The Most Enduring USA National Age Group Records and Why

Chuck Warner, author and coach, is an old friend. Thoughtful and passionate about the sport, he has studied the details behind what it takes to achieve swimming excellence.

Lessons from Legends

During the USA Nationals in Austin, and other meets over the last two weeks numerous USA National Age-Group Records (NAG) have been ripped from the books.

Last year, Jack Conger had the 17-18 year old 200 yard backstroke record at 1:40.41 but Ryan Murphy smashed it last week with a remarkable 1:38.15. Katie Ledecky walloped her year old standard in the mile of 15:40.38 by twenty seconds setting a new 15-16 year old mark of 15:28.36. Ryan Hoffer became the fastest 13-14 year old ever with a time of 20.45 for the 50-yard freestyle. Even Michael Phelps now sits third on the all-time list for the 15-16 boys in the 200 IM behind the new standard set by Gunnar Bentz of 1:45.17.

Those are amazing swims. However two USA NAG records still stand from 36 years ago, the oldest in the USA. Why?

The oldest USA NAGs are from the 1976 Olympic Trials and the 1976 Olympic Games. The first is Jesse Vassallo’s 13-14 year old standard in the 1500-meter freestyle of 15:31.03. The second record is Bobby Hackett’s 15:03.91 for the 1500, set at the Montreal Olympics for the 15-16 boys age-group.

Hackett’s swimming career is chronicled in the book Four Champions, One Gold Medal. A few years after the book was published I asked Coach Bob Bowman if perhaps his 16-year old up and coming super-star Michael Phelps might want to play the role of one of the champions if the book  was made into a movie. Bob said, “Michael has his own movie in mind. One Champion, Four Gold Medals.” Indeed! When our laughter subsided Bob added, “But Michael will never break Bobby Hackett’s national age-group record in the 1500.”

The circumstances that Hackett performed the time add to the luster of this 36 year old mark. The USA men entered the Games with a chance to match the 1948 USA Men’s Olympic Team by winning every gold medal in the Olympic competition. Adding to the challenge, since the ’48 Games, the event program had more than doubled and the NCAA program enhancing the development of swimmers around the world. In the 1500 the reigning world record holder and world champion in the person of Australia’s Stephen Holland stood in the way of the American goal for a gold medal sweep. While the US team had a strong nucleus of veteran swimmers such as John Naber, Joe Bottom, John Hencken and Tim Shaw, they needed ‘the kids,’ like high school seniors to be, Hackett or 17-year old Brian Goodell to beat Holland to reach the team’s goal.

The price Bobby Hackett paid for that record was to keep his cool under pressure and swim the best race of his life at the most important time. But the price also consisted of immense preparation in the form of hard work leading up the Olympic Trials and Games. A staple endurance set for Bob was 100 x 100s yard swims on 1:00. He first completed it in the fall of 1975 and repeated the set several times in 1976.

Bob didn’t have much training in a long course pool, but did train with tremendous fortitude. On the evening before his team flew from New York to the winter US Nationals in California in 1976, he completed 100 x 100s. After practice the team held a good luck party for those going to nationals at the pool. After the party, Bobby’s coach, Joe Bernal ordered him back to the pool. He then completed 2 x 1650s, one of which was butterfly. Bobby was surprised at his coach’s request but thrilled by his performance on the 1650 fly. Does anyone know someone that would react that way?

Bobby Hackett worked very hard, for a long time to swim that fast for 30 lengths of the long pool. Training 15 times per week was not unusual in that Olympic year. Jesse Vassallo was in the same era of a huge endurance commitment at Mission Viejo at the same time, and unlike Bobby, had teammates like Brian Goodell and Casey Converse to chase in practice.

Their commitment might be illustrated with a smile by repeating the story of a chicken and a pig. The two animals are walking through an impoverished village. The chicken says to the pig, “I think we should cook up some ham and eggs for these folks, they are starving.” The pig says, “To you that meal is a temporary inconvenience, for me that’s a full commitment.”

Bobby Hackett was fully committed to being the best swimmer he could be. So was Jesse Vassallo. They were willing to do virtually anything known to the sport in 1976 to get there─which was most especially hard work.

To be the best endurance swimmer for your age for 36 years in America requires more than a temporary inconvenience. For Bob Hackett the full commitment enabled him to beat Stephen Holland in that race, win a silver medal and help his country continue toward their goal of winning every gold medal in the men’s competition – until USA trained David Wilkie derailed the effort in the 200-meter breastroke.

