2025 HOF

 

 

View info on the Class of 2025 Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame inductees here

 

All info for this year's Legends Dinner (tickets, parking, hotel, etc.) is here

 

 

Quote of the Day

 

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible

objections must first be overcome.

Samuel Johnson

 

Roster Caps

 

 

College swimming is in for a huge shake-up.

 

NIL?  Portal?  5-in-5?

 

None of these have had - or will have - the impact of the House vs. NCAA settlement.

 

Roster caps are nothing new in college swimming.  Many schools have limited squad sizes for the men to keep the Title IX Vultures (a.k.a. lawyers) off their campuses.

 

Soon, roster limits will be the "law of the land" for both men and women...and they'll be more "painful" than ever!

 

Via Swimming World:

Per a settlement in the House v. NCAA federal case in which former Arizona State swimmer Grant House was the lead plaintiff, colleges will be allowed to share revenue with athletes. Instead of limiting scholarship money doled out to each sport, rosters will have hard caps with universities given the option to offer full scholarships to all members. Walk-ons will no longer exist. This new model will apply in Division I major conferences (the SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Big 12) plus any other conferences who opt in and thus receive clearance to distribute money directly to athletes.

Read more here

 

What will programs do with/for kids who fall below the roster limit line?  Offer them a club option?  Participation in the CSCAA's National Invitational Championship?  Send them down the road to another program?  Thank them for their contributions and then give them the old "Lead Handshake"?

In an appearance on the Unfiltered Waters podcast with Olympic medalists Missy Franklin and Katie Hoff, Bowman gave further insights into his thought process as he prepares to essentially halve his Longhorns roster, needing to drop from 41 swimmers to 22.

“I’ve tried to be as transparent as I can be,” Bowman said. “We just haven’t put our head in the sand and acted like it’s not happening. In the first meeting we talked about it and everyone knows. What we have tried to do is make it as objective as we can. Everybody here has a chance and has had a chance over the last six months to kind of put their best foot forward, and then we kind of look at the numbers.”

The blunt reality, Bowman said, is that if “you haven’t swum a time that would score any points at SECs, you’re not going to be moving forward.” He added, “We’re here to help you with your next thing,” suggesting that he and his staff would coordinate and advocate on behalf of the many Texas swimmers who will undoubtedly enter the transfer portal and seek opportunities to compete at other schools. Bowman added that he hoped to obtain waivers on behalf of his swimmers to enter the transfer portal before its official window to get a head start on finding a new team.

 

Longhorn coach Bob Bowman addresses the roster cap issue starting at 34:00 of the podcast (link above).

 

Expect Team USA to do well in Los Angeles, but this could spell trouble in Brisbane...

 

 

 

 

Hundreds of Times Each Month

 

That's how often the average person's being recorded.

 

 

 

 

 

Quote of the Day

 

True originality consists not in a

new manner, but in a new vision.

Edith Newbold Wharton

 

Quote of the Day

 

There's always opposition when you do something big.

I do many things that are controversial.

When people see it, they love it!

Donald John Trump

Quote of the Day

 

I was the first to do a double axel -

which is a novice move today.

Richard Totten "Dick" Button

Quote of the Day

 

Man arrives as a novice at each stage of his life.

Sébastien-Roch Nicolas, a.k.a. Nicolas Chamfort

 

Any Takers?

 

Job posting:

 

YOUR DAY-TO-DAY AS OUR HEAD SWIM TEAM COACH

 

Each day, you step onto the pool deck as the cornerstone of the ACC Dolphin Swim Team. You guide swimmers through well-planned practices, fostering a love for the sport while honing their skills. Safety is always at the top of your mind as you diligently supervise every activity, ensuring a secure and supportive environment. You build meaningful relationships with team members, parents, and your assistant coaches, creating a sense of camaraderie and trust. Whether you're planning swim meets with the team presidents, managing schedules, or communicating updates, you seamlessly coordinate every aspect of the program. Your mentorship inspires young athletes, and your leadership strengthens the bond between the swim team and the broader club community.

 

 

Quote of the Day

 

So, two cheers for Democracy:  one

because it admits variety and two

because it permits criticism.

Edward Morgan "E.M." Forster

Quote of the Day

 

I spent three of the best years of my life in 10th grade.

Robert George "Bob" Uecker

How do we stop doping?

 

San Antonio legend George Block joined us on Episode LXVI of A2B back in October.

He shared info on technology that could catch drug cheats.

Listen to our visit here

00:01 – Disclaimer

00:21 – George Block bio

02:10 – San Antonio drownings

05:28 – Benefits of the sport

07:07 – Cell phone vs. swim lessons

08:03 – Introducing George Block

08:33 – Long course water

10:20 – AAAA

14:40 – The “D” word

15:15 – Northside Swim Center

16:11 – Acronym overload

20:13 – Limited Texas options

24:38 – WSCA & anti-doping

30:32 – New testing technology

33:44 – Long-term consequences

34:55 – Pan Zhanle

35:35 – Team USA issues

39:22 – Mike Unger

44:48 – Training the world

47:55 – What hasn’t changed?

50:13 – Flunking retirement

54:59 – Wrapping it up

Quote of the Day

 

The dawn is not distant, nor is the

night starless;  love is eternal.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Quote of the Day

 

Any fool can criticize, condemn, and

complain - and most fools do.

Dale Carnegie

Ira Klein on A2B

 

Next up is episode LXV, recorded in October.

We chatted with Sarasota Tsunami's Ira Klein.

Listen here

00:01 – Disclaimer

00:24 – How to be a Great Swim Parent

01:23 – Ira Klein on swim parenting

03:48 – Eddie Reese book

04:18 – Introducing Ira Klein

04:43 – Sarasota Tsunami Swim Team

08:35 – Cindy’s Sue Nami Swims

09:07 – Hurricanes

11:00 – USAS Club Services

13:15 – Coaching up the parents

17:25 – USAS staffing

22:47 – Team USA trials & camps

27:35 – Looking within for a CEO?

28:33 – Going coach-owned?

31:24 – AAU to USAS w/ASCA

32:33 – Professional attire

33:50 – What isn’t new?

36:36 – Terry Laughlin

40:20 – Ira’s coaching journey

43:55 – Create the best environment

50:04 – Surviving the long haul

54:04 – Wrapping it up

Quote of the Day

 

The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little.

via Columbia College

Thomas Merton