Katie Ledecky Claims Fourth Straight USA Swimming Athlete of the Year Honor

Photo courtesy of USA Swimming
Used with permission.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA (September 26, 2016)  Five-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky (Bethesda, Md./Nation’s Capital Swim Club) was named USA Swimming Athlete of the Year for a record fourth consecutive year and earned the Phillips 66 Performance Award for the fifth straight occasion after a world-record swim in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The awards were among the 17 presented at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention in downtown Atlanta.

With four gold medals and a silver medal, for the best performance by a female, at this summer’s Olympic Games, Ledecky once again made history. She became one of just four American women to win four gold medals at a single Olympics, and joined Debbie Meyer (1968) as the only women to win the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle at the same Games. Ledecky added gold in the 4x200m free relay and silver in the 4x100m free relay, swimming the anchor leg in each race. She also bested her own world records with swims of 3:56.46 in the 400m free and 8:04.79 in the 800m free in Rio.

In her award-winning 800m free performance in Rio, Ledecky led wire-to-wire with incredibly consistent splits until closing with a 28.99 final 50 meters to touch 11 seconds clear of the field. The victory gave Ledecky her fourth gold medal in Rio and her fifth world-record swim in the 800m free since 2013.

"I am so grateful and honored to receive these awards, and also to have had the opportunity again to represent the United States at the Olympic Games on another tremendous National Team. I want to thank my family and local community, my NCAP and Team USA teammates, coaches and staff, USA Swimming, Phillips 66 and everyone who continues to support Team USA and the sport of swimming,” Ledecky said. “Special thanks must go to my coach Bruce Gemmell and trainer Lee Sommers for their knowledge, dedication, and hard work in helping me become a better swimmer."

The 2016 USA Swimming Award was presented to Travis Tygart, United States Anti-Doping Agency Chief Executive Officer, for his and USADA’s devoted efforts in providing fair sport for clean athletes. The USA Swimming Award is the highest honor given annually by the national governing body.

Tygart, the USADA CEO since 2007, has been an unyielding advocate for clean sport. He was a leader in working with FINA to increase testing for the top 10 ranked swimmers in each event leading up to and at the Olympic Games.

“It is a huge honor to have wonderful partners like USA Swimming, and for USADA to be recognized in this fashion,” said Tygart. “We are humbled by this award and will to continue to work every day so that clean athletes and coaches can win the right way.”

Dave Durden of the University of California and Cal Aquatics, who coaches five members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team, was honored as the American Swimming Coaches Association Coach of the Year earlier this month. He coached individual medalists Nathan Adrian, Ryan Murphy and Josh Prenot at the Rio Olympic Games and was an assistant coach on the Olympic Team staff. John Morse and Doug Wharam of Nashville Aquatic Club shared USA Swimming Developmental Coach of the Year honors.

Olympians Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif./Trojan Swim Club) and Jordan Wilimovsky (Malibu, Calif./Team Santa Monica) claimed top open water swimming honors following fifth-place finishes in Rio. Anderson was named Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year, while Wilimovsky earned Fran Crippen Male Open Water Swimmer of the Year accolades. Both were repeat winners from 2015 and Anderson has won the award five consecutive years.

Catherine Vogt, open water head coach for the 2016 Olympic Team, was awarded the Glen S. Hummer Award, given to the individual making the greatest contribution to open water swimming for the year.

The Adolph Kiefer Safety Award was presented to Jill White, founder of the Starfish Aquatics Institute, an internationally recognized water safety certification agency providing certifications in every facet of aquatics. The Starfish Aquatics Institute is a global leader in drowning prevention, and it has brought its varied educational programs to six continents.

Two honorees were recognized for the Diversity & Inclusion Award for strong commitments to bringing swimming to the African-American community. TheSigma Gamma Rho sorority, through its Swim1922 program, has taught generations of African-Americans to swim and Tommy Jackson (City of Atlanta Dolphins) for more than 35 years has influenced thousands of children to join the sport.

Paralympian Rebecca Meyers (Baltimore, Md./North Baltimore Aquatic Club) earned the Trischa L. Zorn Award following a standout performance in Rio. At the 2016 Paralympic Games, she won three gold medals and one silver, while setting three world records. The award is presented for the outstanding performance of the year by an adapted swimmer.

