCAA DIVISION II March 9-12, Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, N.C. BY JESSE MARSH
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he NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships have produced electrifying performances, tight team battles and an enthralling atmosphere over the years. The 2022 Championships shouldn’t be any different. On the men’s side, it should be a thrilling contest between six-time defending champion Queens University, top-ranked University of Indianapolis and last year’s runner-up, Drury University. The UIndy Greyhounds are led by fifth-year Likith Prema. The Bengaluru, India native has been spectacular this season, and is a title favorite in the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke. Another star to watch is European Junior 400 IM champion Cedric Buessing. After a slow start to life in college swimming, the German seems to be rounding into form at the right time. For Queens, senior Alex Kunert and sophomore Matej Dusa head the Royals’ push for seven straight titles. Kunert, a fivetime national champion, is easily the most versatile Division II swimmer in the country. He should contend for NCAA titles in any event he decides to swim, and he’ll be an essential part of multiple Royal relays. Dusa has produced some phenomenal performances in the sprint freestyle and fly events this season and will want to carry that momentum to Greensboro. Division II record holder Karol Ostrowski’s decision to compete for Drury this season put the Panthers right back into the title conversation. If he is anywhere near his best in March, he should contribute maximum points. His return also means Drury retains all its relay legs from last year, another critical component as the team tries to dethrone Queens after narrowly missing out 18
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in 2021. Other swimmers to watch from teams outside the title race are Colorado Mesa sophomore Ben Sampson and University of Findlay junior Tim Stollings. Sampson is a favorite in both backstrokes and is gunning toward bringing home his team’s first-ever national title. Stollings created history last year when he became the Oilers’ first NCAA Division II swimming champion by winning the 100 fly. *** On the women’s side, look for Queens and Indianapolis to battle it out. Leading the Hounds’ title charge is the South African duo of Johanna Buys and Marizel Van Jaarsveld. Van Jaarsveld will try to defend her NCAA title in the 400 IM. She and rookie Andrea Gomez form a lethal IM duo, which could prove critical to Indianapolis’ championship hopes. Buys, a three-time NCAA finalist, has established herself as a favorite in the 50 and 100 free, and will be a pivotal relay component for UIndy. As for Queens, if it wants to extend its winning streak, it will need to rely on depth and strong performances from its freestyle group. With Sophie Lange, Monica Gumina and Danielle Mililli all in strong form this season, the Royals have the potential to sweep the freestyle events at NCAAs. If Queens can pull that off, plus move some swimmers up into scoring positions in its weaker events, the Royals should have enough to fend off Indianapolis’ title challenge. Other swimmers poised to make headlines are Nova Southeastern redshirt junior Celina Marquez and West Chester senior Ann Carozza. Marquez, a Tokyo Olympian, is the favorite to win the 100 and 200 back, and has an excellent chance of becoming the first Division II woman under 52 and 1:54, respectively. Carozza, a three-time All-American, is the clear favorite in
both the 100 and 200 fly. In addition to looking to capture her first NCAA title, she will also have her sights set on breaking Polina Lapshina’s 52.16 D-II record in the 100. v
NCAA DIVISION III March 16-19, IUPUI’s IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, Ind. BY DAN D’ADDONA
After two years of missing out on a chance at a championship meet because of the COVID-19 pandemic, NCAA Division III schools will finally have the opportunity to prove who’s No. 1. The Denison men won back-to-back national championships in 2018-19, so they’ll go into this year’s meet as the “defending” champs. Since 1980, only Kenyon, Emory and Denison have claimed NCAA men’s team titles. Kenyon won every year from 1980 to 2010 before Denison broke the streak with back-to-back titles. Kenyon returned to win three in a row from 2013-15 before Emory broke up the two-way party with a win in 2017, ahead of Denison’s most recent two titles. The men’s title this season will likely go through one of those three schools, though Johns Hopkins and the University of Chicago have been putting together some extremely fast times. MIT and WashU lead the next group, which could see some fast individual performances from schools such as Claremont MuddScripps, Carnegie Mellon, Williams, Tufts, Calvin and Hope, among others. Emory has title contenders with Nicholas Goudie in the sprint freestyle events, Patrick Pena in he 500, Crow Thorsen in the 400
>> Denison’s women’s team, which finished third behind Emory and Kenyon the last time D-III NCAAs were held in 2019, has potential first-place finishers this year with nine-time All-America freestyler Tara Culibrk (pictured) and freshmen Taryn Wisner and Alix O’Brien in the 500 free and the 1650. The Denison men won back-to-back national championships in 2018-19, so they’ll go into this year’s meet as the “defending” champs. [ Photo Courtesy: Denison Athletics Communications ]
IM and Jason Hamilton in the 200 breaststroke. Kenyon adds to that group with Yuri Kosian and David Fitch in the backstroke. CONTINUED ON 20 >>
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COLLEGE PREVIEWS / Continued from 19
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In the women’s competition, it will likely be the same trio ahead of the pack, as the NCAA title has gone to one of the three powerhouses every year since 1984 (Williams won the first two women’s D-III titles in 1982-83). Emory won 10 titles in a row from 2010-19 before the pandemic canceled the last two years. This season, Kenyon has been ranked No. 1, ahead of Emory, Denison and Johns Hopkins, but all four teams are extremely close. Tufts, NYU, Pomona-Pizer, MIT, Chicago, Hope, Bates, Wheaton and Swarthmore will also look to crash the party with some big individual performances, though they will likely not have enough to challenge for a team title. Emory has title contenders in Taylor Leone and Caroline Maki in the sprint freestyle events, Megan Jungers in backstroke and Allison MacMillan in the 200 butterfly. Kenyon should challenge for individual victories with Emmie Mirus (sprint freestyle), Crile Hart in the 200 backstroke, 200 IM and 100 butterfly and Gabby Wei in the 200 breaststroke. Denison has potential first-place finishers with 200 freestyler Tara Culibrk and Taryn Wisner and Alix O’Brien in the 500 free and the 1650. While there are several individual title contenders from the three powerhouses, the NCAA title for both the men and women could come down to relay performances, while diving could also play a factor. It has been three years since the trio of national powers clashed with a title on the line, and the wait has led to this moment with the power struggle starting a new era in NCAA Division III. v
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INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME
THE CASE FOR BRINGING LIFESAVING SPORT BACK INTO THE OLYMPIC GAMES Lifesaving was included in the second Modern Olympic Games of Paris 1900 as part of the swimming program and as an exhibition sport. One of its objectives then was to teach competitors and spectators how to save a human life. Today, the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) strives to rejoin the world’s greatest sporting event. This article addresses the sport’s journey, employing a brief overview of the past, present and future, and explains why the only humanitarian and most vital sport should be included in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. BY BRUCE WIGO AND STATHIS AVRAMIDIS, Ph.D.
“The greatest honour that a swimmer can obtain is the medal of the Royal Humane Society. It is the Victoria Cross of swimming, and its possessor ranks far above the mere holder of fast swimming championships.” —Archibald Sinclair, 1893
A
ccording to the ILS, about 1.2 millions of people die worldwide by drowning each year. Unlike other many other causes of death, drowning is preventable. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends various drowning prevention measures. Sport is an outstanding means to achieve this highly desired and ambitious goal. Lifesaving, the only sport with a humanitarian purpose, consists of multiple disciplines that take place on land, pool and open water. The required skills include swimming, paddling, running and rescuing by various means, first aid or a combination of them in individual and team events. It provides a showcase for the preservation and saving of a human life on land and in the water. In a time of political, geopolitical, racial, religious and economic polarization, lifesaving sport provides a means for the humanization of people, and should be the crown jewel of the Olympic movement. PAST The origins of the modern sports of swimming and lifesaving can both be traced to the formation of Royal Humane Societies in Amsterdam in 1767 and London in 1774. Founded by physicians, the early focus of these societies was on the resuscitation of apparently drowned persons. Teaching swimming as a means to prevent drowning came later, and eventually led to the formation of separate swimming associations, such as the Amateur Swimming Association of Great Britain (ASA) beginning in the 1860s. It had been imagined that the holding of races was sufficient to encourage the art of lifesaving, and that any man who could swim was naturally able to save life. But this idea soon proved erroneous, as many speed swimmers without proper lifesaving training were unable to perform rescues—and some even lost their own lives attempting to save the lives of others. This led to the formation of the Royal Life Saving Society in 1891, whose “great aim was to raise swimming above the mere level of a competitive sport, and to make its practice of use a benefit to the nation at large.” Since its founding in 1891 A.D., the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) and dozens of other national and international organizations it inspired have organized lifesaving sport activities. The competitions and the public demonstrations have given both spectators and athletes the opportunity to get acquainted with the
>> Dryland training was used to teach students the correct methods avoiding the “death grip” of a drowning victim (“Swimming” by Sinclair and Henry, 1894). [ Photo Courtesy: ISHOF Archive ]
concept of rescue. Among those primarily responsible for founding the RLSS were William Henry and Archibald Sinclair, both honorees of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. They believed that sports could be effective in reducing the numerous drownings that took place as recreational swimming became more popular. The early lifesaving competitions and exhibitions in England and its Commonwealth nations drew great crowds and featured ISHOF honorees J. A. Jarvis, “Rob” Derbyshire and George Wilkinson as participants. In America, the U.S.Volunteer Lifesaving Corps (USVLSC) held lifesaving competitions and gave demonstrations under the leadership of Commodore Wilbert Longfellow, another ISHOF honoree. His dream was “to make every person a swimmer and every swimmer a lifesaver.” LIFESAVING AS AN OLYMPIC EVENT The popularity and importance of lifesaving led it to be added as a sport for the 2nd Modern Olympic Games of “Paris 1900”—as a separate championship outside the Olympic Games and as part of CONTINUED ON 24 >> MARCH 2022
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LIFESAVING IN THE OLYMPICS / Continued from 23
the Olympic swimming program. The lifesaving events were very extensive, expensive and were “solely in the interests of humane effort and in the humane effort and perfection in the rescue, saving and protection of human life from drowning and recovery of bodies.” The competitions took place in the Seine River over a three-day period, with participants representing the humane societies and aquatic lifesaving agencies from England, Ireland, Scotland, America, Australia, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Holland and Belgium. Large cash prizes were offered by the Exhibition Commission because the competitors had to use their own equipment (boat, oars, grapnels, lines, etc.) and helpers. The judging committee was composed of medical and lifesaving experts.
>> Lifesaving champions at the Paris 1900 Olympic Games (from left): George Geddes, William Henry and Freddy Lane. [ Photo Courtesy: ISHOF Archive ]
The disciplines included: • Rowing Rescue: On the starter’s signal, the competitors had to choose the equipment they considered as most appropriate, load it in their boat and row out to a manikin (“victim”) that floated on the water surface, then bring it in the boat and return to shore. •
Submerged Body Rescue: Competitors would row out to dive and recover a submerged manikin and return it to shore. The marking system evaluated the speed, the rescue aids and other details. William Henry (president of the Royal Humane Society) came second, and George Geddes (officer of the Glasgow Humane Society) finished first. In one of the heats, a boat swamped, and because the competitors were poor swimmers, they drowned before help arrived.
•
Obstacle Race: This was an official event in the swimming program. The athletes had to swim to a pole, climb over it, then swim under a row of boats before a sprint to the finish line. It was considered to be the most exciting event of all the swimming competitions, and was won by Australian Freddy >> The American team at the 1956 Olympic Carnival in Melbourne. Lane, who out-touched Austrian Otto Wahle for [ Photo Courtesy: ISHOF Archive ] the gold medal. Lane had earlier won the 200 meter freestyle, where Wahle finished second. form the International Life Saving Fédération (ILS). Lifesaving Both Lane and Wahle are ISHOF honorees, as is sport is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and by William Henry, who in addition to his medal in rescue, won the ILS. gold as a member of England’s water polo team.
