By John Lohn
CRANBURY, New Jersey, March 25. OVER the next three days, there's a strong chance that Auburn University's Matt Targett will corral an individual title at the NCAA Championships at Texas A&M. The Australian Olympian is, after all, among the favorites in the sprint-freestyle events, along with the 100 butterfly.
Should Targett indeed walk away with an individual crown, you can bet the yearly clamoring will begin. We hear it every year, usually in a manner that is no different from seasons past. In some shape of form, the discussion goes like this: "Why are foreign athletes being allowed to compete in the American collegiate system? Why are we using some of our resources to make the rest of the world better? Why are we giving scholarship money to international athletes at the expense of home-grown talent?"
Well, here's an explanation. First, it's well within the rules, no different than Steve Nash (Canada) suiting up for Santa Clara on the hardwood years ago. Second, swimming being an Olympic sport, what's wrong with an environment that creates top-flight competition, reflective of that which is seen every four years at the Olympic Games.
There is something to be said for a program that features All-American talent (literally). It's not an easy task to pull off, what with the narrowing of the talent pool from which the coach can recruit. But the argument that Auburn and Arizona, to name a pair of programs that are heavy with foreign flavor, are excessive in their international recruiting is an unfair assertion. Here's why.
Take a look at the Auburn sprint program for a moment. It has regularly produced the best there is in the college sprint scene, the coaching of Aussie Brett Hawke obviously playing the critical role. In Cesar Cielo and Targett, Hawke has produced some of the elite sprinters on the planet. Now, look at this year's roster, in particular at Karl Krug of Yucaipa, Calif. A freshman, Krug has the potential to develop into a star on the American sprint scene. Why? In part, he's extremely gifted. More, won't it help training in an environment in which he's surrounded by great sprinters?
One of the best features of the United States is that it is a land of opportunity. By turning away international swimmers hoping to fulfill lofty goals, this country would be turning its back on what has made it a wonderful place. Remember, we have become the greatest nation in the world because we long ago opened our arms to all types of people.
Meanwhile, it is flattering that numerous foreign athletes want the opportunity to train in the United States because it undeniably boasts the best coaches in the world. We should be honored that many foreign athletes want to reap the benefits of training under the likes of Frank Busch, the head man at the University of Arizona who has done wonders with South Africans such as Roland Schoeman, Ryk Neethling and Darian Townsend.
With the above said, it is important to note that the entrance of international athletes to American programs should not come at the expense of sacrificing admission standards. They should have a quality grasp of the English language and be required to be student-athletes, not mercenaries brought in to win NCAA titles.
Beyond Targett, Arizona's Jean Basson could win an NCAA championship this weekend. If the South African succeeds, let's not raise that tired argument that international swimmers have no place in the American college system. Let's celebrate the fact that Basson saw our nation for what it is: A land of opportunity.
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March 25, 2009 I think the Steve Nash example is too funny. Maybe the USA's recent struggles in global basketball competitions are due to the fact that so many foregn athletes compete now at the collegiate level in basketball. The NBA is now an international product. Countries once competed against our "Dream Teams" and knew the result would be a lopsided loss. Our former "Dream Teams" hardly had to practice and would still pound opponents. Now our so called "Dream Teams" have major practice and training routines, extensive preparation and can barely win.
As a USA club swim coach, I am not in favor of restricting international athletes from competing at the collegiate level but I do believe the system needs to be evaluated with the possible incorporation of restrictions. Each year I send off dozens of athletes to college programs. Most of these athletes have tremendous talent and could possible reach the highest levels of our sport with the right direction in college. This does not happen because they are being compared to 20-something international swimmers who can impact programs immmediately.
If Mr Lohn took a closer look at the state of college swimming he would see that there is no longer an emphasis on developing potential talent. Maybe he should take a trip to one of the sectional meets to see the vast number of talented American swimmers who will most likely have to pay their way through college if they want to swim, or they will be overlooked and quit the sport.
Why would a college coach give a 20.5 50 yard Amercan 18 year old a scholarship when he can get a 19.5 50 yard 21 year old internationally. College coaches need to keep their jobs, thus the vast amount of talented American swimmers will continually be overlooked under the current system. There is no denying this fact, club coaches witness this first hand each year. Submitted by: ksc
March 25, 2009 Interesting. maybe there should be a rule, if there is not already about how many foreign athletes a team can field each year.
