I just came across this group interview session with Eddie Reese (Texas), Frank Busch (Arizona), Richard Quick (Auburn), Jack Bauerle (Georgia), and Mike Chasson (Arizona State) on Floswimming. The video is a tad long but I encourage you to listen to what these coaches have to say.
I was interested to hear exactly what Chasson had to say about the recently cut and reinstated men’s swimming program at ASU. He mentions the emotional distance kept between the higher ups and the athletes, so when the program is cut no emotional strings are attached. I agree. How much harder would it be to fire your friend as opposed to firing somebody you aren’t familiar with. He states that he never made an effort to reach out to administration but is quick to point out that it most likely wouldn’t have made a difference.
They discuss the topic of donating back to programs. While I do agree that low or zero revenue sports need donations, I am a little weary to donate to even my alma mater. I swam for Missouri State University for 4 years. I know that the athletic department could care less about both men’s and women’s swimming programs. We swam in a run down facility that is currently being fixed but only because 12 ceiling tiles fell into the pool while half the team was practicing. Why would I write a check to my school if I can’t be sure that every penny of it goes to the programs that I want? The football and basketball teams are well taken care of. I don’t want my donation money buying them anymore free clothes. In my 4 years at MSU I bought 2 sets of warm ups (damn name change), 4 hooded sweatshirts and about 8 t-shirts. Why do all the other sports get clothing provided to them. The only thing that I ever got for free was swim caps…..sad. (I did steal goggles occasionally.) So while I agree with these men in principle, I feel there has to be a better way to distribute this money to the programs they are intended for. And now I’m off my high horse.
They go on to talk about the effect of cutting programs on age group swimming. You can tell that he hates to admit it but Eddie Reese says that he wouldn’t be surprised to be the only team left in the Big XII within the next 10 years. That is a sad realization. That must look real bad for young kids thinking about getting into the sport. They see the lack of support and decide to play a different sport (most likely something easier i.e. baseball, football, basketball, etc.)
I did like the comment that swimming is the hardest sport because nobody can breeze through swimming on talent alone. Great observation! Great swimmers may be able to get away with it at lower levels (age group, high school) but at the NCAA level and national level it is imposisble. I’ve seen countless swimmers at all level coast through swimming and do well and get the shit kicked out of them by lesser swimmers who busted their hump. I consider myself to have been one of those swimmers.
Watch the video!!!!!
greg
1 response so far ↓
Chris // August 5, 2008 at Tuesday, August 5, 2008 |
You are right. It is a sad day when major public universities slash a major olympic sport such as swimming, especially to the degree we are seeing. Something I have also seen, it seems the farther west you go, the less public universities you see with teams, starting with the heartland and the Big 12, until you get to the few teams like AZ, ASU, UCLA, USC, Stanford, and Washington. It is no wonder why many of these teams are so good; there is less direct competition for their local swimming blue chips than teams in the upper midwest or on the east coast.