A CENTURY OF GROWTH In July 1902, the French Federation organized the first national lifesaving championship under the auspices of the president of the French Republic, Emile Loubet. More than 1,000 lifesavers from more than 50 teams took part in a spectacular event that signaled the real birth of lifesaving sport as a major international sporting event and the founding of the Federation Internationale de Sauvetage Aquatique (FIS) in 1910. In the first half of the 20th century, there was a close connection between elite-level swimmers and lifesaving, with Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weissmuller being the most prominent athletes noted for saving lives. Coincident with the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956, an Olympic Carnival that featured an international lifesaving sport championship took place. At this event, the World Life Saving Safety (WLS) was formed, then later merged with FIS in 1993 to 24
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PRESENT Today, lifesaving has tremendous international recognition, thanks in part to Greg Bonann—a Los Angeles beach lifeguard, internationally acclaimed film director and creator of the successful Baywatch television series—and to major international lifesaving competitions that are held throughout the world, including the RLSS Commonwealth Championships, the World Masters Games, the Military World Championships and Military World Games, the World Games, the World Lifesaving Championships and ILS Regional Championships. FUTURE The ILS strives to fulfill the Olympic aspiration at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics. To achieve that, Australia, the SLSA and the ILS are making monumental efforts based on the fact that the humanitarian
pedestal of lifesaving sport has several beneficial attributes for both society and individuals. CONCLUSIONS Lifesaving demonstrates significant advantages that presuppose its place in the Olympics. It corresponds with the Olympic motto of “Citius, Altius, Fortius.” Olympic inclusion means global public awareness about drowning prevention and rescue. The fact that it is the only humanitarian sport in the world explains why the ILS is the only international federation recognized by WHO and ARISF. The Paris 1900 Games proved that the founders of the Modern Olympic Games had realized this early. After 132 years of lifesaving “flirting” with re-admission into the Olympic Games, it is time to bring it back in 2032! v
Bruce Wigo, historian and consultant at the International Swimming Hall of Fame, served as president/CEO of ISHOF from 2005-17. Stathis Avramidis, Ph.D., is one of the most prolific water safety advocates, with 20 books and over 300 publications to his credit. He is the president of the Greek Lifesaving Sports Association and teacher of Applied Lifeguarding and Lifesaving Sport in Athens University.
>> A swimming star at Pacific Palisades High School (Calif.), Greg Bonann turned his attention to lifeguarding and film (on the set of his creation, Baywatch ). [ Photo Courtesy: Greg Bonann ]
>> Next stop: 2032 Olympic Games. [ Photo Courtesy: USLA ]
STR SPEEDWEEK SWIM CAMPS
for more information please contact Rod Havriluk:
Phone: 850-385-9803 Email: info@swimmingtechnology.com MARCH 2022
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A COMPLETE
EFFORT Throughout his career, Michael Phelps flourished over a range of strokes and distances. It is only appropriate, then, that the 400 individual medley was a staple of his excellence, and his world record in the discipline is a deeply appreciated performance—and the first standard celebrated in this new Swimming World feature. BY JOHN LOHN
World record holders are uniquely etched into the lore of the sport, defined by a time frame never previously known in the sport. This month, as an homage to these epic pacesetters, Swimming World unveils “World Record Flashback,” a new feature that examines—in detail—a global standard from the past. And for this debut piece, it wasn’t difficult to select our first subject. We had to go with the GOAT.
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ould the stars align? Would his body hold up? Could he maintain his mental edge? Was he in peak form? These were a few of the questions that surrounded Michael Phelps as he >> Michael Phelps was featured on the cover of Swimming World in October 2008 after winning headed to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. The closest anyone has come to his world record of his sights targeting a haul of eight gold medals. 4:03.84 in the 400 IM is the 4:05.18 that American Ryan Lochte produced on the way to Olympic gold in 2012 in London. [ Swimming World cover photo by Jason Reed, Reuters ] The primary storyline inside the Water Cube was simple: Could Phelps surpass the iconic seven gold medals captured by American hero Mark the water, it was Coach Bob Bowman who was tasked with the Spitz at the 1972 Olympics in Munich? challenge of drafting a plan to have his pupil shine in Beijing. As If the goal seemed familiar, it made sense. Four years earlier, with soon as Phelps touched the wall, Bowman knew a special week was Athens serving as host, Phelps first took on an eight-event schedule in the works. and attacked Spitz’s place in the sport’s history. In the birthplace of “We thought that time was reasonable,” Bowman said. “It was the Olympics, Phelps was extraordinary, walking away with six gold very important to get off to a good start. We always knew when his medals and a pair of bronze medals. Yet, with stacked competition first event was good, the rest were going to be good. That got the and the reliance on teammates in relay action, one aspect of the ball rolling.” “Chase for Eight” was clear: Talent must be complemented by a There are several reasons why this world record has been selected little good fortune. to initiate this new Swimming World series. For one, in the 13 years Well, in some cases. since it was established, no athlete has come close to taking it down. In his opening salvo of the Beijing Games, Phelps delivered Meanwhile, it was the victory that started the greatest showing in a major statement with a dominant performance in the 400 meter Olympic history. More, it is the only individual world record of individual medley. En route to his second consecutive Olympic Phelps’ that remains on the books. title in the event, the 23-year-old blasted a world record of 4:03.84 to prevail by more than two seconds over Hungarian Laszlo Cseh A THUMBS-UP PERFORMANCE (4:06.16). With a sub-4:04 outing, Phelps sliced 1.41 seconds off As Phelps climbed the blocks on the morning of Aug. 10, there the world record that he had established earlier in the summer at the was little doubt he would emerge triumphant. While Cseh and United States Olympic Trials. American teammate Ryan Lochte were considered medal favorites, Phelps’ effort was the perfect way to jumpstart action, as it they didn’t figure to challenge for the top step of the podium. And it provided momentum for the American and surely led the opposition didn’t take long for Phelps to extinguish any longshot dreams. to wonder: Is this guy beatable? While Phelps put in the work in 26
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Covering the opening butterfly leg in 54.92, Phelps was immediately in command and ahead of the field. While Lochte lurked through the midway point, due to the strength of his backstroke leg, Phelps was still in front at 200 meters. It was an impressive breaststroke performance, though, that determined the verdict. At the 300-meter mark, behind a split of 1:10.56, Phelps led Lochte by almost a second, and set the stage for him to come home in an untouchable mark of 56.79 for the freestyle leg. “Afterward, I looked up and saw President (George W.) Bush giving me a thumbs-up and holding the American flag,” Phelps said more than a decade ago. “That was pretty cool. I was pretty emotional after that race. I’m emotional, excited. It’s a really good way to start. I’m not downplaying this race by any means, but I have to put that race behind me. I have to act like it never happened because I have so many tough races ahead of me.” Phelps’ comments are typical of the man who ruled the water like no other. As superb as his swim was, there was no time to dwell on its significance. Rather, Phelps needed to shift his focus on his next duty. How dominant was Phelps? The breakdown of each stroke tells the story. Phelps had the fastest split in the field for the butterfly, breaststroke and freestyle legs, and the second-fastest performance on the backstroke leg, behind only Lochte. Put that power and consistency together, and a performance of spectacular nature is produced. Some critics might argue that the world record must be measured with context since the 2008 Olympics included the use of hightech suits. However, the counter to that argument is that the suits worn in Beijing paled in comparison to the technology that was introduced the following year. In 2009, fully polyurethane suits were the norm, leading to 40-plus world records at that summer’s World Championships and turning the sport—at least temporarily—into a farce.
>> While Phelps put in the work in the water, it was Coach Bob Bowman (right) who was tasked with the challenge of drafting a plan to have his pupil shine in Beijing. As soon as Phelps touched the wall in his first event, the 400 IM, Bowman knew a special week was in the works: “We thought that time was reasonable. It was very important to get off to a good start. We always knew when his first event was good, the rest were going to be good. That got the ball rolling.” [ Photo Courtesy: Bill Collins ]
EVERYTHING HAS TO FALL INTO PLACE As comfortable as Phelps’ debut win of the 2008 Games was, he absolutely needed a few things to fall his way during the remainder of the competition. There was Jason Lezak’s sensational anchor leg on the 400 freestyle relay that rallied the United States to gold over France. There was Phelps’ half-stroke finish in the 100 butterfly to edge Serbian Milorad Cavic by 1-hundredth of a second. And there was the fact that water-filled goggles in the 200 butterfly did not deter a gold medal in the event that launched Phelps’ international career. “You do have to have all your stars aligned,” Phelps once said. “Everything has to fall into place perfectly.” Over time, Phelps has watched several of his world records go to other names. Most recently, American superstar Caeleb Dressel took his 100 butterfly standard while Hungarian standout Kristof Milak snared the global standard in the 200 butterfly. The prospect
of Phelps soon losing his world record in the 400 individual medley? Not too good. Since Phelps set the world record in Beijing, the closest anyone has come to his standard is the 4:05.18 that Lochte produced on the way to Olympic gold in 2012 in London. Additionally, American Chase Kalisz is the only other man to go sub-4:06, and his careerbest time of 4:05.90 was from 2017. Even more convincing is the fact that last year’s Olympic Games did not produce a single performance under 4:09. Nope, it doesn’t appear Phelps’ last-standing record is in any danger—and maybe that is an appropriate scenario. “Just a complete effort,” Bowman said. “A totally dominant performance.” Perfectly said. v MARCH 2022
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LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
Katharine Berkoff’s dad, David, is an Olympic medalist and former world record holder. Today, Katharine (pictured), a junior at North Carolina State, is experiencing her own swimming success. BY DAVID RIEDER
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wo characteristics of Katharine Berkoff distinguish her from the majority of elite swimmers. First, she is the daughter of David Berkoff, a four-time Olympic medalist (two gold, one silver, one bronze) and four-time world record holder in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The elder Berkoff was the first man ever to break 55 seconds in the 100 meter backstroke, and he was a pioneer in swimming as he perfected the “Berkoff Blastoff,” kicking underwater for more than half the length off the start in his backstroke races. As Katharine has become an impact performer in her own right, she has never felt pressure to live up to her father’s impressive example. Instead, his success inspired Katharine on her own path, one that brought her within tenths of an Olympic spot as she finished fourth in the 100 backstroke as a 20-year-old at the 2021 Olympic Trials. “The only pressure I ever felt was from myself because I just wanted to do it for myself, and my dad was definitely a huge inspiration. I don’t think I would have had those Olympic dreams without him. He played a big role in my goal-setting, but it was never a negative thing,” she said. “Ever since I was old enough to care about swimming, I decided I wanted to make the Olympic team. And my dad was always very supportive of that and told me he knew I could do it.” David actually coached Katharine at one point while she was growing up, although Katharine admitted that “it just made me really annoyed when he told me to do things.” But later on, Katharine would rely on her father for race tips and analysis “because he knows me as a swimmer really well.” She admitted that perhaps she was destined to become a backstroker since that was David’s specialty as well as her mother’s and her brother’s best stroke during their swimming careers. So Berkoff’s bloodlines make her a rarity in U.S. swimming, where second-generation Olympians are rare but not unheard of. But her second characteristic is even more uncommon: She is an elite swimmer from Montana, a state with virtually no record of 28
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>> David Berkoff appeared on the September 1988 cover of Swimming World Magazine after he became the first swimmer to break the 55-second barrier in the 100 meter backstroke. He set the world record not only once (54.95 in prelims), but a second time as well (54.91 to win finals) at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Aug. 8-13, in Austin, Texas. [ Photo Courtesy: Swimming World cover photo by Tim Morse Photography ]
NC STATE: THE RIGHT CHOICE Warm weather aside, the experience at NC State has been nearly perfect. Berkoff’s first NCAA Championships were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but during her sophomore season last year, she captured an individual national title in the 100 yard backstroke. She won the race by almost a half-second while swimming a time of 49.74 to become the fourth-fastest performer in history. At the same meet, she led off a pair of Wolfpack medley relays that captured national titles, both with upset performances over ACC rival Virginia. Berkoff teamed with Sophie Hansson, Kylie Alons and Julia Poole to win the 400 medley relay on the second night of the meet, and a day later, after Berkoff had won her national title and Hansson had won the 100 breast, the team of Berkoff, Hansson, Sirena Rowe and Alons won the 200 medley relay. “It was such a monumental moment,” Berkoff said. “We got back to the hotel after winning the (400 medley) relay, and (head coach) Braden (Holloway) started crying. He was so proud of us, and everyone was crying, and we were all so excited. And after that, we just felt unstoppable.” Those wins were the first-ever national titles in swimming for the NC State women’s team—and the Wolfpack ended the meet with five wins, as Hansson added a second individual crown in the 200 breast on the final day. NC State’s program had taken off since Holloway took over the program prior to the 2011-12 season, capturing two ACC team titles during that span. But at this national championship meet, the Wolfpack women achieved the highest team finish in their program’s history by five spots. Having never before finished higher than seventh, NC State ended up taking second place behind Virginia, defeating Texas by just 9.5 points for runner-up honors. “Even though we got second, it felt like we won because that’s the best our team had ever done, and it’s just cool to have two ACC teams on top,” Berkoff said. DISAPPOINTMENT AT OLYMPIC TRIALS Heading into the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021, Berkoff was the reigning World University Games champion in the 100 meter backstroke, but she would be racing against the most competitive field at the entire meet. It included two previous world record holders (Regan Smith and Kathleen Baker), another swimmer who had won bronze in the event at the previous World Championships (Olivia Smoliga) and two others who had previously broken 59 (Rhyan White and Phoebe Bacon). Berkoff quickly gave notice that she would be in the mix when she clocked 58.88 in prelims, and then she finished third in the semifinals with a 58.60. In the final, Berkoff turned in second place at the halfway point, but she could not hold off White on the second length of the pool. She ended up fourth. Even though few considered Berkoff one of the favorites to make the Olympic team in the event, she was devastated. She had believed in herself and planned for that outcome, so simply swimming well at
[ Photo Courtesy: NCAA Media ]
having produced elite swimming talent. Berkoff grew up in Missoula before heading to the opposite corner of the country for college at North Carolina State University. And she admits that she actually prefers the weather in often-frigid Montana to the weather in the humid southeast. “Most people would disagree with me, but I really like when it’s super cold, like negative-10,” Berkoff said.
