The SwimSwam Podcast

Will Glass on Being New Texas Volunteer, 6-Up in the 100 Fly in 2015, & Nine Banded Whiskey

We sat down with Will Glass, the NCAA All-American for the University of Texas who is returning to his alma mater as a volunteer assistant in December. Glass discusses what he hopes to bring to the pool deck in Austin and what he learned as a mentee of the famed Eddie Reese. Glass also has 2 unique roles in Austin due in part to his swimming roots: he's a masters coach at Western Hills Athletic Club (a hub for swimmers and athletes from all walks of life) and the production manager at Nine Banded Whiskey (an Austin-based manufacturer co-founded by UT Swimming alum, Sean Foley).

WR-Holder Sarah Thomas Explains What Actually Goes into Swimming 100 Miles

SwimSwam sat down with Sarah Thomas, the world record-holder for the longest continuous swim (unassisted, non-wetsuited) done in current-neutral conditions (104.6 miles). Sarah came onto our radar when Yung Thug tweeted at Michael Phelps, asking the 23-time Olympic gold medalist if he thought he could swim 100 miles, to which Phelps responded Yes. Thomas, one of the only humans to have ever ACTUALLY swam 100 miles, had other thoughts. She explains what actually goes into a 100-mile swim, from fueling your body, what you think about, and how you stay awake during the multi-day endeavor.

Associate Head Rachel Stratton-Mills on ASU Pro Group, Building a Successful Team

Rachel Stratton-Mills joined the SwimSwam podcast one month into her 6th season at Arizona State University. The Associate Head Coach for Sun Devils talks about the “Fruit Salad,” that makes up the ’22-’23 team in Tempe, and explains the different, fruit-inspired, names for each training group. She talks about what has gone well in her first 5 seasons, where the program can go, and what it will take to get there.

Rachel discusses how the recent influx of professionals including Simone Manual, Regan Smith, Chase Kalisz, and Jay Litherland affects the coaches and college team.

16yo Nick Mahabir on 1:00 100 Breast, Representing Singapore, & Being Neighbors with Michael Andrew

We sat down with 16-year-old San Diego local Nick Mahabir, who had a big breakout this summer by punching a 1:00.37 in the 100m breast at US Nationals. We discuss Nick choosing to represent Singapore internationally, being surprise neighbors with Michael Andrew in Coronado, and playing water polo and swimming casually up until age 15. 

SwimSwam Breakdown: Dressel’s Records, Whereabouts Failures, & ”The Rowdy Rule”

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the likelihood that Caeleb Dressel's NCAA records get broken, the fairness of whereabouts failure suspensions, and 'Rowdy's Rule' for getting back into swim shape

West Point Commits Hadley King, Campbell Payton on Being First Verbals for 2024

We sat down with Army West Point Commits Hadley King and Campbell Payton, the first two athletes to make their verbal commitments from the high school class of 2024. Both girls tell us why West Point was the school for them and what they hope to gain in and out of the pool. They chose West Point for different reasons but had a similar timeline for their recruitment process. Each athlete gives perspective on what they took away from their experience and what they would tell others that are still going through college recruitment.

Erin Gemmell Breaks Down 1:54 Split, Training with her Dad, and Making Paris 2024

We sat down with 6x 2022 Jr Pan Pacific Champion, Erin Gemmell, to discuss her whirlwind summer. Gemmell started things at the 2022 US Trials with the goal of making the world champs team. After getting sick just weeks before the meet, she placed 7th in the 200 free final, just missing out on her first senior international team. She then changed tracks and decided to focus on Jr Pan Pacific Championships, with stops at the Mare Nostrum Tour and US Nationals in Irvine in between. Gemmell discusses all these meets and how she was able to have success at them, highlighted by a 1:54.8 split on the 800 free relay (one of the fastest worldwide). 

World Champ Medalist Josh Liendo Aiming for Dressel’s SCY Records at Florida

We sat down with 2x bronze medalist from the 2022 World Championships, Josh Liendo. The Canadian sprinter just made a big move, surprising the swimming community with his decision to attend and compete for the University of Florida this fall. Liendo discusses why this was the right decision for him and what he's excited about moving forward as a Gator.

NCAA Champ Brendan Burns on Elite Underwaters, IU Training, and 2Fly/2Back Double

We sat down with 2021 NCAA champion in the 200 fly, Brendan Burns in Indiana. Burns talks us through how the beginning of the season is going for him and the team so far in Bloomington. We get into topics such as winning an NCAA title, his 200 fly/200 back double at Big Tens last year, and how to make your underwater elite. We also talk about Burns' future in swimming and how he views long course swimming vs. short course swimming.

SwimSwam Breakdown: Dressel Breaks Silence, US Selections, & Practice Swims

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discussed Caeleb Dressel breaking his silence since leaving the world champs, US selection procedures, and the legitimacy of practice swims.