The SwimSwam Podcast

6-time Olympic medalist and Speedo Athlete, Ryan Murphy, is happy with his 2022 World Championships performance. Apparently the GOAT Michael Phelps is as well. Ryan shared that Michael sent him a nice text after the competition. In this podcast, the 4-time Olympic gold medalist confesses his awareness of his even-year success rate (thanks to his data-driven brother), talks Speedo backstroke tech suit development, and he unpacks what he thinks it’ll take to be in the hunt for gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

We sat down with world champion Torri Huske, fresh off of her 100 fly win in Budapest. Huske takes us back to Tokyo where she finished 4th in the 100 fly final and how that motivated her this entire year to come back on top. Part of that preparation came in the form of 400 IM training, which Huske says really helped her on the back half of her races, which she felt were lacking. Huske also discusses her love/hate relationship with the 50 free, her NCAA lineup, and managing an enormous event schedule throughout a 6-8 day championship meet.

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the USA's newly announced 2023 competition schedule, our reactions to FINA's dates for the 2024 World Championships, and standout swims and swimmers from the 2022 European Jr Championships.

We sat down with newly minted bronze medalist and world junior record holder in the 200 IM, Leah Hayes. The 16-year-old member of Team USA walks us through her experience in Greensboro, Croatia, and Budapest that all culminated with a 3rd place finish at the 2022 World Championships. Hayes explains her training style and how she focuses on all strokes to keep her IM and mid-distane-free sharp. Leah also dives into her Alopecia diagnosis and how she has embraced her lack of hair as a result. Hayes says our differences make us who we are and you can see the confidence that the young swimmer now has in and out of the pool.

I’ve known Jack Bauerle 34 of his 50 years at the University of Georgia. It’s been from the sidelines, and one hard fact has shone through. Jack’s always been invested in the future milestones and successes of the swimmers who have passed through his program. Success in the pool was just one part of the process, the relationship. This is evidenced by the University of Georgia’s swimming alums, who are impressive. (Chris Brearton, as one example, was a UGA breaststroker from the 1990s, and he's now the COO of MGM Studios and USA Swimming’s current Board Chair.) Jack has been a force in the sport and his recent retirement caught me a little off guard. I don’t like the idea of attending a meet and Jack not being on deck. I’m thankful Jack took the time to do this podcast. We do cover a lot of ground. Jack details his journey in the sport, the coaches who mentored and inspired him, and he hints at what his future might hold. For the unofficial Mayor of Athens it sounds like his experience and wisdom will be put to good use.

We sat down with Elijah Winnington, the Dean Boxall-trained mid-distance star who won his first 400 free world title in Budapest. Elijah discusses what has changed for him by moving to St. Peters to train with Boxall at the end of 2020 both physically and mentally. He also breaks down his race plan for the 400m free final, which ultimately concluded with him clocking a 3:41.22 for the win.

Author Michael Loynd has found narrative gold in his book, The Watermen: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man's Fight to Capture Olympic Gold. The narrative centers around Charles Daniels, USA Swimming’s first gold medal winner at the Olympic Games. Charlies is a complicated athlete with a dysfunction upbringing. Once you dive into his journey you won’t be able to put the book down. The historical context of the 1904 and 1908 Olympics and what swimming did for our nation will surprise you.

We sat down with Mollie O'Callaghan, the Australian youngster who won 6 medals at the world champs in Budapest. She describes her experience last year in Tokyo swimming and how swimming on only prelims relays kept her motivated heading into 2022. O'Callaghan also reveals that she was not originally a freestyle specialist, her 100 and 200 only coming around to a world-class level in the past 2 years.

We sat down with Lilly King, the newest world champion in the 200 breast. King describes in vivid detail how she realized she had COVID just days after the world trials in Greensboro and subsequently had to take a week out of the pool completely. Throughout most of her career King has had easy speed, but getting back into the water this time it was her endurance that felt the most honed in. Moving through the championships, King found peace with where she was at, taking pride in placing a narrow 4th in the 100 breast and beating 1 competitor in the final of the 50 breast to take 7th. A strange sensation for Lilly, the 200 was where she felt the most confidence in Budapest. King describes her strategy for that final as "I was trying to out-race everybody".