the biggest meet of her life was little consolation. “I just decided I was gonna make it. And so that was my plan,” Berkoff said. “I was really nervous going into it, and I think a little too nervous, and my finals race, I took it out a little too fast, and my last 15 meters were pretty vertical.” She added, “It’s just not the outcome I wanted or planned for.” COMPETING AGAINST THE WORLD’S BEST After that, Berkoff admitted, she had a hard time getting back into training, and she realized that she “needed to not think about swimming so much, so I decided I just needed to get over this because it’s not helping me to be sad about it.” Shortly after Berkoff began her junior season of college swimming, she got an invitation to make her debut at a worldlevel senior meet, the Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi in late December, and Berkoff took full advantage of that experience. She earned a bronze medal in the 100 back, finishing just 2-tenths away from gold, and she won five medals on American relays, including a pair of golds as the third leg of the U.S. women’s 200 and 400 freestyle relays. “It was really exciting, and that was my first time ever being on freestyle relays for Team USA, which was a pretty huge step forward for my freestyle. It was my biggest international meet ever. And I think the lessons I learned at Trials really helped me in my 100 back final because I just tried not to let the nerves get to me, and not take it out too fast and just know that any outcome is fine,” Berkoff said. “I’ve always seen myself doing it, so it was awesome to finally be in that position where I’m racing other countries’ best 100 backstrokers. And I think it was a really good learning experience, just learning how to race people who are really, really fast.” FUTURE AMBITIONS Berkoff will take those lessons into her junior-year championship season for NC State, where the Wolfpack will again be favored for a repeat Top-5 finish on the national level, and she will be aiming to defend her individual 100 back title against a loaded field. She also will combine with Hansson and Alons to form medley relays that will again be dangerous. Beyond the college realm, Berkoff still has ambitions of coming through the always-grueling gauntlet of 100 backstroke qualifying races in the United States and eventually making an Olympic team— inspired by her father, but not because of him. Maybe Katharine inherited some of David’s brilliant backstroking genetics, but she has created her own legacy of swimming greatness. v MARCH 2022
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NUTRITION
SMELLS
FISHY! Omega-3 fatty acids are small, but mighty! Many athletes do not realize their impact on health and athletic performance. They have been shown to aid in eye, heart and brain health, reduce inflammation, and they have a positive impact on muscle. BY DAWN WEATHERWAX, RD, CSSD, LD, ATC, CSCS
WHAT ARE OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS? Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fat, and are essential for healthy diets. Omega-3s are vital for health, and they impact many functions within the body, such as building cell membranes and decreasing inflammation. While inflammation is a standard part of the body’s immune response, studies also show that it prompts a multitude of severe conditions, including arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, various types of cancers and autoimmune diseases. The other form of polyunsaturated fat is known as omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6s have positive roles, however, they tend to promote inflammation. The ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s should be around 2:1, but most Americans consume 10-25:1 due to the abundance of refined vegetable oils—e.g., corn, safflower, sunflower and soy. FISH-BASED OMEGA-3 VERSUS OTHER OMEGA-3 SOURCES There are three essential types of omega-3 fatty acids that come from foods: alpha-linolenic acid (ALAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPAs) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHAs). Once ALAs are consumed, the body converts them into EPAs and DHAs, the two kinds of omega-3s that can be utilized easily by the body. However, only about 5-10% of ALA can be converted into these functional forms. Good sources of ALAs include flax oil, flaxseeds, chia seeds, nut oils, soybeans, kale, spinach and grass-fed dairy and meats. The most abundant sources of EPAs and DHAs are fish and fish oil supplements. BALANCING OMEGA-6s AND OMEGA-3s Since most people consume more omega-6s than omega-3s, one approach to restoring the equilibrium of omega fatty acid levels is to decrease the intake of omega-6s and increase the intake of omega-3 fats. Here are some suggestions to accomplish this: • • • •
Replace oils like soy, corn and safflower with flax oil, olive oil and non-GMO canola oil Eat meats and eggs that come from grass-fed sources Add chia and flax seeds to shakes, smoothies, baked goods and salads Eat wild-caught fish over farmed fish
HOW DO EPA AND DHA AFFECT ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE? There are several ways in which EPA and DHA can affect athletic performance, including muscle growth, muscle soreness and inflammation and decelerating muscle loss. MUSCLE GROWTH Besides the importance of exercise and nutrition, fish oils may play an important role in muscle growth. Research has indicated that omega3s, in conjunction with an anabolic stimulus, can enhance insulinsensitive aspects of protein metabolism. This may lead to an increase in protein synthesis and muscle size.
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REDUCE MUSCLE SORENESS AND INFLAMMATION Omega-3s have also been shown to increase blood flow to muscles throughout exercise, diminishing muscle soreness, lower inflammation and enhancing range of motion after training. DECELERATE MUSCLE LOSS During extended periods of rest, omega-3s may decrease the rate of muscle and bone loss. This is very important for those individuals who have major injuries that require long-term recoveries. PROPOSED DAILY INTAKE OF OMEGA-3S The current Recommended Adequate Intakes of omega-3s for kids are: • 0 to 12 months: 0.5 grams/day • 1 to 3 years: 0.7 grams/day • 4 to 8 years: 0.9 grams/day • 9 to 13 years (boys): 1.2 grams/day • 9 to 13 years (girls): 1.0 grams/day • 14 to 18 years (boys): 1.6 grams/day • 14 to 18 years (girls): 1.1 grams/day The current recommended adequate intakes of omega-3s for adults are: • The United States Food and Drug Administration recommends intake up to 3 g of omega-3s per day as safe. • The American Heart Association suggests eating fish that are high in omega-3s twice a week. Additionally, they recommend consuming about 0.5 g per day for people without coronary heart disease, 1 g per day for people who have coronary heart disease and 2.4 g per day for those who need to improve blood lipid (e.g., triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein). • It is recommended to avoid dosages over 3 g a day due to possible thinning of the blood. It is best to seek out a qualified medical professional’s advice before considering taking more than the recommended dosage. • For anyone using cholesterol-lowering medicine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), blood sugar-lowering medicines or blood-thinning medicines, medical advice should be sought prior to supplementation. GETTING IT ALL THROUGH FOOD You can track your dietary intake of omega-3s and omega-6s on the Cronometer app (it is free to track this nutrient), but this is the first step to maximizing omega-3s intake. The other step is to make sure the balance of omega-6s to omega-3s ratio is 2:1! For some people, they can reach these levels daily through food, but with the current condition of the world’s food supply, I then recommend blood work at least twice a year. The athlete wants to track mercury levels and purines and any other labs their medical professional recommends. If any levels are skewed, adjustments would have to be made immediately. SUPPLEMENTATION Most of the time, supplementation is needed to reach these levels on a consistent and healthy basis. Remember: You want omega-3s to mainly come from EPA and DHA sources, which are abundant in mainly fish oils and fish oil supplements. TESTING Omega levels can be tested in the blood. With my athletes, I highly recommend that they test their omega-3 index levels. The goal is to have an omega-3 index of 8-12%. I prefer 12%—however, most athletes in the Western World are only at 2%. I use the test to measure levels and make adjustments with food and supplementation as needed to achieve thriving numbers.
CONCLUSION Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for a healthy nutritional regimen. The balance between omega-6s and omega-3s is critical for optimal health. Most individuals consume too much omega-6s and too little omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids not only have positive impacts on the eyes, heart, brain and joints, but also on inflammation and on muscle tissue. Omega-3s are very important nutrients that can help an individual achieve optimal health and athletic performance. *** Here is a sample menu that incorporates omega-3s throughout. 3,000 to 3,500 HIGH IN OMEGA-3s CALORIE TRAINING MENU Pre-Swim Practice (4:30-5:15 a.m.) 1/3 cup Chia seeds 3/4 cup
Grass-fed milk/soy milk/nut milk
1 scoop
Klean Athlete Protein
3/4 cup
Blackberries
1.5 T
Honey
1 tsp
Vanilla
16 oz
Water
Training (5:30-6:45 a.m.) 4-16 oz Water an hour (amount needed depends on sweat rate) Breakfast (6-7:30 a.m.) MUST HAVE WITHIN 30-45 minutes after training 1-2 servings Steel-cut oatmeal 3T Ground flaxseed 1 lg Banana 1 small Pea protein or Siggi’s yogurt 16 oz Water/soy milk/organic grass-fed milk/nutmilk
Evening Meal (6-8:30 p.m.) 4-6 oz Wild salmon 1-2 cups Wild rice 1-2 cups Spinach salad with 1-2 T olive oil dressing 16 oz Water Multivitamin and mineral tablet 1 Omega-3 capsule high in EPA and DHA Evening Snack—OPTIONAL (8-10 p.m.) 1-2 oz Uncle Sam cereal or Nature’s Path Organic Flax Plus cereals 8-16 oz Grass-fed milk/organic soy milk/organic yogurt/oat milk 1 Evolve or Orgain protein shake (if you do oat milk option) 1/4 cup Raisins/Craisins v
Dawn Weatherwax (RD, CSSD, LD, ATC, CSCS) is a registered/licensed dietitian with a specialty in sports nutrition and founder of Sports Nutrition 2Go and Dawn Weatherwax Sports Nutrition Academy. She has been working with swimmers for over 25 years and has launched an online nutrition program for swimmers at Dawnweatherwax.com. She is also a boardcertified specialist in sports dietetics, which is the premier professional sports nutrition credential in the United States. In addition, she is an athletic trainer with a certification in strength and conditioning from The National Strength and Conditioning Association.
TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REFERENCES FOR THIS ARTICLE. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT
Multivitamin and mineral tablet Fish oil capsule (very high in EPA/DHA) Vitamin D3 Vitamin C Probiotics
16 oz
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ferSwimmer l Sa ® Sin ce
10
Afternoon Snack (2-3:30 p.m.) 2 Oatmega bars or trail mix with soy nuts, seeds, dried fruit and Rice Chex cereal
ina rig
20
Lunch (11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) 2 oz Triscuits/NutThins 4-6 oz Egg salad with grass-fed, organic eggs 1-2 cups Veggies of choice 2-3 T Primal Kitchen organic dressings/mayo 1-2 cups Fresh fruit 16 oz Water (with 1-2 NUUN electrolyte tablets)
O
- BE SEEN - BE SAFE -
Water (add one NUUN electrolyte tablet/optional)
Training (3:30-5:30 p.m.) 4-16 oz Water an hour (amount needed depends on sweat rate) Post-recovery within 30-45 min: 1 Rise Bar or seed/nut butter sandwich with honey, banana and Orgain RTD shake or grass-fed milk (if you can have dinner within that time, then this snack is optional) WWW.SAFERSWIMMER.COM or HALLOFFAMESWIMSHOP.COM
954.462.6536
[ Photo Courtesy: Ksenia Chernaya/Pexels.com ] MARCH 2022
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[ Photo Courtesy: Matt Rubel Photography ]
PROBLEMATIC TEAMMATES (Part 1) BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
This is the first of two articles exploring the dry deck coaching conundrum of teammate behavior, a dynamic every bit as important to team health and welfare as what transpires in the pool. In this month’s issue, brothers Don and Ron Heidary, head coaches and two of international swimming’s foremost authorities on team character and culture, share the foundation of their “Character First” philosophy. The principles (work ethic, integrity, team commitment) have guided Orinda Aquatics—and all of their programs— for the last 40+ years.
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problematic teammate is not simply a swimmer in question or an isolated incident. It is a culture at risk. While problematic behavior may innately seem to be a part of sports and teams—or the “nature of kids”—it should not be. First, what does “problematic” mean to a team or culture? For a strong team culture, one minute late or a brief lapse of effort might be considered problematic, and for a poor culture, it is most likely much worse. At either end, expectations and processes must be in place—and understood in advance—to mitigate not only incidents, but their effect on the team. “To say that my fate is not tied to your fate is like saying, your end of the boat is sinking.” —Hugh Downs IN THE BEGINNING As a backdrop, there should be an implicit understanding of expectation and decorum, and this should be woven into every 32
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aspect of the team so that there is no lack of understanding of what is expected and what will not be tolerated. As a starting point, our belief is that entry to a team, and the sport, should come with three expectations: 1.
Embrace the process (the work)
2.
Embrace the team (those you “process” with)
3.
Act with integrity at all times.
Anything that violates these mandates should be problematic— and not acceptable. Although simplistic in concept, these are allencompassing and are at the core of all things productive in team sports. Most deviations or errant behaviors tie back to one of these three areas. Every athlete, regardless of age, as well as their parents, must understand this. We talk about expectations and standards virtually daily, always trying to build consensus and sell the cultural mission, and also to create some semblance of a behavioral safety net. We view expectations and behavioral objectives in three broader areas. The first would be analogous to “securing the perimeter”—or the organization—by setting line-in-the-sand minimum expectations of behavior, such as language, respect and integrity. The second is the employment or expectation of athletic virtues such as work ethic, (positive) attitude, team support, etc. And the third, and biggest reach, is imploring athletes to embrace the highest levels of character and integrity in life, outside of the pool—i.e., drugs/alcohol, cheating, etc. At this level, problematic behavior virtually disappears. Unacceptable behavior may fall at
different levels for different programs/ cultures, but there should always be process, strategy and methodology that guides response and action. Common examples of problematic behavior might be: arrives late regularly, negative attitude, poor work ethic (lazy), drug/alcohol issues (rumored or overt), disrespectful to...anyone (athletes, parents, or staff), bullying, lies (in any context) and so on. Each of these and the countless other possibilities can be tied back to not buying into or embracing process, team and personal integrity. “If you step in a puddle, don’t blame the puddle.” —Unknown CULTURE Culture is a tipping point in behavior, either acting as a headwind or a tailwind. “As a starting point, our belief is that entry to a team, and the sport, should With a strong and positive culture, there is a flow or pull to lead, serve and make come with three expectations: Embrace the process, embrace the team and a difference. This culture tends to “crowd act with integrity at all times. Anything that violates these mandates should out” poor behavior, as kids see no room and no support when acting out. They become be problematic—and not acceptable. Although simplistic in concept, these are outliers. A negative or disrespectful culture all-encompassing and are at the core of all things productive in team sports.” has a multiplier effect in the opposite (Pictured, from left, Ron and Don Heidary) direction. While building a positive and inspiring culture is often an uphill climb (to get buytheir peers as opposed to the phone and vice versa. Rather than in), a negative culture will accelerate much a rule-based (and hard-to-enforce) policy, we prefer to have more quickly as a downhill slide and will easily draw in those on the behavior periphery. athletes/teammates understand the issue in the broader context of interaction and contribution. PROCESS—THE COACH’S ROLE Daily activity must exist to mitigate not only problematic EVALUATION/ACTION behavior, but problematic intention. Things we do are: Following are the steps we use in the face of significant deviation 1. Set behavior expectations very high in the vein of every athlete of team policy or expectation: should strive to be a leader and role model, to be virtue-driven and not socially driven. We attempt to “sell” this vision and 1. Review the history of the athlete—duration on team, to empower kids to seek and find what and who they can demonstration of attendance, effort, attitude, connection (in personally and athletically grow into—i.e., exploiting life a positive way) to team, relationship with coaches, general lessons through sports. integrity, etc. 2. Regularly evaluate athletes in several non-performance areas 2. Meet with team leaders with whom we trust implicitly and ask that are critical to our culture and development: athletic for their perspective on the athlete—i.e., locker room, team maturity, personal maturity, effort, team commitment and area at meets, etc., the unseen, or in a sense, asset or liability. support, meet commitment, trust with staff and influence on the team (lane, workout, etc.). 3. If the history and input is positive, we meet with the athlete 3.
Constantly monitor athletes of all ages for subtleties and tendencies (or hints of divergence from the above) or being vulnerable in some way.
4.
Have personal dialogue with athletes who we sense may be at risk of becoming problematic.
5.
Aggressively convey to the team that problematic behavior is not only a violation of policy or expected behavior, but also a violation of trust, which can be the linchpin to a constructive coach-athlete relationship.
6.
One note on cell phone use, as it can certainly be problematic with regard to the team in general or individual athletes: Our view and position is that “good teammates” will engage with
to understand what happened and why. The action may be isolated or it may be the beginning of a subtle shift in character or motivation, such as association with a new friend group, a drifting away from the sport, and with it, its value and significance in their life.
4.
If the history is questionable-to-negative, there are two courses of action to attempt to alleviate the issues: • Hold an intervention-type meeting about the nature of the actions and the impact on the team. Try to uncover the motivations and personal issues that drive them. Many times, kids will open up about family issues, self-worth, peer pressure and destructive behavior...and ask for help. This avenue can be delicate and sensitive, and must be pursued CONTINUED ON 34 >> MARCH 2022
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PROBLEMATIC TEAMMATES / Continued from 33
gradually with the intention to help and reverse course. •
If the athlete does not seem to want to rectify the situation, make amends or re-earn trust, it may be time to part ways— i.e., square peg/round hole, or not a fit.
WHEN TO INCLUDE PARENTS This decision can be delicate, and age will typically be the driving factor. On the one hand, the primary relationship should be with the athlete and the coach. For better or worse, that relationship should be nurtured for the athlete to develop a bond with the coach as well as understand accountability to the team. There is a wide spectrum of actions—some obvious and many not—with regard to notifying a parent. Inconsequential might be if the child comes a little late, misses repeats in a set or gets social in workout. More serious behavior issues such as getting out early for no reason, doesn’t swim a final at a meet, language issues or is rumored to be using drugs or alcohol are another matter. Depending on the age, the severity and the parents’ “need-toknow,” we make a determination on whether or not to include the parent. However, our first attempt is to resolve the issue constructively with the athlete. A REAL LIFE (-CHANGING) EXAMPLE We had a high-level athlete join our team. He had been a part of a toxic culture with severe discipline issues. We were apprehensive at first, so we met with the athlete and his parents prior to joining. While we knew there might be some risk, our primary objective was to help the athlete turn his life around. He wrote the following to us after only a few months with our team:
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“I think about where I would be in life if I was not introduced to this team, and honestly, it is scary. I was becoming a person I did not want to be, and I was not sure I even wanted to swim again, but I have learned what is truly important in life and I am not sure I would have figured it out if you were not there for me. “I never realized what it was like being around negative people because that person was always me. Today, I cannot stand to be around negative people—and I make a choice not to—and I now only surround myself with the kind of people I want to be like.” CONCLUSION Beyond the actual nature of problematic behaviors, the vast majority of kids’ poor behavior is either the result of a peer group— i.e., no leadership, modeling, alternative or deeper personal issues. In our 40+ years of coaching—at all levels and ages—we have seen behavior issues dramatically reduced with a clear behavior vision for the team and the athlete. A strong leadership-oriented culture, coach vigilance and a deep compassion to help young athletes grow out of personal struggle into a sense of empowerment and virtue are the foundations for a winning and life-sustaining culture. v “Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes.” —Kenneth Hildebrand Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” was published in June 2021, and is available from store. Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide.
(College or University Affiliated Swim Camp)
®
LONGHORNSWIMCAMP.COM • 43 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE • MAY 29 – JULY 1
Five one-week sessions from: MAY 29-JULY 1 | For detailed information, contact Longhorns Swim Camp Director: JON ALTER 512 475 8652 Complete camp information and registration at: LonghornSwimCamp.com | Email: longhornswimcamp@athletics.utexas.edu Per NCAA rules, sports camps and clinics conducted by The University of Texas are open to all entrants. Enrollment is limited only by age, grade level, gender, and capacity restrictions as specified by each camp.
