What Has 12 Thumbs and Has Gained a Few Pounds Since College?

This group of guys. That's me in the gray hoodie with the glasses. I was lucky enough to be invited by one of these guys (the guy on my far right, the far left looking at the picture - the bald guy) to watch yesterday's Flyers hockey game from one of the suites. He had … Continue reading What Has 12 Thumbs and Has Gained a Few Pounds Since College?

Talk about Having a High Opinion of Yourself…

With the Olympics drawing to a close, I found the results of a recent survey quite fascinating. The survey of 1,000 U.S. residents revealed that 40 percent think they’re fit enough to compete in at least one summer or winter sport at the Olympics. That includes three times as many men as women (60% vs. … Continue reading Talk about Having a High Opinion of Yourself…

Blogging on NES

I'll never forget the chant. It was at one of the four state swimming championship events I attended while in college, but I can't remember which year. But I do remember the chant from the swimmers of Edinboro State College, loud and clear: "Oh Dee" (clap-clap) "ON NED" (clap-clap) "Oh Dee" (clap-clap) "ON NED" (clap-clap) … Continue reading Blogging on NES

Want to Boost Your Kid’s SAT Scores? Don’t Hire an SAT Tutor, Hire a Swimming Coach Instead

Many high schoolers, and their parents, are often looking for ways to boost their SAT scores. The hope is that a higher score will increase their probability of getting into their school of choice. One popular approach is to hire an SAT tutor; someone who will work one on one with the student to improve … Continue reading Want to Boost Your Kid’s SAT Scores? Don’t Hire an SAT Tutor, Hire a Swimming Coach Instead

The Answer Is a Resounding Yes!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog post with the title: If You Win Gold at the Olympics, but There Are No Fans There, Did It Really Happen?. Well, after two nights of watching the Olympics, I can confirm the answer I gave two weeks ago with a resounding yes! There is just something … Continue reading The Answer Is a Resounding Yes!

Who Is the G.O.A.T.?

It was the kind of tweet guaranteed to get a lot of responses: https://twitter.com/goldmedalmind/status/1364778667528781829 And the answers contained some obvious choices: Roger Bannister (first person to break the 4-minute barrier in the mileCal Ripken (baseball player who played in 2,632 straight games)Michael Phelps, swimmerJesse Owen, track and fieldAleksandr Karelin, a wrestler with 13 year undefeated … Continue reading Who Is the G.O.A.T.?

I Miss Those Days

Tonight we had the chance to watch our grand-niece's swim meet, and it must have been the smell of the chlorine that triggered so many wonderful memories of the sport I love. Swimming was a big part of my life for 12 years, having been a competitive swimmer from about 9 years old until I … Continue reading I Miss Those Days

There’s Just Something About Competition

I've loved to compete my whole life. It didn't matter what it was - sports, academics, who could hold their breath the longest. I wasn't good at most sports, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the thrill of competition, whether it was against another team or against myself. These days, most of my competition … Continue reading There’s Just Something About Competition

Before Katie Ledecky, Before Michael Phelps, Before Mark Spitz, There Was…

Don Schollander. Schollander was the first swimmer to win four Gold Medals in one Olympics, doing so in Tokyo in 1964 at the young age of 18.  Schollander also won the 1964 James E. Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete, and the AP Athlete of the Year, easily defeating runner-up Johnny Unitas. Schollander followed … Continue reading Before Katie Ledecky, Before Michael Phelps, Before Mark Spitz, There Was…

A Choice I Made as a Nine-Year-Old Determined My Career Path

Who would have known that a decision I made as a nine-year-old would have predicted the career I have chosen for the past 33 years. When I was about nine-years-old I discovered that I liked swimming, and with my parents' encouragement, I joined the local swim team. I think back then swimming was a more … Continue reading A Choice I Made as a Nine-Year-Old Determined My Career Path