Jesse went on to break world records in the individual medley and in his college years Bob was a part of an American world record setting 800 freestyle relay splitting 1:49.

Years later there is a greater payoff for those that learn the lessons that the great sport of Swimming offers.

Hackett earned entrance to Harvard University and had a great college swimming career. He went on to graduate from the Harvard business school and enjoys a wonderful life and career in corporate real estate today, while sneaking in a little swim coaching for fun. A few years ago, at a swim camp, a young swimmer asked him, “Do you tell people in your work that you are an Olympian?” Bob’s answer was, “No, but I use the same things I learned in swimming to be successful in my work. I determine the most appropriate goals to set, focus to achieve them and work hard.”

Owning a record for 36 years has much more payoff than the record itself. The lessons from the process are enduring as well.

Legendary Mullings:

…next time the most enduring women’s NAGs.

…While Jesse Vassallo was a great miler at 14 he is widely credited with initiating the concept of underwater dolphin kicking. He did it in the 400 IM on backstroke. Watching him at the nationals in the winter of 1984 was Dave Berkoff. Dave turned it into the Berkoff blast and 100 back world records 4 years later.

Chuck Warner has been a swimming coach for more than forty years. His teams have won seven national Y team championships, been runners-up for the NCAA Division II championship three times, been a USA National Team swim coach three times and Big East Conference coach of the year four times. Chuck has authored two books: “Four Champions, One Gold Medal” about the training and race for the 1500 meter gold medal in the 1976 Olympics. “…And Then They Won Gold: Stepping Stones To Swimming Excellence – Volume I” is out now. It is eight short stories of some of the greatest male swimmers in history. The second volume devoted to women’s swimmers is due out next year. He is the founder, President and CEO of Arete Aquatic Services and owner of the ARETE Swim Camp.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ORDERING“…And Then They Won Gold” go towww.areteswim.com and access “Books/Media.”

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Roll Tide!
9 years ago

Reading this article and its comments on April 23, 2015… It’s so crazy how much of an impact a girl named KATIE LEDECKY made for the sport of swimming. Seriously. I’m laughing so hard right now reading these comments about how distance swimming is dead in the United States…. Enter Katie Ledecky.

Chase M
11 years ago

I don’t know which NAG record is more impressive, Michael Phelps in the 13-14 200M FLY at 1:59 or his time a year later at 15 in 1:54.

1:54? That’s only 5 seconds slower than the 15-16 NAG in the 200 FREE.

Kirk Nelson
11 years ago

So since Charles (Chas) Morton has already posted in this thread I’m curious if he ever gets in the pool these days. Mr. Morton?

cupofjoe
11 years ago

Hey Chas! Let’s write the book.

Ben
Reply to  cupofjoe
11 years ago

definitely write a book. The greatest age grouper EVER

Chas
Reply to  cupofjoe
11 years ago

Hey Coach Goeken-
Not sure who posted as Charles Morton, Esq., but it’s good to know two of us became attorneys. As for the book, you’d have to write it. All I could add to it was my good fortune of having great role models, coaches and teammates throughout my career. As for Kirk’s question below, I do still get in the water to (try to) stay in shape, but haven’t competed since college.
When I was swimming, I was always most impressed with Jesse’s 14 year old mile record, but I don’t think I remember seeing Hackett’s 15-16 record. Both of those are crazy fast.

cupofjoe
11 years ago

For a little perspective on Chas Morton, I coached him from age 9 to 12 and briefly at age 13 (Kris Kubic coached him during his short course age 12 season and John Morse had him from age 13 through high school). I think what sets him apart is how much he destroyed records by as a 10 year old and 12 year old and the fact that he held national records in every stroke. Also, all of his 13-14 records were set as a 13 year old as he was injured at age 14 (3:57 400 IM at age 13 stands out as the most remarkable). Here are a few other memories:
Chas went 58.7 100 m. fly… Read more »

Charles Morton, Esq
Reply to  cupofjoe
11 years ago

Please, tell me more!!!

Reply to  Charles Morton, Esq
11 years ago

Chas Morton is mentioned in …And Then They Won Gold as the major target for Aaron Piersol (in Aaron’s chapter) as an age-grouper. Aaron’s description of what he thought Chas looked like involves fire from his…. etc.