A complete list of winners:

Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year: Haley Anderson (Trojan Swim Club)

Fran Crippen Memorial Male Swimmer of the Year: Jordan Wilimovsky (Team Santa Monica)

Glen S. Hummer Award: Catherine Vogt (Trojan Swim Club)

Adolph Kiefer Safety Commendation Award: Jill White (Starfish Aquatics Institute)

Trischa L. Zorn Award: Rebecca Meyers (North Baltimore Aquatic Club)

James Raymond “Jimi” Flowers Disability Coach of the Year: Tom Hazelett (YMCA of Triangle Area)

Outstanding Disability Service Award: Bill Keating (Cincinnati Marlins)

Make a Splash Hero Award: Bob Crunstedt (Minnesota Swimming)

Safe Sport Impact Award: Paul Stauder (Indiana Swimming)

Diversity Inclusion Award: Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (organization); Tommy Jackson (individual, City of Atlanta Dolphins)

Kenneth J. Pettigrew Award: Bob Griffiths (Carrollwood Village Swim Team)

ASCA Coach of the Year (Presented at the ASCA Convention): Dave Durden (Cal Aquatics)

Developmental Coach of the Year: John Morse, Doug Wharam (Nashville Aquatic Club)

Athletes’ Appreciation Award: John Morse (Wichita Swim Club)

Phillips 66 Performance of the Year Award: Katie Ledecky, 800m Freestyle, 2016 Olympic Games (Nation’s Capital Swim Club)

USA Swimming Athlete of the Year: Katie Ledecky (Nation’s Capital Swim Club)

USA Swimming Award: Travis T. Tygart, United States Anti-Doping Agency

USA Swimming Releases First-Ever LGBTQ Cultural Inclusion Resource Guide

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO (September 22, 2016)  USA Swimming has released the organization’s first-ever Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) Cultural Inclusion Resource Guide to be launched during the United States Aquatic Sports (USAS) Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. This resource guide will help coaches, parents and clubs provide a safe and inclusive environment for all athletes. The guide was created to provide resources and tools so that members may enjoy a safe and inclusive environment.

This is one of many projects the organization’s Diversity & Inclusion team uses to create a culture of inclusion and opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to race, age, income, ethnicity, religion, gender expression and sexual orientation. By providing educational tools at all levels for staff, LSCs, coaches and athletes, USA Swimming is creating deeper relationships with and providing meaningful resources to underrepresented communities.

“We want to help break down barriers by making a commitment to the LGBTQ community and this LGBTQ guide is a huge step forward,” said Mariejo "MJ" Truex, USA Swimming Director of Programs and Services. “This guide highlights various aspects of USA Swimming policies and procedures and provides research, statistics, educational resources and best practices for those in our industry that are addressing the needs of our LQBTQ athletes.”

During the United States Aquatic Sports (USAS) Convention, the USA Swimming Diversity & Inclusion team will be on-site providing multiple resources to attendees including scenario-based training, committee meetings, LSC Diversity Camp opportunities and a D&I programming award. USA Swimming is also sponsoring a LGBTQ Alliance Breakfast with keynote speaker, Schuyler Bailar, member of the Harvard varsity men’s swim team and the first openly transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team. Bailar is also featured in the guide along with athletes Tom Luchsinger, Bruce Hayes, G Ryan, Abi Liu, Chip Peterson and Jeff Commings.

The LGBTQ Resource Guide can be found here.

           

With the creation of the Cultural Inclusion Resource Guides, the Diversity and Inclusion Team is providing tools that will foster an inclusive environment and improve representation at all levels of the sport. The LGBTQ guide is the third in a series of ‘Cultural Inclusion’ guides - an African-American and Hispanic/Latino guide in both English and Spanish were released earlier this year; a guide for Asian-American and Native American communities will be released in coming months.

USA Swimming to Host 2017 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Indianapolis

World’s best 18-and-under swimmers to compete at The Natatorium in late August

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO (September 16, 2016) The top 18-and-under swimmers in the world will come to Indianapolis for the 2017 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, hosted by USA Swimming and United States Aquatic Sports. The event will be held at the iconic Indiana University Natatorium on the campus of IUPUI in late August. Final dates are to be confirmed.

