Just a few days after initially choosing LSU, South African butterflier, and CollegeSwimming.com #7, Dylan Bosch has now made a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan.
Bosch is already one of the best swimmers in South Africa, though he’s sometimes overshadowed by Chad Le Clos in the butterfly races, and has an outstanding shot at their 2012 Olympic Team. At the 2011 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships, he took 6th in both the 100 and 200 butterflies, and in long course has bests of 53.7/1:59.2 in the two distances. Those convert to 46.6 and 1:43.23, and if those conversions hold true, he will be in at least one (if not two) A-finals as a freshman.
He’s also a great IM’er (2:02.5 in long course, 1:44.9 converted). That puts 20-plus points as a freshman squarely in his sights.
Bosch would have been a very good fit for the LSU program, but he will fit in to what Michigan is doing very well too. Amongst the butterfliers on their roster are National High School Record holder Sean Fletcher and Dan Madwed (who will have used up his eligibility by the time Bosch enrolls).
It’s understandably tough for international swimmers like Bosch to make their college decisions. As difficult as it is for American swimmers, international recruits are unfamiliar with the system and, in Bosch’s case, operating 8000 miles away.
As a current LSU athlete I want to put this issue to rest:
I wish good luck to Dylan in his swimming career and understand that commitments don’t mean anything without a signature, that’s just a fact of the collegiate sports landscape.
@Mike Lewis Middleton: Your passion is appreciated but is misdirected.
@smith: Your comments only represent your ignorance as a human being. There is no need to attack a program that when you have no idea how we operate. Since you think nothing EVER happens at LSU, you should probably ignore current junior Amanda Kendall’s results at the upcoming Pan American Games.
GEAUX TIGERS!
@Mike Lewis Middleton first off, im pretty sure Michigan was already recruiting him. MIke Bottom didn’t just go after him after he committed to LSU.LSU is no place for a swimmer like him because he is a really good swimmer. Nobody has seen much happen EVER out of LSU. Im glad he decided that LSU wasnt the place for him. He would be the fastest one on the team by far. and would just be wasting his time at a place that could never take care of his needs, while attending to the rest of the mediocre team. He will do great at Michigan. Congrats to him.
A verbal commitment is a promise. Yes, in our society promises don’t mean much anymore which is unfortunate.
A true man of integrity lives up to his promises, even when it gets uncomfortable. Likewise, a man of integrity doesn’t make promises he can’t keep.
In this case, and other cases like this, I question the integrity of the person. Everyone can come up with reasons to break a promise. It doesn’t make it right.
The schools do not keep their promises. If he were injured they would pull the scholarship. That is why it is not OFFICIAL until it is signed. I wonder how many coaches tell people they will be at the U for their entire four years but leave. Ho many athletes have scholarships taken if they do not perform up to standards. I wonder if you have ever CHANGED a job in your entire life. That means you broke a promise to that employer. He originally said he would go to work for them, but decided a BETTER opportunity came along. THAT is what is moral.
While it is unfortunate for LSU, there is nothing shady about this. Until someone signs and has told others he is not interested then it is free game. In other sports like football and basketball this kind of thing happens all the time. Why should swimming be any different? These kids are young and sometimes don’t think things through.
Shady practices by Mike Bottom and his coaching staff… waiting until after he verbals to another school to go after him. Should have seem stuff like this coming after the 2008 Olympics.
This seems to be addressing a larger issue with international athletes tainting the American Collegiate system. How can they be expected to fairly compete with us when they don’t seem to have the same moral values.
In my opinion, he did not go back on his word. The article posted on this site stated that according to collegeswimming.com he verbally committed to LSU. No where on collegeswimming.com did it mention that he committed to LSU as I checked immediately after reading the article.
Rumours –
1) It was posted on collegeswimming.com. They took it down after he decommitted.
2) I was personally in contact with Dylan, he did commit verbally, and then changed his mind.
3) It was a very tough decision for him, and I promise that he did not undertake the decision to change lightly.
At the end of the day, there’s a reason why a verbal committment is different than signing. This sort of thing happens in every NCAA sport (and usually with significantly more frequency). It goes with the territory, and all coaches understand that. A coach takes a risk by offering to a kid early in the season and encouraging them to commit early. A… Read more »
Being 8000 miles away shouldn’t be an excuse for going back on your word! The LSU MENS swim team proly doesn’t have a place for dishonest people anyway. He can go to Michigan and swim with the boys.