03-26-2015, 09:50 PM
I guess I got carried away in my admiration when I spoke of a "2000 IM."
Regarding "turning professional," I intended to refer to making a living through endorsements, rather than prize money. But under this arrangement, the individual would, in effect, make swimming his or her "job," as Missy Franklin as described her intent in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympics. Swimmers are also supported financially when they make the national team; I don't know the ultimate source of that funding.
I don't know what type of income a national team level swimmer can expect to have from sponsorships and training support, but from my reading of discussions on the website swimswam, it seems that a large percentage of those good enough to make the finals in an event at NCAAs give a go to full-time swimming, at least for a few years at or near the end of his college career. As such, recent Stanford stars like Ben Wildman-Tobriner and Austin Staab, both of whom won events at NCAAs and promptly quit swimming after college, seem to be exceptions.
In this vein, it will be very interesting to see if Stanford swim recruit, Katie Ledecky, whom some already consider the best women's freestyler of all time, enrolls in the fall of 2015 and swims for Stanford; defers her enrollment until after the Olympics but declines sponsorships, thereby allowing her to swim for Stanford beginning in 2016; or perhaps accepts sponsorship to swim and also attends Stanford. If she elects the last option, she obviously could not swim for Stanford.
Regarding "turning professional," I intended to refer to making a living through endorsements, rather than prize money. But under this arrangement, the individual would, in effect, make swimming his or her "job," as Missy Franklin as described her intent in the lead-up to the 2016 Olympics. Swimmers are also supported financially when they make the national team; I don't know the ultimate source of that funding.
I don't know what type of income a national team level swimmer can expect to have from sponsorships and training support, but from my reading of discussions on the website swimswam, it seems that a large percentage of those good enough to make the finals in an event at NCAAs give a go to full-time swimming, at least for a few years at or near the end of his college career. As such, recent Stanford stars like Ben Wildman-Tobriner and Austin Staab, both of whom won events at NCAAs and promptly quit swimming after college, seem to be exceptions.
In this vein, it will be very interesting to see if Stanford swim recruit, Katie Ledecky, whom some already consider the best women's freestyler of all time, enrolls in the fall of 2015 and swims for Stanford; defers her enrollment until after the Olympics but declines sponsorships, thereby allowing her to swim for Stanford beginning in 2016; or perhaps accepts sponsorship to swim and also attends Stanford. If she elects the last option, she obviously could not swim for Stanford.