This will be the sixth edition of the prestigious competition which was first held in 2006 in Rio de Janeiro and hosted in 2015 in Singapore. Nearly 1000 athletes from nearly 100 countries are expected to compete in the six-day meet that will feature an early look at young athletes who will vie for positions on their respective nations’ Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games rosters.

“We’re very excited to welcome FINA and the next generation of world champions to the United States for such a significant international competition. This is a showcase event for the future of swimming and an important step in the lives of younger athletes,” said Chuck Wielgus, USA Swimming Executive Director. “Competing at what we consider to be America’s most historic swimming venue will make this an opportunity of a lifetime for these young men and women. We know that the athletes, coaches, volunteers, families and spectators will enjoy a tremendous experience.”

Of the 45 pool swimmers for the United States at the Olympic Games in Rio, 35 were once members of USA Swimming’s National Junior Team. Eight members of the 2016-17 USA Swimming National Team were on the National Junior Team in 2015-16.

The FINA World Junior Swimming Championships is open to female athletes aged 14-17 and male competitors aged 15-18.

“FINA has very fond memories from Indianapolis, as we held there the 2004 edition of a very successful FINA World Swimming Championships (25m). I am sure that the 2017 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships will also be superbly organised in this exciting city,” considered FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione. “Our young swimmers will take once more this opportunity, staged in a country with a great swimming tradition, to gain international experience and prepare their successful entry in the elite world. Many champions shining at the recent 2016 Olympic Games in Rio started their brilliant path in past editions of our FINA World Junior Swimming Championships.”

Indiana residents on the 2016-17 National Junior Team roster include Michael Brinegar (Columbus, Ind./Golden West Swim Club), Jack Franzman (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville Swim Club), Anya Goeders (Lowell, Ind./Mako Swim Team) and Drew Kibler (Noblesville, Ind./Carmel Swim Club). The last time the United States hosted a FINA World Championships competition was also in Indianapolis with the 2004 World Championships (25m). It was contested at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The historic Indiana University Natatorium has been host to some of the biggest swimming competitions contested, including U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Phillips 66 National Championships, Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool, Arena Pro Swim Series, NCAA Championships and the annual Indiana State High School Association Championships.

San Jose-Santa Clara, California, area named “America’s Top Swim City”

Austin, Texas named number four in nationwide study by USA Swimming and Speedo USA

From USA Swimming Press Release

Issued September 15, 2016

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO (September 15, 2016) The San Jose-Santa Clara, Calif., area earned the No. 1 position as America’s Top Swim City for the first time ever, according to a third-annual study commissioned by USA Swimming and leading swimwear company Speedo USA. Two-time Top Swim City Ann Arbor, Mich., placed second, with the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn., area climbing seven spots from 2015 to claim the third position.

Rounding out the top 10 of the 50 Top Swim Cities, Presented by Speedo USA, were Austin, Texas; Madison, Wisc.; Washington, D.C.; Raleigh-Cary, N.C; Fort Collins-Loveland, Colo.; Indianapolis-Carmel, Ind.; and the San Francisco-Oakland, Calif., Bay Area.

“The swimming community is unlike any other, and I know that the support of my teammates and coaches, and the close bonds we developed during training, have inspired me to achieve at our sport’s highest level,” said four-time Olympic medalist and Team Speedo USA athlete Maya DiRado. “I understand firsthand the impact these swim cities have on individual swimmers – from elite athletes to those just beginning their competitive careers – and hope this survey and my USA teammates’ performances in Rio inspire more people to get in the water.”

San Jose-Santa Clara’s jump can be attributed in part to its large growth in new USA Swimming members in 2016. Long known as a swimming hotbed, the area saw 36 percent of its USA Swimming membership join for the first time this year. In addition, the area also holds the top spot for most USA Swimming members per 1,000 people, and the 64 pools in the San Jose-Santa Clara area make swimming more accessible for people to join a team.

Santa Clara Swim Club is one of the most successful swim teams nationwide, with its swimmers winning 80 Olympic medals, including 51 gold, 17 silver and 12 bronze, during its proud history. Swimming legends Mark Spitz and Donna de Varona also grew up in the area.

“It is a great honor for San Jose-Santa Clara to earn recognition as America’s Top Swim City. Aquatics has a deep history here, and the passion and commitment for aquatic sports is really a fabric of our community,” Santa Clara Swim Club Head Coach John Bitter said. “Our future is incredibly bright, including the new Haines International Swim Center, and our outstanding partnership with the city of Santa Clara will lead to more successes for America’s Top Swim City in the future.”

