Comments on: Where Did They Go? The Disappearance of the Elite Water Polo/Swimming Dual-Sport Athlete (Part II)

By: Fraser Anderson

Fraser Anderson — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:58:52 +0000

Our club in Ottawa, Canada still believes in the benefits of being a dual-sport athlete. Water polo is a tough sport and takes years to master, why not have some fun along the way and go to some swim meets? WAVE athletes have to compete in both swimming and water polo and the kids are reaping the benefits.

By: woods

woods — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 19:27:47 +0000

Great article

By: Paul Becskehazy

Paul Becskehazy — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 03:47:27 +0000

In reply to Steve Shaw. Greetings steve …hope you are well !

By: Paul Becskehazy

Paul Becskehazy — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 03:41:52 +0000

Great article by many qualified coaches and athletes!!
I was one of the guys Russ mentions on the Elite dual sport athlete . A real fast twitch guy who started in Water Polo for two years and ended going to the Olympics in swimming and All American on both sports!

the reasons are various but water polo players can be great sprinters and terrific relay team members!
I was lucky because I was exposed to working on my legs and fundamental ball handling first. It is easier to become a great swimmer if you start out in water polo. Not so easy to be a good water polo player if you started out as a swimmer

one of factors is that swimming practice is BORING but doing it for 3 months is easy! When I started coaching HS water polo , I required my players to swim in the swimming season AND go to water polo Practice two nights a week just to scrimmage for two hours…
the results were great…important detail , less people quit swimming if they could play polo 3/4 of the year!

By: Steve Shaw

Steve Shaw — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 22:19:36 +0000

Very interesting article, guys, thank you. I share the same sentiment reflected in much of the article. I am curious to what degree money played a part.
Although the article touched on scholarship money, I was left wondering about the impact finances, or lack thereof, may have had on the trend.
I’m talking about funding from athletic departments and whether disproportionate support for one sport had a negative impact on the other in secondary and post-secondary schools. Also, did Title IX factor in or have any impact on the changes reflected , including specialization?
My little brother was a dual sport Olympic silver medalist and had extensive club and college swim coaching experience. He was supportive of both sports to the extent he was able. His rather extreme level of frustration at the behind the scenes politics has always been a curiosity to me, but, thus far, he declines to share his experiences in any detail. Did your findings reflect that funding sources had little to no effect on the trends?
Thank you again for such a thoughtful and insightful article.