We sat down with Todd DeSorbo, the head women's coach for the 2022 World Championships team. DeSorbo takes us through the 3 weeks that began in Croatia with USA's "training" (taper) camp and ended with USA winning the most medals of any country ever at a single world championships. DeSorbo breaks down specifics on how he keeps his energy up through long 8-day meets, his role as a head coach, and relay selection for Team USA. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We sat down with NBC's Nick Zaccardi, who interviewed most of Team USA's athletes at the world championships just seconds after they finished competing. Zaccardi, who almost exclusively works on the written side of news, was asked to step into this on-camera role last minute and welcomed the challenge. He explains how he moved through the week and what tips and tricks he was able to pick up along the way. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We sat down with Justin Ress, the newly crowned 2x world champion in Budapest who went through a lot to earn those gold medals. Ress takes us through his perspective on getting DQ'ed in the 50 back final after touching first and then being told it was overturned after the medal ceremony. Ress also goes deeper into his swim history and explains that his senior year of college, he was not a health athlete outside of the pool and was close to retiring after the 2021 Olympic Trials. ISL is what kept him in the sport and motivated him to keep reaching for his goals and become a better athlete in and out of the pool. After just 3 months of training, Ress went all best times at the US Trials in April, then came to Budapest and walked away with his first (and second) world title. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We sat down with double silver medalist in both IM's in Budapest, Carson Foster. Foster takes us through his first LCM world championships and describes the work that he's been putting in towards his mental stamina, specifically in the 400 IM. This work paid off, for even when he was passed by Leon Marchand at the 250 mark of the race, Foster kept a level head and ultimately touched for 2nd in a huge PB of 4:06.5, just .3 off of his goal time for the summer. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss our World Champs fantasy draft, the most intriguing storylines from Budapest, and the rest of the summer moving forward.

We sat down with Lani Pallister, the newly minted 1500 world champs bronze medalist who had her meet cut short due to testing positive for COVID. Lani has been able to keep a positive attitude through it all but doesn't hold back in saying she was very down about missing the 800 final which she had qualified for. However, this isn't the first time in the last couple years Lani has dealt with adversity. She details developing an eating disorder as well as having a heart condition in the lead-up to the 2021 Olympic Trails. After not making the team, she found out she had Mono during the meet. Pallister was ultimately out of the water for 4 months after Trials dealing with all of these variables and more. Pallister details how she made it back into the water and got herself on her first world champs podium just a few months later. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Newly crowned 2022 800 free world champion Bobby Finke explains what the focus of his daily training is like. It's not about focusing on swimming a certain event - it's about focusing on winning. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We had American relay legend Jason Lezak on during our live stream of the 2022 World Championships, and he gave his thoughts on the 4x100 free relay today vs when he swam on it for Team USA.

Ryan Held, who won relay gold in 2016 then missed every other LCM champs since, got his redemption swim, splitting 46 and earning gold again.

We sat down with Agustina de Giovanni, the director of mental performance and culture for the DC United soccer team. Don't be fooled by her role however, Agus is a born and bred swimmer with chlorine in her blood. She was a 2x Olympian and 12x national champion for Argentina as well as an NCAA All-American for the University of Alabama, all in swimming. She talks to SwimSwam about her philosophy on training athletes for high-performance on the mental side of things. Agus describes her strategies for combining the mental and physical aspects of training to make a complete athlete who can perform at the highest stage. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Chris Lindauer is the new Peterson Family Head Swimming Coach at Notre Dame. He joined the SwimSwam podcast to discuss that title and his new job in South Bend, Indiana. Chris was a long-time assistant coach at Louisville under Arthur Albiero but is stepping into his first head coaching role with the Fighting Irish. In this discussion, we talk about the differences as a head coach and what he's learned from one of the best in the business. One of the first things Chris has done to help with the transition is to hire two trusted assistants in Kameron Chastain and Kelsi Dahlia. He talks about not only what makes them the right fit, but also such great assets to the program. Chris also gets into some specifics about sets. He talks about a go-to 100-pace set long course as well as some fun sets, including one vertical kick challenge that many coaches are sure to steal. As a family man, he discusses finding the balance in life with so many priorities. He also points out the benefits that family can bring to your coaching. There is a ton of great stuff to take away from this 40 minutes or so with Chris Lindauer. Enjoy! SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

SwimSwam did a fantasy draft for the 2022 World Championships to see who's team of All-Stars will score the most points in Budapest (according to our scoring system). Head to SwimSwam for full details and updates on who's team comes out on top.