California (eight cities in the top 50 spots) and Colorado (four in the top 33) were the highest-ranking states.

Indianapolis moved up 10 places from 2015 to take the No. 9 spot this year and numerous other cities made their debut into the top 50. Roanoke, Va., had the biggest jump, moving up 49 spots to No. 45 on the list. Louisville, Ky., gained 42 spots to crack the top 50 at No. 48 for 2016, and Atlantic City, N.J., jumped 41 spots from 88 to 47.  Omaha, Neb., host city of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming, also had a notable jump within the top 50, advancing 33 spots from 50 in 2015 to 17 this year.

“The top swim cities exemplifies all the qualities that make the sport of swimming great, with strong community involvement, ease of access and ability to grow the sport,” said Matt Farrell, Chief Marketing Officer for USA Swimming. “We want to invite people of all ages across the country to join the sport of swimming, and we hope this list inspires more kids and families to get involved.”

Each city’s ranking is based on an aggregate score in categories including percentage of active swimmers and swim clubs, swim team growth, number of accessible pools and volume of top-level swimmers from the area. Cities in the top 50 had an MSA population of 250,000 or higher.

“Speedo USA is committed to creating products that help all athletes achieve their goals in the water, and we are thrilled to see the impact these communities have in supporting that same mission,” said John Graham, Senior Vice President of Sales of Speedo USA. “From swimming competitively or for fitness, or taking vertical workouts to the pool, the results of this survey show that more people and cities are embracing the power of water.”

Other notable facts about the cities ranked 2-10 include:

·         Ann Arbor: The two-time Top Swim City is home to 60 Olympic swimmers,  including Gold Medalists Tyler Clary and Tom Dolan, and hosts the highest  percentage of top USA Swimming athletes per population.

·         Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk: The area holds the second-most number of  USA Swimming clubs per population, a large community of swimmers and a  high percentage of clubs recognized as Club Excellence teams.

·        Austin: The city has the second-highest percentage of new member growth  and number of facilities. Austin is known for club swimming and its high  number of swimmers for fitness.

·         Madison: With 28 pools in the area, Madison holds the highest number of  facilities per population over any other city.

·         Washington, D.C.: Home to nearly 150 pools in the area, the nation’s capital  has more than 13,000 USA Swimming members. Nation’s Capital Swim Club  has been the highest-ranked in the Club Excellence program.

·         Raleigh: Ranks in the top 10 overall for total USA Swimming members, new  membership growth, number of fitness swimmers and Olympic qualifiers.  Raleigh is also home to N.C. State, where Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones  attended college.

·         Fort Collins: Scored very high in the number of USA Swimming members,  clubs and top-performing swimmers relative to its population.

·         Indianapolis-Carmel: Thirty-one USA Swimming clubs call this city home, the  most of any area below a population of 2 million people. Indianapolis is home  to “The Nat,” swimming’s most notable facility, and the Carmel High School  girls’ team has won a national record of 30 consecutive state titles.

·         San Francisco-Oakland: This city boasts the most fitness swimmers in the  U.S., with more than 10 percent of its population participating. The area is also  home to decorated Olympians Nathan Adrian and Natalie Coughlin.

The ranking index was developed through a comparison of each city’s swim-related attributes relative to the overall U.S. population. Key elements included the number of current USA Swimming members; new member growth; number of USA Swimming clubs and club excellence. The study also looked at the number of qualifying swimmers for high level competitions like the Speedo Sectionals, Speedo Junior Nationals, Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships, Olympic Trials and the Olympic Games; as well as Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) participation data, including the number of competitive and fitness swimmers, and the number of swim facilities open to the public in each city. USA Swimming National Team members were assigned to their hometown club, if different than their current association.

The complete list of the 50 Top Swim Cities can be found at: www.usaswimming.org/50TopSwimCities. To find out more about swimming and access resources to locate a nearby swim club, go to: www.SwimToday.org.

The research study was commissioned by USA Swimming and Speedo USA in partnership with SRi and Sports Marketing Surveys, the official research provider to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Swim facilities data is provided by SwimmersGuide.com, the world-wide swimming pool directory website.