But overall how many total mens and womens titles have been won by overseas athletes over the past twenty years relative to those won by Americans? How many foreign athletes were entered in this year's mens and womens NCAA? How many total foreign athletes compete in ALL of division One relative to Americans?
I think there are tons of opportunities for kids to swim at the collegiate level, be it Div. I, II or III or the other levels available. Many kids in many sports do not get scholarships. The best way to make a place for more kids to swim after high school is to fight harder for college programs not to be cut, or to be started up.
Lastly, college is still about education. I believe most of the foreign swimmers who STUDY here, and they do study while swimming, add greatly to the quality experience of the whole team, and the university they attend. And many end up staying in the states to live and work, marry etc.
It was an interesting article.... but there is nothing rotten in america that came from Denmark.... or Australia, or Brazil ...well, you get my point I hope. Submitted by: swimmcatt1
March 25, 2009 I personally think that you guys are mad to have so many foreign athletes at your colleges. Ever hear of the old saying that "charity begins at home"? I'm not saying that swimming is a charity case by any means, but it seems unfair to me that a good American student who has the potential to be a great swimmer doesn't get a scholarship whereas the foreign student does. The colleges are more interested in winning than in doing what is right. Only people who really follow swimming know who goes to school where or who swims where. In most cases at the Olympics etc. when an American loses to a foreign student very few people know that the student attends school in the USA and is coached by American coaches. All they know is that the American lost. And the French men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay team really showed a lot of respect for the USA last year didn't they? All they did was trash talk the Americans. Now didn't two or three of those swimmers attend college in the USA? Wow, they sure showed a lot of respect for the USA (I was so pleased that the USA beat them). What grace and appreciation they displayed. They must have appreciated all that was done for them in the USA so much. Yes, I am being sarcastic. You Americans need to understand that just because you are good or generous to people doesn't mean that they are going to appreciate it as they should, or as you think they should. I love you guys. Many of my best friends are Americans. But you are too naive sometimes. How about this? Sure they can swim on a scholarship at your colleges.......but while they are there they cannot compete for their country at the Olympics. Let's see how many would choose education first. You guys really need to get your butts kicked at the Olympics or Worlds once, just to see the drawbacks of your system. Some people say that it is better for your swimmers to compete against the best because it prepares them for competition. Try telling that to the smart kid who misses out on a scholarship so a foreign student can beat your swimmers at the Olympics, especially when that smart kid may have been the winner if he had the opportunity to get the scholarship. Perhaps these foreign swimmers might not be as good as they are without the benefit of swimming in the US, did anybody think of that? No, I think the scholarships should go to the American kids. It's their parents who pay the taxes in your country, and I know that if I were American I would be disappointed if my kid didn't get a scholarship because some foreign kid got it, especially if I couldn't afford for my kid to go to that particular school. Here's a novel thought. You guys should have a nationwide referendum and let the people decide about foreign scholarships (for sport). Whatever the people decide goes.......democracy in action! Submitted by: Cobber
March 26, 2009 I wouldn't worry too much about American swimmers missing out on college scholarships. Athletic scholarships are non-existent in Australia (and the rest of the world I believe), yet they seem to be doing fine. Yes, it's hard to pay for college, but that's how everyone else has to do it. You shouldn't feel entitled to a scholarship just because you can swim up and down a pool real fast. Submitted by: justink
March 26, 2009 I don't plan on taking a side on this issue, nor am I American....but just to mix things up and get in on it! So far at DivI Men's, the individual titles have gone to 2 internationals and 1 American. And both relays were won by teams made up of at least 50 International.
Have at it. Submitted by: bt22
March 27, 2009 I found it kind of funny that the Texan team finished 4th but broke the American record. Submitted by: Sphere
March 31, 2009 Some facts from a USA Swimming study: From 2004-2006 16 of the female and 28 of male athletes invited to the NCAA Div. I meet were foreigners. ON the female side nearly 18 of finalists (top 16) in individual events were foreign. For the men that number was nearly 33.
I don't know if others consider the number high or low but thought the info was pertinent. I would gues that over 40 of the relay swimmers were foreign this year (higher if you took out the UT-Austin men Submitted by: coachmark
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