(College or University Affiliated Swim Camp)
2022 CAMP DATES
WORLD CLASS COACHES:
WEEK 1 – JUNE 5-9 WEEK 2 – JUNE 12-16 WEEK 3 – JULY 31–AUG 4 WEEK 4 – AUGUST 7-11 Diving - JULY 10-14
CAMP HIGHLIGHTS:
Mike Bottom
Head Coach US Olympian & Olympic Coach
Functional Dryland Training Technique & Intensive Training Options 3 Instructional Sessions Per Day Individual HD Filming & 1:1 Analysis True Colors Assessment & Mindset Training Kistler Start and Turn Analysis Training Olympians & NCAA All Americans on staff
Dr. Josh White
Associate Head Coach NCAA All American
Ksenia Gromova Volunteer Assistant
Sam Wensman Assistant Coach CW Elite Coach
Roger Karns
Manchester University Head Coach
Cauli Bedran
Assistant Coach NCAA All American
Kurt Kirner
Hillsdale College Head Coach
Contact us at: 734.845.8596 | umswim1@gmail.com
Priscilla Barletta Assistant Coach
Jim Richardson
Camp Director NCAA Coach of the Year
Michigan Swim Camps are open to any and all entrants, limited only by age and specified number of participants
R MARCH 2022
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SWIMMING WORLD PRESENTS
2022
SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY The listings on pages 36-38 are paid advertisements.
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY 2169 Field House Dr. USAFA, CO 80840 719-333-2116 afasportscamps@airforceathletics.org www.goairforcefalcons.com/camps Camp Dates: June 6-10 (ages 12-18) June 13-17 (ages 12-18) Thank you for considering the AF Swim Camps for your swimmer this summer. Our camp offers thorough analysis of stroke technique to include video analysis of the world’s best swimmers along with video of each individual camper. The session will offer challenging training programs and plenty of stroke analysis. Our camp is best suited for experienced swimmers with a good yearround training base. The Cadet Natatorium on the campus of the United States Air Force Academy, which recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation, features all new bulkheads, starting blocks, scoreboards and lighting. The natatorium facilities offer video analysis, reaction time pads on the blocks, an adjacent state-of-theart dryland training room and more. In addition to its high-altitude location at 7,200 feet, this is a world-class facility matched by only a few in the country.
BOLLES SWIM CAMP Ryan Mallam The Bolles School 7400 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32217 904-256-5215 swimcamp@bolles.org www.Bollesswimming.org Bolles Swim Camp provides opportunities for campers to learn from Olympic-experienced coaches, to live and train on the beautiful Bolles riverfront campus with swimmers from around the world and to participate in classroom sessions, dryland training and fun camp activities. Elite Camps I and II June 5-11 and June 11-18 For intermediate-to-advanced swimmers 13 and older 36
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Elite Camp III and the June Classic Swim Meet June 18-27 For intermediate-to-advanced swimmers 13 and older who are prepared for the meet, a prelims-finals competition hosted annually Sprint Camp June 27-July 8 An extended camp experience focused on developing speed in the water Junior Elite Camp June 6-10 and June 13-17 (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) A training opportunity for swimmers ages 9-12 For the novice-experienced competitive swimmer For more information and to register, visit www.BollesSwimming.org or email swimcamp@bolles.org.
LONGHORNS SWIM CAMP Jon Alter, Camp Director The University of Texas P.O. Box 7399 Austin, TX 78713-7399 512-475-8652 • Fax 512-232-1273 longhornswimcamp@athletics.utexas.edu www.LonghornSwimCamp.com Headed by three-time Olympic and Texas head men’s coach Eddie Reese, 2019 World University Games and women’s coach Carol Capitani, former USA Swimming National Junior Team Director and assistant women’s coach Mitch Dalton and assistant 2018 Team USA Pan-Pac/associate men’s coach Wyatt Collins, the Longhorns Swim Camp is the most exciting camp in the country! The 2022 Longhorns Swim Camp is proud to feature multiple Olympians, American record holders and NCAA champions on staff. We welcome Olympians Ian Crocker, Colleen Lanné-Cox, Whitney Hedgepeth, American record holder Will Licon and 2019 NCAA champion/Team USA World University Games member John Shebat! Josh Davis, three-time Olympic gold medalist, returns for his 23rd year with the program. Josh coaches the Friday morning session. Camp is held at the Jamail Texas Swimming Center on the University of Texas at Austin campus, home to 23 NCAA team champions. Facility includes an indoor 50-meter by 25-yard pool, a 25-yard by 25-meter pool and the 50-meter by 25-yard Eddie Reese outdoor pool. Four training groups based on age and ability, with a 1:7 coach/swimmer ratio in technique sessions. Male and female swimmers (ages 8-18) of any level are welcome. It is highly recommended, but not required, that swimmers have competitive experience prior to attending. Training at the Longhorns Swim Camp focuses on intensive long-course conditioning and thorough stroke instruction and analysis. Camp is divided into four challenging ability groups based on age and 100-yard freestyle times. One-hour daily sessions focus on swim-specific dryland and strength training exercises. Long course training varies from one to two hours daily depending on ability level. Two 90-minute daily sessions focus specifically on technique work. Stroke drills, as well as start-and-turn mechanics are included along with classroom sessions and underwater video
analysis of each swimmer. Cost: Overnight Camp $1,090; Day Camp $990. Complete camp information and online registration available at: Longhornswimcamp.com. Per NCAA rules, sport camps and clinics conducted by The University of Texas are open to all entrants. Enrollment is limited only by age, grade level, gender and capacity restrictions as specified by each camp. NCAA guidelines prohibit payment of camp expenses by a representative of The University of Texas’ athletics interest. NCAA rules also prohibit free or reduced camp admission for prospects (9th grade and above). See display ad on page 35.
MICHIGAN SWIM CAMP at The University of Michigan 2062 Castello Circle (office) Ann Arbor, MI 48108 734-845-8596 umswim1@gmail.com www.michiganswimcamp.com or www.camps.mgoblue.com/swimming Four sessions open to any and all entrants, limited to age and 215 campers per session in Canham Natatorium at the University of Michigan. A staff of 60+ and three instructional sessions per day ensure the individual attention necessary for significant improvement. Coaches Mike Bottom, Dr. Josh White, Sam Wensman, Cauli Bedran, Priscilla Barletta, Ksenia Gromova, Kurt Kirner and Roger Karns are directly involved in coaching and teaching campers. All campers videoed and receive a written stroke analysis. Optional custom video and/or Kistler start-and-turn analysis available for an additional fee. Choose the Intensive Training Track or the Technique Development Track. World-class staff provides leadership and mentoring that encourage each swimmer to strive for excellence in and out of the pool. Cost includes instruction, swim cap, T-shirt, color photo, instructional materials, “goody bag”: $690/week commuter no meals, $720 commuter and lunch, and $765 commuter lunch and dinner. See display ad on page 35. MOUNTAINEER HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING CAMPS at Western Colorado University Vickie Fellows, Head Coach Western Colorado University 1 Western Way Gunnison, CO 81231 Phone: 970-943-2310 • Cell: 505-453-3514 vfellows@western.edu www.gomountaineers.com/sports/2021/12/2/ swim-camps.aspx Camp Dates: June 17-21 June 24-28
Mountaineer High Altitude Training Camps offer the most unique training experience in the country. Western Colorado University is located in Gunnison, Colo., at an elevation of 7,723 feet in the Rocky Mountains. Facilities include the highest collegiate pool in the country, a state-of-the-art weight room and private locker rooms. The university is situated in a high alpine valley, which makes it ideal for high-altitude training. Each athlete will receive a High Altitude Training T-shirt and cap. Additionally, meals will be provided, and athletes will be lodged in the college dorm rooms. All attendees will get to meet and work with collegiate athletes. Camps will focus on teaching, refining and reinforcing elite swimming technique as well as aerobic-based training at high elevation. Swimmers will walk away with a deeper understanding of their strokes as well as their starts, turns and finishes. Camps are open to swimmers ages 11-18 who want to take their performance to the next level. NAVY SWIMMING CAMPS & CLINICS 2022 Bill Roberts, Camp Director Navy Swimming Camps 2022 566 Brownson Rd. Annapolis, MD 21402 410-293-3012, 410-293-5834 navyswimmingcamp@usna.edu www.navyswimmingcamp.com or www.navysports.com https://www.facebook.com/NAVYSwimmingCamp https://www.instagram.com/navyswimcamp Camp Dates: June 14-18 Session I June 20-24 Session II Clinics: June 18 & 19 (see website for 2022 clinic offerings) Now going into our 24th season, expect direct results by being part of the 2022 Navy Swimming Camp this summer! Our principal goal is to provide you the very best in individual instruction, evaluation, camper experience and safety/supervision. The purpose of our camp is to offer you a unique environment to learn and develop your competitive strokes, including all related starts, turns and finishes. Navy Swimming Camp is a stroke-intensive camp. Swimming campers will receive individual attention. Additional training sessions are offered to all needing to maintain conditioning while at camp. Video analysis, dryland activities designed to improve individual fitness levels, performance, training, goal-setting, leadership presentations and the Severn River boat cruise are all part of the schedule for 2022. Also, outstanding and accomplished guest speakers and presenters all scheduled for this year’s edition of the Navy Swimming Camp. Campers will learn, train and reside in an amazing and unique environment on the grounds of the United States Naval Academy. Additionally, teamwork and leadership are important points of emphasis for every camper. The Navy camp is led by an experienced camp staff while providing the very best in 24-hour supervision. See www.navyswimmingcamp.com for greater detail, including brochure, application, daily schedule and frequently asked questions. Cost for each camp: $725/commuter camper (ages 8-18), $775/extended day camper (ages 8-18), $825/resident camper (ages 9-18). All campers receive a NAVY swimming shirt & an exclusive NAVY backstroke flag. Go Navy!
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2022 SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY / continued from 37
NORTHERN COLORADO SWIMMING CAMPS Lisa Ebeling, Camp Director University of Northern Colorado 5716 W. 17th Street Rd. Greeley, CO 80634 970-451-1476 Lisa.ebeling@unco.edu www.uncswimmingcamps.com Camp Dates: June 6-10 Session 1 June 13-17 Session 2 UNC Swimming Camps are designed to teach athletes the technical aspects of swimming to help them achieve success at the next level. The main focus of our camp is on stroke analysis and technique for starts and turns through in-depth video review. We also provide elite high-altitude training sessions, team building activities, nutritional education, competition preparation tools and mental training. We group athletes according to skill level, and are able to accommodate swimmers of all levels, ages 8-18. UNC Swimming Camps are open to any and all entrants (limited only by number, age, grade level and/or gender). SPIRE INSTITUTE & ACADEMY | CAMPS 440-466-1002 info@spireinstitute.org www.spireinstitute.org SPIRE offers three-day and five-day Stroke Camps, three-day Start & Turn Camps and three-day and five-day Training Camps for ages 10 and older. These swimming camps are either boarding or non-boarding, and are for competitive swimmers. Stroke Camps are structured around a philosophy of teaching skill acquisition and development in all four competitive strokes as well as starts and turns. Two daily water sessions are led by a world-class staff. Workouts are structured to improve stroke technique with a combination of drills, skills and training. Each athlete will have opportunities to enhance all phases of competitive swimming through individualized attention from our excellent coaches and counselors. Individual stroke analysis, dryland instruction and lecture sessions will give the campers one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date training camp experiences available in the United States. The Competitive Start &Turn Camp will only focus on starts and turns. Emphasis is about turning these often-overlooked skills into a true competitive advantage. Swimmers will receive intensive instruction on the forward and backstroke starts with safety being a priority. Fast, legal turns for all four competitive strokes and the IM transition turns will be covered. Each athlete will receive individual attention from a staff of outstanding coaches and instructors. SPIRE Training Camp offers a positive environment for swimmers to be challenged by intensive conditioning with daily training sessions on technique, race strategy and unique training methods. See display ad on page 34 for dates and cost. 38
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STR SPEEDWEEK SWIM CAMPS USING SCIENCE TO IMPROVE TECHNIQUE 850-385-9803 info@swimmingtechnology.com www.swimmingtechnology.com Are you: • Looking for a significant time drop? • Serious about improving your technique? • Hoping to reduce or eliminate shoulder pain? • Ready to compete at the next level? • Interested in extending your swimming career to college? If you are, then an STR SpeedWeek is your best swim camp option! We are the only camp with scientific studies that confirm the effect of our technique improvement strategies. In the morning classroom instructional session, swimmers learn specific cues to see and feel so they can swim like MONA, a biomechanical model of optimal technique. The following pool session includes deliberate practice strategies to help the swimmers optimize technique—short swims at a slow stroke rate with lots of individual feedback. In the afternoon, swimmers are tested in the pool and analyzed in the classroom with Aquanex—our patented system that captures synchronized underwater video and hand force data. This sciencebased analysis is unlike anything else in the world of swimming, giving swimmers the information they need to fine-tune their technique and make drastic time drops. You will learn to: • Optimize the non-breathing head position • Control the base of support to minimize resistance and maximize propulsion • Benefit from elbow flexion at the beginning of the pull in all four strokes • Increase the arm index of coordination in freestyle • Minimize shoulder stress on the freestyle and butterfly arm entry • Reduce intracycle fluctuations in body velocity in breaststroke and butterfly • Gain extra propulsion on the freestyle push phase in freestyle, butterfly and backstroke • Practice deliberately to make technique changes quickly The STR bottom line: We guarantee we can show every swimmer how to swim faster. SpeedWeek helps you make technique changes based on scientific data rather than opinion. Our campers make incomparable progress and learn practice strategies that help them continue to improve on return to normal training. Each SpeedWeek is limited to 12 swimmers to ensure maximum individual attention by Dr. Rod Havriluk, world-renowned biomechanist and technique expert. Dr. Havriluk is internationally recognized for his unique approach to accelerating skill-learning and preventing shoulder injury. He is widely published and a frequent conference presenter (ASCA, ASCTA, BMS, FINA, IOC, ISCA, USAS, USMS, USSSA). In 2015, he was selected by Swimming World Magazine as one of the top 10 individuals making an impact on swimming. Check our STR website for camp dates, locations and more info: swimmingtechnology.com. See display ad on page 25. v CHECK OUT OUR CAMP LISTINGS ONLINE AT
WWW.SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/CAMPS
TRAINING
DRYSIDE TRAINING
NO GYM? NO WORRIES! BY J.R. ROSANIA
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DEMONSTRATED BY NORIKO INADA • PHOTOS BY EMMI BRYTOWSKI
W
ith all the sophisticated equipment in gyms these days, one would think that’s the only recourse when it comes to dryland training. This month, let’s focus on five exercises that can be done with only a medium-size stability ball and a medium-tension stretch cord. Obviously, the farther you position yourself away from the anchor of the stretch cord, the more resistance you’ll be able to apply. Perform the five exercises for 3x10 repetitions each. Do the program two to three times a week. Begin the workout with the push-ups to activate the muscles to be involved with the movement, then begin performing the exercises. Note that each stroke is represented as an individual exercise:
3
1) PUSH-UPS 2) FREESTYLE 3) BUTTERFLY 4) BREASTSTROKE 5) BACKSTROKE For each stroke exercise, position yourself so your hips or lower back make contact with the ball. Your legs should be straight with your feet separated by one to two feet. Try to maintain a stiff straight line from your toes to your hands. Use your arm and upper body to perform each stroke. Try a set of 10 reps followed by 30 seconds rest. So, if you’re limited with space and/or time, purchase a stretch cord and stability ball, and turn your bedroom into your dryland area. v
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1
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MEET THE TRAINER J.R. Rosania, B.S., exercise science, is one of the nation’s top performance enhancement coaches. He is the owner and CEO of Healthplex, LLC, in Phoenix. Check out Rosania’s website at www.jrhealthplex.net. MEET THE ATHLETE Noriko Inada, 43, swam for Japan at the 1992, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. She now swims Masters for Phoenix Swim Club, and owns Masters world records in the women’s 25-29, 3034, 35-39 and 40-44 age groups.
NOTICE All swimming and dryland training and instruction should be performed under the supervision of a qualified coach or instructor, and in circumstances that ensure the safety of participants. MARCH 2022
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COACHING
SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS BY ROD HAVRILUK , Ph.D.
BUOYANCY ISSUES FOR FLOATING AND KICKING
T
he concept of buoyancy is not only fundamental for someone learning to swim, but is also important for competitive swimmers seeking to maximize performance. Information about both the magnitude and the location (distance from the ankles) of the buoyant force is critical to achieve optimal body positions for floating, kicking and swimming. MAGNITUDE OF BUOYANT FORCE Archimedes’ buoyancy principle states that the buoyant force on an object immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid that the object displaces. The weight of the displaced fluid depends on the volume and density of the fluid, as well as gravity. An average swimmer’s body is less dense than water, so it floats upward until the volume below the surface displaces a volume of water that is equal to the weight of the swimmer. A swimmer usually floats in either a vertical or a horizontal position, with only a small fraction of the body above the surface. VERTICAL FLOATING The ratio of the density of a swimmer’s body to water is such that about 94% of the body volume displaces enough water to float with 6% of the body volume above the surface. If a body is in a vertical position, depending on body height, about four or five inches of the head will be above the surface (as shown in Fig. 1). The typical vertical floating position means that the water level will be just below the eyes and just above the nose and mouth. The body position has an important implication for breathing—a minimal amount of vertical force is necessary to elevate the nose and mouth above the surface. For example, very gentle kicking can add enough vertical force to the buoyant force to allow a swimmer to breathe. VERTICAL KICKING A vertical kicking exercise makes the precarious position of the body with respect to breathing more evident. When a swimmer raises the arms above the surface, the body volume below the surface decreases by 5% for each arm, which decreases the buoyant force. Consequently, a swimmer must generate a vertical
FIG. 3 > The model is floating on her back with both arms overhead.
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force of more than 10% of body weight to keep the nose and mouth above the surface (see Fig. 2). With the water level so close to the mouth, a kick with an insufficient effort or an ineffective technique is very obvious to swimmer and coach. The vertical kicking exercise makes the loss of buoyancy from raising body parts above the surface very apparent to a swimmer and is an important strategy for optimizing technique at all ability levels. LOCATION OF BUOYANT FORCE The buoyancy for a human body in a vertical position is based on the proportion of the body that is submerged. There is an additional factor to consider for a human to float in a horizontal position—the location of the center of buoyancy.
FIG. 1 > The swimmer is floating in a vertical position with the water level just above the nose and mouth.
FIG. 2 > The swimmer is kicking in a vertical
position with both arms above the surface. The center of mass (CM) is the balance point for the mass of all the body segments and is the location of the downward force of gravity on the mass. The center of buoyancy (CB) is the balance point for the volume of all the body segments
and is the location of the upward buoyant force. HORIZONTAL FLOATING If the CM and CB are located at the same point, the body floats in a horizontal position, as is often the case. If there is a CB-CM difference (as shown in Fig. 3), the upward CB force and downward CM force would cause the body to rotate counterclockwise. The rotation would not stop until the CM was directly below the CB and the body was vertical. The location of the CM and the CB varies with the position of body parts. For example, the distance from the ankles to the CM and CB was measured for adult, male and female swimmers in a horizontal position on the back with three different arm orientations—both arms at the sides, one arm overhead, both arms overhead (Mclean & Hinrichs, 2000). The CM and CB distances were converted to a percent of body height, and the data are graphed in Fig. 4. As the arms were moved overhead, both the CM and CB moved farther from the ankles, and there was a decrease in the distance between the CM and CB. With both arms overhead, the CM-CB difference was about one-half of a percent of body height for both males and females. (Swimmers usually eliminate such a small CM-CB difference with some exhalation.) The research findings are consistent with the empirical findings of swimmers— moving both arms overhead makes it easier to float.
FIG. 4 > The distance (as a percent of body height) from the ankles to the center of mass and the center of buoyancy for three arm positions for males and females.
HORIZONTAL KICKING In a horizontal position, a swimmer can also compensate for a CM-CB difference by kicking to generate a vertical force. FIG. 5 > The swimmer is kicking on her back with both arms above the surface. Typically, a very gentle but continuous kicking motion will maintain a horizontal position. If a swimmer experiments with each of the three arm orientations, he/she will find that less kicking force is necessary as more arm mass is moved underwater to a Both vertical and horizontal kicking exercises can position above the head. help a swimmer appreciate the loss in buoyancy As with a vertical kick, the importance of a continuous kick in a horizontal position is made even more obvious when a swimmer when body parts are elevated above the surface. must also compensate for a loss in buoyancy from elevating body Information about both the magnitude and parts above the surface. For example, if a swimmer is kicking on location of the buoyant force is critical to achieve the back in a streamline position and slowly raises the arms so that an optimal body position for floating, kicking they are directly above the shoulders, the loss in buoyant force and swimming. must usually be countered by a substantial increase in kick force (see Fig. 5). v
SUMMARY
TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REFERENCES FOR THIS ARTICLE. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT
Dr. Rod Havriluk is a sport scientist and consultant who specializes in swimming technique instruction and analysis. His newest ebooks in the “Approaching Perfect Swimming” series are “Optimal Stroke Technique” and “Swimming Without Pain,” and are available at swimmingtechnology.com. Contact Rod through info@ swimmingtechnology.com. All scientific documentation relating to this article, including scientific principles, studies and research papers, can be provided upon demand. MARCH 2022
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SPECIAL SETS
KAII WINKLER:
WORKING HARD TO REACH HIS GOALS Coach Adam Madarassy of Eagle Aquatics in Miami, Fla., shares two favorite sets that he has given to 15-year-old Kaii Winkler, the No. 1 Florida recruit (fourth nationally) in the Class of 2024. BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
O
h, to be young again—especially as a swimmer...maybe like 6-3, 15-year-old Kaii Winkler of Eagle Aquatics in Miami, Fla., who holds the fifth fastest SCY 100 free time (43.68) for 15-16-year-olds (16th nationally). He recorded that time in December in prelims at the Speedo Winter Junior ChampionshipsEast, where he finished third in finals with a 43.71. A month earlier, he placed second in both the 100 and 200 yard freestyles (44.00, 1:36.78) at the Florida high school state championships. Winkler has three U.S. Winter Open times in the 50-100-200 free, two Futures in the 100 fly and 400 IM and four AAAA clockings in the 500-1000 free, 100 back and 200 IM. Just for fun, he possesses 36 SCY and 35 LC Eagle Aquatics team records. To observers of Florida Swimming, this should not come as a complete surprise. In 2017, he set NAG records as a 10-and-under in the 200 free (1:56.54, still the current mark) and 500 (5:08.77), and he just missed Chas Morton’s then-200 IM record by 57-hundredths. Winkler is coached by Adam Madarassy, a Hungarian 2008 Olympian and conference champion/team captain at the University of Louisville. “I could not be prouder of Kaii,” says Madarassy. “He has a great work ethic, a positive mindset and attitude, and he works very hard to get better and get closer to his goals. He is a big competitor and always wants to win, which drives him closer to his potential. “Kaii is very athletic and has a great technique, which is our primary focus at Eagle Aquatics. We also put significant emphasis on developing a solid endurance base.” FAVORITE SETS Two of Coach Madarassy’s favorite recurring sets that Kaii does are the “Long IM Set” (from Hungary) and the “High School Order Set” (from U of L): Long IM Set 6x {4 x 100 + 400) • Round 1: 4 x 100 fly + 400 IM •
Round 2: 4 x 100 free + 400 free
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Round 3: 4 x 100 back + 400 IM
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Round 4: 4 x 100 free + 400 free
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Round 5: 4 x 100 breast + 400 IM
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Round 6: 4 x 100 free + 400 free
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>> Kaii Winkler with his coach, Adam Madarassy [ Photo Courtesy: Eric Hudson ]
High School Order Set “This set follows the high school event schedule, a total of 2,150 yards,” says Madarassy. “Eagle swimmers have to do the entire program, straight through, as quickly as possible. They must get out and dive as a part of each event—relay legs as well. We record the results to measure progressions over time.” Winkler’s best to date is 25:10 done in January. “On VO2 days, I like Kaii to do 75s. We work on freestyle technique, then do a set of 8-12 x 75 all-out on a two- to two-anda-half-minute interval—all free. We follow that with an easy swim and work on another stroke (often a specialty stroke other than freestyle). Then we swim another round of 8-12 x 75 all-out with that stroke. In early February, his hold times for the free in the 75s were :38+; for the 8 x 75s back, Winkler held :42s. “It’s been such a pleasure working with Kaii watching him grow in and out of the water, both as a swimmer and a person! He has a bright future, and I cannot wait to see what he does in the days ahead.” v
Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” was published in June 2021, and is available from store. Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide.
