When I started this post, it had a completely different focus. Four times I tried to address various aspects of Short Course vs Long Course swimming from the point of view of swimmers and national swimming organizations. And every time I ended up in the same place - that different countries handle Long Course in… Continue reading Inclusive or Exclusive: The Surprising Ways Countries Handle National Championships/Trials
Tag: USA Swimming
6 Rules (and a Vision) For Becoming a Better Swim Parent in a Post-Olympic Year
The Olympics are still fresh in our minds, and a new sports season is starting. This means that untold thousands of eager children are joining sports teams for the first time, with visions of Olympic medals dancing in their heads. And with swimming continuing to be one of the premiere sports in the Olympics, this… Continue reading 6 Rules (and a Vision) For Becoming a Better Swim Parent in a Post-Olympic Year
Are Swimming Performances Starting to Stagnate?
This is not a question that comes up much with our sport. In fact, we're so used to continuous improvement that it almost seems disloyal to even ask it. Are we starting to see a plateau in swimming performances? Track and field has been plagued with stagnating performances for a long time. Despite the publicity… Continue reading Are Swimming Performances Starting to Stagnate?
A Nation’s Pride: 1976 and State-Sponsored Doping
I must confess I haven't had the opportunity to watch the apparently excellent "The Last Gold" documentary about the 1976 women's US Olympic Team as they battled the overpowering but doped East German women. But having been a competitive swimmer back then, I am very familiar with the story and the emotions. That the US… Continue reading A Nation’s Pride: 1976 and State-Sponsored Doping
Swimming By The Numbers: How Strong is the US Olympic Team?
There's no question that the US Swimming Olympic Trials is one of the most exciting swim meets on the planet. The depth of talent, and the fierce competition between truly world class swimmers is staggering. Add to that the heartbreak of watching previous champions miss the team, and the sheer joy of watching new Olympians… Continue reading Swimming By The Numbers: How Strong is the US Olympic Team?
Swimming By The Numbers: Age Analysis of Olympic Trials for 6 Countries
It's been a little while since I've done a Swimming By the Numbers blog post, and the recent Canadian Olympic Trials sparked an idea. We had incredibly strong performances from the women, and NOT incredibly strong performances from the men. A lot of theories were thrown around, one being that we are abandoning our older… Continue reading Swimming By The Numbers: Age Analysis of Olympic Trials for 6 Countries
6 Rules For Becoming a Better Swim Parent
The start of a season is a good time to review some of the basics. And the first one is the role of a swim parent. Before I start, I should point out that most swim parents are actually pretty good when it comes to interacting with their kid’s competitors, officials and coaches, at least… Continue reading 6 Rules For Becoming a Better Swim Parent
Deconstructing Lochte’s Underwater, and FINA’s Rush To Disallow It
Although it’s not officially called the Lochte Rule, it might as well be. Ryan Lochte’s now famous dolphin kicking on his back on the freestyle leg of the 200 IM final at the World Championships is the only possible reason for FINA’s announcement that it will soon disallow it. You can see the race HERE… Continue reading Deconstructing Lochte’s Underwater, and FINA’s Rush To Disallow It
Is the Swimming World Catching Up to the US?
Those of you who watched the recent World Championships results were probably as shocked as I was with the Day 1 news that both the US and Australian Men's teams missed making finals in the 4x100 Freestyle relays. Both did as they always do – swam 4 slower swimmers in the heats to rest up… Continue reading Is the Swimming World Catching Up to the US?
Chasing the Dream: The Pros and Cons of Professional Swimming
Professional team sports are known for their incredibly high-paid stars. Just look at the money thrown at the top names in the big team sports, such as soccer, baseball, football, basketball, hockey and cycling. And not just for the top tier leagues. Many good players in lower leagues can make decent money. There are only… Continue reading Chasing the Dream: The Pros and Cons of Professional Swimming
Coach Rick - Mighty Tritons Swimming 