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we preview the upcoming World Championships and play Sink or Swim with Katinka Hosszu Being in Paris, if Super Suits were Still Legal, and much more. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We sat down with 2020 Olympic medalist Claire Curzan, who is currently with Team USA at their world champs prep camp in Croatia. Curzan gushed about how nice the location is, noting the food and people were both on another level. She also spoke to her preparation as she heads into this world champs with 4 individual events (plus relays) to tackle over the course of the 8-day meet. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Chris Jones is the Head Coach of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He started the program in 2008 and since then they've put a ton of athletes on international teams, including 5 Olympians. His group of about 35 stood out at British Trials in April and on this podcast he discusses the culture focus points that lead to their great performances. We also discuss the role that the university athletic system is playing in the success of British Swimming and Chris helps me understand how the Universities operate when it comes to student athletes, competitions and scholarships. A great glimpse at terrific program that maybe you haven't paid attention to before. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Olympic champion Michael Andrew, who is currently in Croatia with Team USA as they prep for the upcoming world championships. Andrew gives us the scoop on how training camp is going for him and what his "USRPT taper" looks like as well as what working with coaches Todd DeSorbo and Eddie Reese is like. Andrew speaks to the fine line that is towed by athletes of being teammates yet competing for the same spot on a relay, a situation he will encounter multiple times throughout the course of these championships. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Mike Stephens was recently named the Head Coach at the University of Hawaii and joined us on the SwimSwam podcast to talk about it. In this chat, Mike discusses how the lifestyle and swimming roots in Hawaii make it one of the best jobs in the country. He talks about how his servant leadership will help him lay the foundation of a successful culture at his new program. We get into how he was able to change the culture at Boston College and lead them to 170 school records, including over 40 this last season. He seems poised to bring that momentum to Hawaii where there is a lot more support for high level performance. It sounds like a great fit and makes for another chance to learn from one of the bright young minds in our sport. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Don Muchow is a 60-year-old triathlete and Ironman living with Type 1 diabetes who after completing a 2,800 mile run across America last year to raise awareness for diabetes is about to perform a new feat: a 10k swim around Key West on June 18. Muchow is building up to the full 12.5-mile swim that will take him around the entire island of Key West. The Texas native has been training for the swim several hours a day between the Gulf Coast and Miami, all while managing a chronic illness. Living with Type 1 diabetes means Don has to monitor his glucose levels 24/7 to make sure they’re in a healthy range because his body doesn't regulate glucose on its own. To do so, Don uses a Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a small wearable device that monitors his glucose levels in real-time and sends alerts directly to his smartphone and Garmin smartwatch if his levels are too low or too high, incidents that can be life-threatening. Since Don will be in the water, his kayaker and wife will use the remote monitoring technology to keep track of his glucose levels while he swims to make sure he’s safe and has enough energy to get through the race, giving everyone peace of mind that his diabetes is under control. Don doesn’t let diabetes stop him from accomplishing his biggest goals; instead he uses them to motivate others who may face similar difficulties and inspire them to break their own barriers. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss Jack Bauerle's retirement (this was recorded before the announcement of Stefanie Moreno-Williams and Neil Versfeld as new head coaches), Katie Ledecky saying she will bypass Duel in the Pool, and Kyle Chalmers playing in the Aussie Football League. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