COACHING
JORDAN
WOLFRUM
Q&A
[ Photo Courtesy: UCLA Athletics ]
Energized by her experience with Coach Jeff Hegel at St. Cloud State University and the mentoring she received at St. Benedict, Stanford and Ohio State, Jordan Wolfrum has found her dream job at UCLA. BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
Q. SWIMMING WORLD: How did a high school senior from Longmont, Colo. end up at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota? A. COACH JORDAN WOLFRUM: I instantly felt at home and fell in love with the team culture. And Coach Hegle made all the difference. When you find a coach who believes in you and you believe in them, you know you’ve found your place. Nearly 100 of us come back for the alumni meet every year, so I’m clearly not the only one who feels that way. SW: How has the exposure to Coaches Hegle, Dorenkott, Meehan, Maurer and Gallagher influenced how you coach? JW: I’ve been unbelievably fortunate. Every coach that I work closely with teaches me something new. I’ve taken technical and teaming aspects from each. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of being true to myself and my values as a head coach. SW: Coach Hegle stressed looking out for each other. How do you live that at UCLA? JW: Coach Hegle instilled in us a deep love of team and commitment to teammates. That has always resonated and informed how I coach. At UCLA, we have a Culture Playbook that defines our values and expectations. As a part of it, we explicitly state our expectation of “Invest the time to build real relationships with your teammates.” Our minimum expectation is that we take really good care of one another as individuals. No exceptions. When we do that, we create an environment that allows us to go hard, to take risks, to raise the bar and to have fun doing so. SW: What was the value to coaching various groups at Ohio State? JW: In my five years there, the value was
working with different bodies, strengths and events all within the same general training framework. I worked most extensively with the breaststroke specialists and mid-distance groups. With the breaststrokers, we played with different types of power and pulling, kicking, tempo drills and hypoxic work. I was able to be creative and try new things with a diverse group of athletes. With the mid-distance group, we were always testing our speed endurance and how fast we could go for how long. It was a very aerobically gifted group. That opportunity helped me become a more wellrounded coach. SW: Bill Dorenkott does a good job of empowering his assistants. How are you doing that with your staff at UCLA? JW: I was a clear beneficiary of Bill’s style in that he coached me in all areas of managing a team and coaching elite swimming. His greatest gift to me was trusting me to figure stuff out. I learned so much that way. I try to do the same with my staff. Assistant coach Karissa Kruszewski manages all areas of our team, is great on deck and a fantastic recruiter. I try to expose her to as many areas as possible and give her as many opportunities as I can to try, learn, screw up and get better. My goal is that when a staff member leaves, they are prepared to land the job of their dreams. SW: You once were advised to coach people first. How are you coaching and empowering your athletes? JW: I call my main coaching philosophy High Expectations, High Love. I learned this concept from Tim Kight and the organization Focus 3 with whom I worked at Ohio State and now at UCLA. Telling my athletes I have “High Expectations” means I’m going to show you
Jordan Wolfrum Head Coach UCLA Los Angeles, California
• St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn., B.A., mathematics, 2009 • 4x letter winner, 4x conference championship qualifier, 2x team captain • North Central Conference Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll recipient • Head coach, UCLA, 2019-present • Associate head coach, Ohio State University, 2016-19; assistant coach, 2014-16 • Volunteer assistant coach, Stanford University, 2013-14 • Head coach, College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minn., 2012-13; assistant coach, 2009-12 • Member of CSCAA and USA Swimming
At St. Benedict, Wolfrum coached 11 All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference swimmers. Then, at Stanford, she helped the Cardinal to a second-place finish at NCAAs. While at Ohio State, she was part of a coaching staff that produced 40 NCAA qualifiers and double-digit school record holders.
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PROGRESSION OF TIMES 2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
100 Fly
SCY
54.55
53.70
53.39
51.65
200 Fly
2:01.34
1:58.57
1:57.97
1:55.66
200 IM
2:02.71
2:00.59
1:58.86
1:58.33
100 Breast
1:04.31
1:02.49
1:02.48
1:01.19
FAVORITE SETS “Sam has some favorite sets she does leading into taper or a big meet. These sets give her confidence and serve as one last benchmark before our workload really shifts,” says Wolfrum. Here’s a sample/ variation:
3x (100 IM @ 1:20 + 75 back @ 1:20) 25 scull @ :50 4 x 50 fly @ :55 descend 1-4 3x (75 back @ :60 + 50 breast @ :60) 25 scull @ :50 4 x 50 fly @ :60 all fast with fins “Sam is also a very strong aerobic freestyler and very good at pull,” notes Wolfrum. “Oftentimes, she will do the same free set as the group, but with some distances changed to fly. “In the following example of a mid-season aerobic set, the team did this set all free, but Sam did the second 50 of each distance plus the 25s fly. In a set like this, Sam is able to swim a high volume of fly and do it inside an aerobic set, but in a way that keeps her stroke from breaking down.” • 3x {150 @ 1:50 100 free/50 fly steady {125 @ 1:50 75 free/50 fly fast • 8 x 25 RACE @ :45 Odds from run dive AND no breath Evens from push • 4 x 125 @ 1:30 all strong 75 free/50 fly • 8 x 25 @ :45 same as above • 3x {125 @ 1:30 75 free/50 fly steady {100 @ 1:30 50 free/50 fly fast • 8 x 25 fast @ :45 SAME • 4 x 100 @ 1:10 50 free/50 fly all strong • 8 x 25 @ :45 SAME • 3x {100 @ 1:10 50 free/50 fly steady {75 @ 1:10 25 free/50 fly fast • 8 x 25 @ :45 SAME • 4 x 75 @ :55 25 free/50 fly all strong • 8 x 25 fast @ :45 “Recently we did a 200 pace set that Sam swam very successfully. The goal was to swim smoothly descending 200s with great technique, then get as close as possible to goal 200 pace on the 100s and then finish at or under goal pace for 12 straight 50s. Sam was part of a group of five flyers who excelled on this set. Sam and her teammate, Crystal Murphy, led the set and held the times in parentheses.” • 3 x 200 @ 4:00 (held 2:17, 2:15, 2:10) • 4 x 100 @ 3:00 (held between :59-1:03) • 12 x 50 @ :60 (#1 :29, #2-7 :28, #8-11 :27, #12 :25) “Sam has an exciting future. This year, she’s backing up an outstanding freshman year with better, more consistent training. She’s also learning to lead our team in her own way. I can’t wait to see her continue to grow and shine,” says Wolfrum. v
IM Set Make it + work it—i.e., 125 free @ 1:40 just make it + 100 IM fast @ 1:40 • 3x (125 Fr @ 1:40 + 100 IM @ 1:40) • 25 scull @ :50 • 4 x 50 fly @ :50 build
Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” was published in June 2021, and is available from store.Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide.
[ Photo Courtesy: UCLA Athletics ]
• • • • • •
HOW THEY TRAIN
SAM BARON
BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
S
am Baron matriculated to UCLA as the Golden State’s Class of 2020’s third-ranked female recruit (58th nationwide). A butterfly and IM specialist, the 5-5 Bellevue Aquatic Club/Newport High School product won seven Washington state high school championships while earning 10 NISCA All-America citations. As a UCLA freshman, she only improved, finishing second at the 2021 Pac-12 Championships in the 100 yard fly (a program-best 51.65), fourth in the 200 fly (1:56.77) and 12th in the 200 IM (2:00.21). She followed that with 100 and 200 butterfly and 200 IM swims at NCAAs and a Wave I Olympic Trials appearance in the 100 fly. As a sophomore, Baron continued her mojo, already posting a lifetime best in the 200 IM (1:58.33). “Primarily a flyer, Sam has four beautiful strokes,” says her coach, Jordan Wolfrum. “She came to UCLA as a great swimmer, but really exploded in the last half of her freshman season. Sam is a great racer and a very strong trainer who hates to lose. “I’ve worked closely with Sam’s club coach, Andrew Nguyen (now head coach at Scottsdale Aquatic Club, Ariz.) to build a program that fits her needs and challenges her in the right way. Andrew told me early on that Sam knows her swimming well and has good intuition on what she needs. She and I have partnered to adjust and adapt her training when she needs something a little different. “Sam has also trusted me to push her and take her out of her comfort zone. Because she is really proficient in all four strokes, we keep her training pretty diverse. A typical week might look like this: “Monday: IM or aerobic free; Tuesday: lift, underwater work + fly power; Wednesday: 400 IM or 100 fly pace (she splits her time); Thursday: lift, dolphin kick + fly power; Friday: 200 fly pace; Saturday: lift, quality/sprint work.
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Q&A / Continued from 43
the respect as an athlete to set the bar extremely high, push you really hard and allow you to fail. What I mean by “High Love” is that I’m also going to be honest, kind and respectful while I do it. I think the misconception sometimes is that if you show love, empathy and kindness to your athletes, you must be soft... or that when you hold them to exceptionally high standards, you’re being unkind. I believe that when you demonstrate to an athlete that you see them and love them as a human first, they will almost always give you their best possible effort and allow you to push them to the limit. SW: In your first year in Westwood you put a big emphasis on being athletic. Did that produce the desired results? JW: Being an athlete is still a big part of how we coach. I love being creative in how we develop strength and coordination. In the fall, our warm-up always includes a combination of jumps, jump-flips, dives and handstands with the goal of moving and controlling bodies in different ways. In the weight room, we use tumbling and somersaults in our warm-up. This summer, we did boxing in our dryland. We are always striving to build strong, resilient and powerful athletes. SW: What was it like following Bruin coaching legend Cyndi Gallagher? JW: When I first entered my office at UCLA, there was a card from Cyndi that read, “To a smart, strong, unstoppable woman. Go forth and run the world.” I’m so grateful for how she has passed me the baton, but stayed close enough to cheer us along the way. I have big shoes to fill, but Cyndi has been such a help to me. My goal is that in 30 years, I can leave a similar note of encouragement for the next UCLA head coach.
Any plans to recruit more heavily in the eastern half of the U.S.? JW: We recruit all over the country and the world. It seems that recruits on the west side of the country already know how amazing UCLA is and that the word is starting to get out on the East Coast. Keep an eye on our incoming classes. SW: A preponderance of your athletes have strong parental athletic pedigrees. Is that a recruiting prerequisite or just coincidence? JW: Wish I could take credit for it, but my hunch is that those parents with an athletic background, particularly in elite college athletics, have an understanding of the greatness that is UCLA. UCLA has a reputation and a rich athletic history. When you’ve been around elite college sports, you understand that. Those families have an appreciation of the values we place on love, high expectations and hard work. SW: What has the presence of assistant Kristine Quance Julian meant? JW: Kristine brings a wonderful set of experiences to our team. As a world-class athlete, she can speak to our women on a personal level about what world-stage, high-pressure moments feel like. I love how she looks at strokes and technique in a different way than I do. She brings a fresh perspective and new ideas to the deck, and our athletes and coaches all benefit. SW: What’s your takeaway from the team captain interview process you use in
Westwood? JW: We’ve done something new each year with our leadership council. I loved the interview process that we did in the ’20’21 season. This year, we took a step back from named captains and have worked to empower more individual leaders. Any athlete on our team can ask to take the lead on a team activity, team meeting or event. We have a freshman who leads our warm-up, and a junior is our leader in the weight room. We’ve seen athletes step up and work together to lead the team they love. It’s been fun to see who steps up when you create a place where anyone can lead as long as they stay in line with our team values. Next year, we plan to go back to using our interview process, but we will plan to switch it up based on what we’ve learned. SW: You indicated you failed the first time. Could you pass the test on UCLA athletic and academic history today? JW: Still studying, but I’m learning every day! v
Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” was published in June 2021, and is available from store.Bookbaby. com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide.
SW: What was the biggest benefit when you started asking for help? JW: I have 13 years of coaching experience, but another 100+ years just a phone call away. When I run into challenges that are new to me, I can call another coach and use their experience/wisdom to make more informed decisions. I also have a few close friends who I call regularly to exchange workouts and ideas. We make each other better coaches and leaders. SW: You have 43 swimmers and divers on your present roster, among them three sets of sisters, two internationals and only three athletes from east of the Mississippi. MARCH 2022
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UP & COMERS AGE GROUP SWIMMER OF THE MONTH BY SHOSHANNA RUTEMILLER
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hirteen-year-old Elizabeth Gregory is as consistent as she is versatile. Before aging-up in August 2021, the Williamsburg (Va.) Aquatic Club swimmer finished her 11-12 age group season ranked among the Top 10 in her 11-12 age group in 13 events (SCY 100, 200, 500 and 1000 freestyle, 50, 100 and 200 butterfly and 400 IM; and LC 100, 200, 400 and 800 free and 50 fly). Her most notable ranking was second among all 11-12 girls in the 1000 yard freestyle (10:30.49). Gregory posted that time at last year’s Elite Age Group Showcase after dropping 40 seconds and winning by just 1-tenth of a second! “The things that set Elizabeth apart in the water are her underwaters and her dedication to the sport,” says Coach Chris Hanks. “Her attendance is 100%, and she is a great teammate and leader. It doesn’t matter how fast you are or what goggles you wear, she is supportive and kind to all her teammates.” Outside of the pool, Gregory is an outgoing and friendly teammate and competitor. She comes from a swimming family, as her older siblings, Liam and Gracie, are also standout swimmers for Williamsburg Aquatic Club. WHAT IS THE BEST THING YOU DO IN SWIMMING? I can compete in both short- and long-distance events... I have good closing speed—being able to chase down an opponent is the difference between coming in first or second... I’m really competitive... And because I swim for a small club, I have to race myself at times to push myself to be faster.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SWIMMING? I get to eat whatever I want, as much as I want!... Making friends on my club and on other teams... Travel meets to new places like Florida... And wearing pajamas. All. The. Time. WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR? Going to high school, getting more club records—especially my older sister’s records (lol)—summertime and swimming outside, and ISCA with all my swimming friends. WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN SWIMMING...AND WHY? Simone Manuel because she has a motivating personality, and her own swimming story motivates me, especially beating the odds at
[ Photo Courtesy: Betsy Lavin ]
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST WORKOUTS/ SETS YOU’VE DONE? • Kick test sets: 12 x 100 SCM (3 on 2:10, 3 on 2:00, 3 on 1:50, 3 on 1:40). My best average for all 12 is 1:32. • 24 x 100 free on 1:20 SCM—this is the WORST! • 6 x 200 prime 2x through (first 3 DPS, second 3 descending) • 20 x 100 free on 1:10 SCY
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Olympic Trials last year. Also Gracie, my older sister, because she is fast, and she works hard in the pool. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? Reading (lots of reading), video games (especially Minecraft and Overwatch), listening to music and anything makeup. MARCH 2022
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RACE OR FAVORITE MOMENT FROM PAST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS?
SAM KENDRICKS Public Address Announcer, NCAA Championships [ Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold, Aringo ]
If it’s a favorite race, it’s the 1650 where multiple guys went under the record and Clark Smith won. If it’s a favorite moment, it’s
probably the year before when Chris Swanson came out of nowhere to win it on the final 50 of the 1650. On the women’s side of the equation, my favorite race was Missy Franklin’s 1:39.10 200 freestyle. I felt like it was nearly the perfect confluence of her training, experience and competitiveness coming together in a blistering performance. Favorite moment: the awards ceremony for the 2015 women’s 100 free when Simone Manuel was first, Lia Neal was second and Natalie Hinds was third. Pretty dang special. I was choked up during the award ceremony, and it was hard to get through, so I remember that one very clearly. It was especially memorable for me as I had seen and known each of those swimmers for many years having watched them come up through the agegroup ranks.
KELSI DAHLIA Former Swimmer, University of Louisville [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
My favorite race in my NCAA career would be our team’s 2015 200 medley relay. Our relay was made up of four underdogs—including a 400 IMer in backstroke—in the fight to win the race against superstar schools like Cal,
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Tennessee and Georgia. But we got the work done in the morning to set us up for a top seed at night. (Swimmers now won’t get that feeling anymore with timed night finals!) While Cal ultimately got the “W” and we finished second, we still celebrated like we won. It was our highest school relay finish and a huge component of our first-ever Top-10 team finish at NCAAs.
also got second, are the only two we didn’t win. That was the hardest night of sleep I have ever had. I was so excited from how well everyone was doing and the possibility of winning the team national title. The memory I have from that whole night is one that I will have forever, and it is the most excited I have ever been at a national championship.
TRENTON JULIAN
WILL LICON
Senior, Cal-Berkeley
Former Swimmer, University of Texas
[ Photo Courtesy: Jack Spitzer ]
[ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
My favorite moment from a past NCAA Championships would have to be from the 2019 NCAAs. It wasn’t a singular race, more a memory from one whole night on the first full finals night with the first individual events. It was the most exciting and energy-filled night that I have ever been a part of. The night started with the 200 free relay, where our group captured our first win of the meet. After that was my race for the night, the consolation final of the 500 free, where I had gotten ninth by 0.01 in the prelims. Including my race and the relay, we won or tied for the win in all but two heats in the entire session. The 500 free final, where Sean (Grieshop) got second, and the 400 medley relay, where we
I would have to go with the 400 medley relay from the 2015 national championships. Getting that win with Kip (Darmody), Joe (Schooling) and Jack (Conger) was special, and we were doubted so much all season. I don’t think we were even predicted to get topthree in that. We all did our part, and the rest is history. Super close, though, was the 100 fly (in 2015), where we put six people up in the Afinal. It was a perfect storm for us, and I’m not sure if that will ever happen again, or at least not in the near future anytime soon.
CLASSIFIED CAMP COUNSELORS / COACHES The Michigan Swim Camp at the University of Michigan is looking for individuals seeking an opportunity to work with Olympic coach Mike Bottom and staff. Five sessions (June 5-9, June 12-16, July 31 – August 4, August 7-11). Room, board, plus $550/week salary and $125 travel expense help. Applicants must be 21 years or older, have attended at least two years of college and have experience as a competitive swimmer and/or coach. References, clean background check, CPR and First Aid certification are required. For more information email Lauralyn Bottom, lbottom98@gmail.com. Candidates must be willing to work in an alcohol/drug-free environment. Michigan Swim Camp, LLC Jim Richardson, Camp Director 2062 Castello Circle Ann Arbor, MI. 48108 Cell: 734-845-8596 Fax: 734-929-2477 E-mail: umswim1@gmail.com Web: www.michiganswimcamp.com www.camps.mgoblue.com/swimming
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Making Waves
Last month, just before the college conference swimming championships, Swimming World’s Instagram channel launched its first tournament-style contest. This contest, modeled after the NCAA March Madness bracket, focused on the greatest pools, as opposed to college basketball teams. February 2022 saw the first Chlorine Chaos tournament. BY ASHLEIGH SHAY
1st
>> Chlorine Chaos Champion: Chi Health Center-International Swim Center (Omaha, Neb.)
C
hlorine Chaos evolved out of a swimming pool photo gallery. In December, Swimming World’s Instagram channel featured iconic natatoriums from across the USA. The post was so well received that it evolved into a four-part series. At that point, we wanted to know which natatorium was our followers’ favorite, so the “tournament” was launched on Jan. 31 on Instagram and Facebook. All of the voting occurred on the Swimming World Instagram story. The first round of voting featured pools being faced off in pairs: IUPUI vs. Maryland, Rosen AquaticsBirmingham, Georgia Tech-Arizona, University of Minneapolis-F&M, Greensboro-Princeton, Mission ViejoTennessee, Collegiate School Aquatic Center-The Long Center, Woollett-Ohio State, ISHOF-Rutgers, SPIREIndiana, Mecklenburg County-Texas, Rose Bowl Aquatic Center-UGA, U.S. Olympic Training Center-University of Cincinnati, Chi Health Center-International Swim Center and Weyerhaeuser King County vs. Auburn. After eight days of voting, the Saltwater 16 was chosen: IUPUI, Rosen Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Minneapolis, Greensboro, Mission Viejo, The Long Center, Woollett Aquatics, International Swimming Hall of Fame, Indiana,
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2nd
>> Runner-up: IUPUI Natatorium (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Texas, Rose Bowl Aquatics, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic pool, Stanford, Chi Health Center and Auburn. The second round of voting concluded Feb. 10, with the Aquifer 8 being selected: IUPUI, Georgia Tech, Greensboro, Woollett, ISHOF, Texas, Stanford and Chi Health. That led to a close Fresh Water Four battle among IUPUI, Greensboro, Texas and Chi Health. The final voting then took place, Feb. 13, to decide the top two—IUPUI Natatorium (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Chi Health Center-International Swim Center (Omaha, Neb.)—with the Chi Health Center emerging as the swimmers’ choice for their favorite pool in the country: the first Chlorine Chaos champion! During the exciting two weeks of Chlorine Chaos, the tournament accrued 41,455 votes. The original photo posts racked up 14,540 likes and 360 comments in all. The posts in total reached over 156,000 accounts and nearly 195,000 impressions. More than 1,000 people shared the posts with their friends as well. Among the pools receiving honorable mention designation were Liberty Natatorium and Lewisville Aquatic Center.
Moesha Johnson of Australia gets her head above water during an open water competition. [ Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr / Swimming Australia ]
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