In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.
Doug Wharam is the associate head coach and senior coordinator for the Nashville Aquatic Club in Nashville, Tennessee. This means that Wharam met Alex Walsh and Gretchen Walsh when they were 13 and 11 years old and coached them through high school. Wharam shares heart-warming anecdotes about how different the two were as sisters and how they developed in the pool.
- 0:00 Doug Wharam Introduction
- 1:22 Walsh Sisters Making 2024 Olympic Team
- 4:55 First Time Coaching Walsh Sisters
- 6:18 FIrst Memories of Alex & Gretchen
- 9:27 Alex’s Consistency
- 11:31 Gretchen’s Physical/Mental Advantages
- 12:46 Alex’s Versatility
- 15:56 Who Wins, Alex or Gretchen, in a 200 IM SCM?
- 17:55 Alex’s String of 4th Places at World Cup
- 20:56 Lessons Learned as a Coach of Alex
- 23:24 Lessons Learned as a Coach of Gretchen
- 25:26 Walsh Parents
- 28:44 Training Alone
- 30:51 Relationship Now
- 34:24 Celebrating Small Successes
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Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com
respect to the coach what an amazing story, as a swimmer with all due respect would’ve folded bein there
You can tell in his interview that he is highly capable in his role. Wish I had a coach like that growing up.
you can see why so many NAC swimmers are committing to UVA
And DW is alum.
Alex would have beat Emma if she focused on the 4IM.
Applications are open to joining the fan club, please check in with John Morse at the door.
“dumpster fire” hilarious.
Are the Walsh sisters the most accomplished swimmer siblings?
No.
https://swimswam.com/for-the-first-time-since-2004-the-us-olympic-swim-team-will-have-two-sets-of-siblings/
I’m impressed big time
The guy has produced some amazing athletes. The Walsh sisters, Nelson, Raab, Nicholas, and Schumann have all come out of that club.
Don’t forget Chas Morton! (Probably before his time)
what happened to Chas Morton – or where did he end up? Wow, he was big time when I was swimming age group…
Made 3 US National Teams, was a team captain in Stanford, 10 All-America awards. He’s now an attorney in Tennessee.
People paint his career like he was a total bust, but IDK people have had worse careers than that lol.
This is way off topic, but Chas is definitely one of the best age group swimmers of all time. I wonder if there were a Top 10 Age Group swimmers of all time list, where he’d rank. I’d rank it based upon total NAG records and if there was success on the international level as an age grouper. I would assume Michael Andrew would be on it as well and of course Phelps. I wonder who the other 7 males would be, though.
Thomas Heilman?
I thought of him too. He’s obviously a current age group swimmer. I’m just wondering who else I’m forgetting.
This person won’t make it but Kiki Vandeweghe NBA player and brother of Olympian Tauna was insane in all strokes and if he did not play basketball would challenge for an Olympic spot.
Cool – I certainly wasn’t implying he was a bust – just wondering where he ended up.
The old-school way one could see the NAG rankings and records was in Swimming World magazine. His name was at the top of so many of them.
I’m sure Chad is much older than Coach Wharam so yes, before his time.
Don’t forget about BLAKE AMLICKE and Annie lee choate