It took Aaron’s age-group coach, Brian Pajer, some convincing to stop chasing Chas and start looking at the backstroke records!

Reply to  cupofjoe
11 years ago

Ok, Braden thank you for the news. I thought he had boekrn many NAG records. I take note. They are very high. But the most impressive with this young swimmer is that almost every time he’s in the water he destroys his PB. Other thing, he hasn’t weak strokes. And some people here will say something about his size but the fact he’s great in every stroke is only a mark of a big natural talent.

jman
11 years ago

i have a friend who swam with me at Central Michigan in 1980-81. The summer before our freshman year, when i didn’t know him and he swam on a different club team, he did an underwater dolphin kick start for a LC 400 medley relay. He went over half the pool and came up leading a backstroker who was probably 4 seconds faster than him over 100 meters. Everyone watched in amazement and it wasn’t until i mentioned it at CMU that i found out it was him. I credit Jim Maples from Okemos, MI for the first true underwater dolphin start on backstroke in the summer of 1980. Pete Fetters was his coach. Pete, if you are out there… Read more »

Jmaples
Reply to  jman
11 years ago

Your story is true Jman. Though I hardly think I was revolutionary since I was never nationally ranked. Only good enough to swim in college at a mid-major. I don’t think Berkoff or Vassallo ever saw me swim. (check that. I know they didn’t). I was a distance swimmer in good condition and I did train for that start for about a month. What did I have to lose? So I popped up at 30 yards or so leading the All American Tom Agar in the lane next to me. It was a very brief lead as he quickly proceeded to blow me away. At that point I realized even distance swimmers need oxygen. I think Agar was halfway to… Read more »

Joel Lin
Reply to  Jmaples
11 years ago

Jessie Vasallo indeed started doing the underwater dolphin in the late 1970s. My Dad told me about seeing him at the Mission Viejo in-season meets where he’d go underwater the first 20 meters of every race long course (200 IM, free, back, etc.), but then he didn’t use it on any turns.

For some reason he never really incorporated it into his routine when he went to taper and shave meets…maybe thinking he was faster on top of water when rested? I don’t know if all this means Jessie “invented it” but people do remember him horsing around with it during in season meets and getting of to fast starts, but it never parlayed into his championship swims until later… Read more »

Reply to  Joel Lin
11 years ago

The fact that Dave Berkoff first noticed underwater dolphin kicking at the 1984 winter nationals by Jesse comes from Dave, in helping on research for …And Then They Won Gold.

In 1980 he was about 13 years old. An important observation: a lot of kids and coaches miss exposure to a lot of things in swimming by not seeing top level competition.

11 years ago

Some records, are amazing in 13-14 NAG record…
besides Vassallo, i found really impressive Justin Lynch 54.80 in 100 fly.A time like that at 14 years-old?Almost a second ahead of a guy named Michael Phelps, with three olympic golds in this event…

Larry
Reply to  DDias
11 years ago

Jessie was doing those underwater kicks since 1978 where he was amazing off the start in the 200 backstroke. I believe he gave his father credit for teaching that to him when he was a young swimmer

MarkB
Reply to  Larry
11 years ago

Jesse (or Jesus back then) was doing them in at least 1975 as I swam with him at the old Jack Nelson Swim Camp in Ft. Lauderdale. He would kill us all on the 50’s underwater we had to do before being “allowed” to go to lunch from the middle practice.

wassuppaska
11 years ago

If Berkoff saw dolphin kicks for the first time in ’84, when and where did Suzuki (the guy who beat him at the Olympics) see them? Nevermind, Morales (and others) did them in 84 as well… i highly doubt they were inspired by a 14-yearold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB7TwBl5v-4

Reply to  wassuppaska
11 years ago

The reference to “underwater dolphin kicking” is intended to be as used as a weapon in all strokes and for an extended distance. Jesse was 22 in 1984 when David watched him in Indianapolis in the 400 IM use it in backstroke (even though it was just a few kicks). It looks to me as though Pablo did a few kicks underwater to his advantage but nothing like Dave’s 35 meters…

A full chapter on Dave’s amazing career is written in …And Then They Won Gold including his first encounter with the Japanese. He walked away from Seoul (88 Olympics) with the world record by .5 seconds, nearly bettered it leading off the medley relay, but listened to some bad… Read more »

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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