2020 Olympic silver medalist and Team Speedo athlete Erica Sullivan injured her shoulder, which is why she missed the U.S. International Team Trials. However, in this podcast she confirmed she is fully back to good health. She said "I'm in the weight room," and she did snap a gold (1500 free) and a silver (800 free) at the recent Mission Pro Swim. We cover a lot ground in the pod, from training to film school to Pride Month. Erica joked she's not a Pride Month parade type person, explaining that it's a little too hot to be outside in Austin, Texas. (SwimSwam HQ is in Austin, and it's over a 100 degrees this entire week!) Erica's Pride Month support is live and active on GoFundMe supporting Out Youth Austin. (Out Youth Austin is a 501(c)(3) who's mission is to promote the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of sexual minority youth in Central Texas so they can openly and safely explore and affirm their identities.) Follow Erica Sullivan on Instagram here. Many thanks to our partner Speedo for making this pod happen. Follow Speedo USA on Instagram here. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Kelsi Dahlia, the first woman to ever break 50-seconds in the 100y fly and the current world record holder in the 100 fly (SCM), to discuss her switch in careers. Dahlia announced her retirement from swimming last week, then just days later announced she would be joining the coaching staff of Notre Dame under Chris Lindauer, one of Dahlia's former coaches at Louisville. Dahlia breaks down what factors contributed to her retirement and what she will miss most about being a professional athlete. She then discusses her first week in South Bend and what she's looking forward to while being a part of the Fighting Irish. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with the S11 Paralympic gold medalist from Tokyo in the 400 free, Anastasia Pagonis. The 18-year-old Paralympian is in the midst of her preparation for the para world championships in Madeira, Portugal, which start on June 12. Pagonis discusses her Paralympic experience, coming down from that and deciding what she wanted her relationship with swimming to look like heading into Paris, and why she ultimately chose to compete in this year's para worlds. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

USA Swimming CEO, Tim Hinchey, drops in on the SwimSwam podcast to talk about 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Tim honors the past, noting the success in Omaha paved the way for the larger venue, Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, and he addresses any concerns that the new venue might be too big. Tim has lead the governing body through some tough times, the pandemic being the most notable, and he feels it is time for swimming to grow. Tim’s bullish on the Indy venue, detailing it’s central location. 25% of USA Swimming’s registered swimmers and their families are within an eight hour drive to Indy, something the Omaha location did not deliver. Tim’s so bullish on the Indy location he is projecting an historic attendance record, at least for one night. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the Teri McKeever abuse allegations, Matt Bowe and Hunter Armstrong moving west to Cal, and Ariarne Titmus being one of the oldest in history to break a distance world record. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discussed the Australian championships, the Mare Nostrum stop in Monaco and the 2024 Olympic Trials Cuts. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Amanda Sovik-Johnston, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in working with high achieving athletes and teenage girls as well as a masters swimming national champion. She recently published an article detailing her Top 10 ways to take care of a swimmers mental health. Amanda was kind enough to come onto the SwimSwam Podcast to go into more detail on a few of those as well as share her personal experience working with athletes as both a clinical psychologist and a swimmer. Amanda Sovik-Johnston, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist who specializes in working with high achieving athletes and teenage girls. She is currently training for Masters Swimming Nationals this August. For more information on Amanda and her services you can find her at www.virginiafamilytherapy.com or on Instagram at Virginia Family Therapy, or shoot them an email at [email protected] SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

US Tokyo Olympian Patrick Callan has announced that he will be transferring to Cal to use his COVID-19 fifth year. Callan made the announcement by placing the Cal Men’s Swimming and Diving Instagram handle in his own Instagram bio. Callan sat down with SwimSwam to explain why he made the move, emphasizing that he loves Michigan but after not performing the way he wanted to in multiple championship meets this season, he was feeling burnt out and ready for a change. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Jamal Hill, 2020 Paralympic medalist in the men's 50 free, has huge goals, and he's making waves. Jamal dropped in on the SwimSwam podcast to explain the swimming ecosystem he's building at a fast pace. This Team Speedo athlete is the Founder and President of swimuphill.org, a non-profit with a moonshot goal to teach million people to swim - per year - by 2028. Jamal is also a spokesperson for the LA 2028 Olympic Games, and he's the Managing Director for Aquatics Today, which just hosted their inaugural Aquatics Equity Summit. Jamal's has a unique voice in our sport, one we should all listen to closely to. If you're hungry for inspiration and want to support real change and positive evolution in swimming, take the Jamal journey. You'll be happy you did. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

