Michael Phelps Returns for One Last Swim in Under Armour's Haunting New Ad Bearded Champion Preps for Rio By Tim Nudd, AdWeek.com, March 8, 2016 Michael Phelps has been an Under Armour endorser since 2010, but of course, he's only truly in the spotlight quadrennially, during the Olympics. Now 30 years old, the world's greatest-ever swimmer is making one final Olympic push—for the Rio Games this August. Under Armour is celebrating its hero's last stand with a beautiful and brooding ad from Droga5 that focuses on Phelps's intense training regimen—in...

Why You Should Go to Practice Today   Sure, it may seem like “one” missed practice isn’t a big deal, but here is why consistency and showing up matters more than you realize. It’s 2:30pm, and with a morning practice, a day full of classes and relentless eating and snacking already behind you, another swim practice looms ahead. Taking stock of your day you begin to think that maybe you are better off taking the rest of the day to yourself. In these moments it can be tempting to pull...

Happy #ThrowBackThursday #CVST   Happy #TBT #CVST - Remember this CVST Swimming Official from back in 1999? He's still at it today! #FunnestSport  

Katie Ledecky Spends 72 Hours Coming Up Short, Intentionally   For one weekend only, Ledecky, the 18-year-old freestyle phenom, got to experience life as a very good sprinter, not the all-time-great distance specialist she has become. Her program for the Arena Pro Swim Series Orlando event, held at the aging but oddly charming YMCA Aquatic Center, featured none of the events she has come to dominate internationally, with world records in each: the 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter freestyles.    Full Story

6 Things I've Learnes as a Swim Parent   My kids started swimming with our club team when they were five and seven years old. Looking back, I am not the same swim parent that I was back then—and thank goodness for that! We began our swim adventure in a “mommy and me” class when the kids were infants. Our main concern was water safety because we live in an area with lots of backyard pools. After exposing them to a variety of sports and activities, both chose swimming. Here...

Where to Look When Swimming Seems Cruel By Annie Grevers, Swimming World Staff Writer   The 400 IM is a race I only had to swim once to decide it was not my calling. Now when I watch people race it, and love all 16 laps of it, I cannot relate, but I certainly can respect.   One such swimmer was shooting for his sectionals cut this past weekend. He missed it by four tenths of a second in prelims and came back on a mission in finals. His teammates...

For a Natural, Swimming Isn’t Always Easy By Karen Crouse, New York Times, February 28, 2016 The calm, clear water beckoned Caeleb Dressel, who stripped to his swimsuit and jumped into an unoccupied lane for the 6-and-under boys’ 25-yard freestyle race. Upon reaching the other side of the pool, he climbed out of the water and cried: “I won a medal! I won a medal!” In the stands, his mother, Christina, was mortified. Her son had not been entered in the race. He was at the River City recreational league...

USA Swimming and TrueSport Present New 2016 Deck Pass Lessons   In conjunction with TrueSport, a movement powered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), USA Swimming is pleased to announce the newest 2016 Deck Pass lessons for the third year of their partnership. Beginning Feb. 24, Deck Pass users can earn up to 35 limited-edition patches by completing activities, video lessons and quizzes in USA Swimming’s Deck Pass app. The lessons incorporate video encouragement and inspirational stories from TrueSport Ambassador and two-time Olympic swimmer, Elizabeth Beisel. Through exciting activities in...

The Do's and Don'ts of Appropriate Game Day Behavior for Parents By Dr. Alan Goldberg, Competitiveedge.com, February 24, 2016 We’ve all seen them, the heated adults in the crowd or on the sidelines, shouting loudly and acting inappropriately during their children’s performances. Sometimes it’s even more subtle, where parents make negative comments or put unnecessary pressure on their kids before the game in private, setting high expectations and sending the message that their love depends on the outcome of the game. When the heat of competition is turned way up...

NBC Live Coverage from Arean Pro Swim Series in Orlando     NBC Sports will have live coverage this weekend of the Arena Pro Swim Series at Orlando. Fans can see it all in spectacular high definition via NBC Sports Live Extra online at  NBCSports.com/LiveExtra, or through the Live Extra app on mobile, tablet and through the Apple TV or Roku connected TV devices.   Date: Friday, March 4 Time: 6 p.m. EST Live Stream Broadcast: Digital   Date: Saturday, March 5 Time: 6 p.m. EST Live Stream Broadcast: NBCSN...