Olympic Trials 2012

[TheRoboticRichardSimmons]

Another Olympics, another unqualified success by the US Olympic team. But, I don't think anyone here would disagree that we could have done better than we actually did. You take Phelps out of the equation and our performance looks a bit different. So, how do we as a country gear up for 2012 and try to improve our performance? I think the solution is simple: Have trials much, much earlier.

Drug testing procedures notwithstanding, I think the benefits of having an earlier trials are obvious. Our top swimmers can go all out without having to worry about keeping something "in the tank" for the big stage 6 weeks later. We also don't have to worry about the Olympic hangover; there's definitely a certain percentage of our swimmeres that simply can't get back up and compete at such a high level so close to trials.

The arguments against having an early trials are valid, but I think they're outdated. The first is that it would compromise the NCAA swim season and the collegiate athletes who want to compete for their school and have a legitimate chance at making the team. However, in a sport that is getting more professionalized I don't think this argument is as relevant as it used to be. How many college swimmers made the team this year (not counting those that took a year off)? The other argument is that having trials late gives us the best chance of picking the fastest team. An argument can be made that Phelps doesn't make the Olympic team in 2000 if trials were in March, and the same could be said of Elizabeth Beisel this year.

However, even in light of those arguments, I think having trials earlier would benefit (or not harm) 90% of the would-be Olympic team and would have a direct impact on our eventual medal haul.

Thoughts?

[ca2va]

Let's have women's trials in April and Men's in July. I think that the guys actually benefit from the late trials...guys also are more prone to the "I'm just happy to be here," phenomenon (John Hargis, Ray Carey, and whoever was our #2 male 100 breastroker from 88-2000 come to mind, side notes = I love those guys...they are bonafied swimming studs, but didn't quite get it going when it mattered most...I will note that Grote swam the best of this group, but didn't swim as fast as he could/should have).

The women seemingly do not benefit from the late trials, especially those who swim 200m events and further. Maybe have the men's 400fr and 1500fr in April as well...that might be a good May or June meet, actually.

[swimmom07]

FWIW here is the USA Swimming Quad Plan. It will have to change if you want to move the trials earlier.

2012*
Jan 13-16 Grand Prix - Long Beach, CA - (short course meters)
Feb 17-20 Grand Prix - Columbia, MO - (long course)
Mar 8-10 Grand Prix - Austin, TX - (long course)
Mar 11-25 Professional & Post Grad Camp
Mar 30 - Apr 1 Grand Prix - (long course)
Apr 4-8 Short Course World Championships
May 3-6 Grand Prix - Charlotte, NC - (long course)
May 25-28 Grand Prix - Santa Clara - (long course)
June 17-24 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Jul 27-Aug 10 Olympic Games - London, UK (swimming tentative Jul 28 -
Aug 4)

[dman70]

I'd be interested to see the stats on how many U.S. swimmers swam faster at the Olympics versus Trials. Of course, we'd also need to know historical numbers, too, including those from years when Trials were earlier.

I don't really think the U.S. underperformed, I think the level of competition is improving worldwide. You don't swim a best time at the Olympics and odds are you'll be out of the medals.

[oldswimmer]

Let's see, if it takes three weeks after the Trials to get the drug tests back, and the entries need to be finalized two weeks prior to the games, (these are rough numbers), does this mean that any swimmers caught doping can't be replaced AGAIN?

I would hope that USA Swimming would figure out how to change something in this equation. Forget the shave and taper in 4 and a half weeks. Let's at least field a complete team!

[justjulez79]

how about any comparison to the men vs. women swimming faster at trials vs Olympics in a reshave/taper? any statistics on that?

[xchris8sirhcx]

that doesnt take into account all the people who didnt fully taper for trials.

[SEC-Alum]

This trials early, trials late debate will go on forever.
The Aussie's and South African's having their trials early (right around Men's NCAA's - coincidentally!) didn't exactly pan out for them did it?
The Brits had theirs at the same time and after a slow start came on good with quite a few unexpected medals!
I think the whole thing is the Law of Averages.
I think on the whole the US Team had a better (PB's and similar times to trials) meet than most and that is how we should measure success and the evaluation on a "better" time to hold trials!
When it came down to it, Team USA's confidence and hence having less people choke than others came through.
Just based upon recollection not facts, I would say that this was such a fast and deep meet that the percentages of US Swimmers swimming the same time as trials or faster was higher than in the past (and we all know how fast our trials were -deeper and better than the Olympics themselves!)
Your point about our distance ladies and especially Kate Zeigler is a good one. They were not on and didn't seem to be prepared the right way. Maybe part of this was the talk of her swimming through trials??? Obviously Coach Ray has already re-evaluated that one!

[Coach013]

Speaking of Ray, he was supposed to speak at ASCA. I didn't attend. Did he speak? That had to be a tough talk to give. Anybody hear it?

[Rauterkus]

Mentally, I don't think many of the swimmers were 'hung over' or in a Trials funk by the time they arrived in Beijing. The Olympic experience is intense enough to knock any type of hangover into one's age-group past.

Physically, you decide.

If the US Trails occur at a sooner date, then there are a world of other issues and problems that can present themselves.

An injury going into the US Trials sucks, sure. But, an injury 10-weeks out, after the team is picked, is going to cause a lot of finger pointing.

Drug testing won't stop after the team is selected and tested at Trials. Athletes could get positive tests 3, 4, and 5 weeks out, even after they made the squad. Heck, it would be cheaper to test more frequently for a smaller number of athletes -- putting the Olympians To Be under the microscope for a much longer and intense period.

If the US squad was selected months or weeks earlier, would they still be looking for a meet about the time of the US Trials in 08?

Running an extended USA swim camp that goes for weeks or months might present serious strife on many different levels.

Ryan L had a skateboard injury -- right? What if he was hurt weeks prior? An early trials date might nix some opportunities for those that can still peak at a later Trials and in-turn Olympics.

PRIME TIME TV for TWO weeks, one week for women and later for men, would be great for swimming's exposure in the US. The nation and networks might rather watch an extra week of swimming than Survivor/Dance w Stars/etc.

If Trials were split by Men & Women, different weeks, they could also be held in different cities.