In this episode of the SwimSwam Podcast, we sat down with newly-minted world record holder Hunter Armstrong of Ohio State. Armstrong, who is fresh off of 2 national titles in the 50 and 100 backstroke, speaks about his spring season, from a career Big Ten Championships to an underwhelming NCAAs. He also dissects his decision to go pro, leaving the NCAA system behind in favor of a more long course and swimming-centric focus. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Dr. Kirk Grand is the new National Team High-Performance Specialist at USA Swimming. He will be working with the national teams and as many USA Swimming coaches and swimmers as possible as a resource. He comes to USA Swimming after years of coaching experience at the high school, club, and collegiate levels. He has his Ph.D. in Psychophysiology from Auburn University and earned a master's degree from the Councilmen Center at Indiana University. He coached at both Universities and most recently at the University of North Carolina. In this episode of the SwimSwam podcast, we dive into all of that experience and education as well as his new role. It's basically a coach conversation that flows from motivating athletes with language to solving the sport's problems like how much aerobic do we really need to why do we lose the "feel," for the water so easily. Another informative coaching conversation that you don't want to miss. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the upcoming Australian World Champ Trials, what excites us most from the Mare Nostrum psych sheets, and the Girls' high school class of 2023. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We sat down with Mike Murray, head coach of Victor Swim Club, to talk about the infamous phrase many swim coaches love: work works. He explains his evolution of this philosophy and how he's changed what his groups work looks like. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

In this SwimSwam podcast we get granular with SPIRE Aquatics Director and Head Swimming Coach Thad Schultz. Thad has 25 years of coaching under her belt, coaching at Clemson and Ohio State before joining Penn State. He’s worked with over 25 Olympic swimmers and 18 NCAA All-American. Now in his seventh year leading the SPIRE Academy swimming program, he's developing an epicenter of scholastic development for talent from all over the world. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Chase Kreitler has had an amazing 2022, and we're just 5 months in. His Cal team won an NCAA title, he and his wife celebrated the birth of their first child, and this spring he was named the new Head Coach at Pitt. Somehow he still made time to talk with SwimSwam about all of it. Many people may remember that he took paternity leave this winter before the birth of his son, JD. That's a unique move in an industry where some coaches barely take any time off. Chase has no regrets and that kind of life balance is an important example in our sport, where there is no off-season. Luckily Chase had the support of Cal head coach Dave Durden, just one of the many coaches he's worked with in his impressive career so far. From Peter Linn at Eastern Michigan to Eddie Reese at Texas, Tracy Slusser and Greg Meehan at Stanford, and most recently Durden at Cal, Chase has worked with some of the best. He talks about what each one has taught him as he steps into his first head coaching role. He talked about his vision at Pitt and why it was an opportunity he didn't want to pass up. This is a great chance to learn from one of the brightest young coaches in the sport. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This podcast is powered by Tritonwear, a SwimSwam partner. Power your coaching with a one free month trial here: shop.tritonwear.com Use code: FREEMONTH (expires by June 30th 2022) Megan Oesting is the current head swimming coach of Bend Swim Club. She sits on ASCA's Board of Directors, SwimOutlet's Coaches Advisory Panel, and she's a vital voice on Tritonwear's Advisory Board. We asked Meghan on the podcast because swim data is becoming more and more important to the success of coaches seeking reliable results faster with laser-sharp accuracy. Megan's an earlier adopter of swim data, and specifically, Tritonwear, a wearable powering many of swimming's top national governing bodies. Understanding the power of this tech--and the process through which to adopt it-- is worth your time and energy as coaches make it a part of their programs. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss Maxime Rooney's retirement, Maxine Parker's transfer to Virginia from Georgia, and USA's chances at medaling in the stroke 50s at world champs. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Bill Dorenkott had a fantastic week in Greensboro, North Carolina at International Team Trials. He put two guys on the team, one of whom set a world record, and was named to the coaching staff of Team USA for this summer's World Championships. This week, he joined the SwimSwam podcast to discuss all the success he's had over the past year and all he's learned from his 14 years at Ohio State. We discuss specific sets from his two World Championship qualifiers. We talk about how the long course success affects the team, the staff, and the relationship with the University Administration. We also talk about how to celebrate successes and incorporate fun into a high-achieving program. A lot to be learned from one of the most successful coaches in college swimming. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the ride of Hunter Armstrong, USA's positioning in the LCM 200/400s, and what US Nationals in Irvine might look like this summer. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Regan Smith finished her meet on top, winning the 100 back in 57.7, the 2nd fastest swim of her career and breaking a US Open record. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Tonight's session ended with 2 American Records... and then a world record. there was some serious speed in the 50s back/breast, which means some serious discussions about our selection process. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Day 2 finals saw 2 US Open records go down, answers surface for the men's 4x200 free relay, and questions arise for the women's 4x200 free relay. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora