Swimming Video capture – Garrett McCaffrey / SwimSwam co-founder.
Video edit – Coleman Hodges / SwimSwam Production Manager.
ASU Swimming and Diving Coach Bob Bowman recently sat down with Swimswam’s Garrett McCaffrey for an exclusive interview. We have turned that interview into a 6-part mini series, Bowman Takes Tempe, running 1 episode each day of the week from May 31-June 5.
“It’s like a start-up business. There are a lot of variables we’re dealing with.”
As we all know, Coach Bowman isn’t just worried about collegiate swimming when he arrives on ASU’s campus in August. He still has another year of Olympic preparation with his post-grad group, a famed team of athletes which include names such as former Georgia stud Allison Schmitt, current Georgia standout Chase Kalisz, and of course the one and only Michael Phelps.
“We’re going to be pretty flexible this first year.”
As Bowman mentioned in our last episode, the goals of these two separate groups are very different. While the ASU team will be focusing on long-term rebuilding and growth, the post-grad program has a very impending deadline, with Olympic Trials in nearly a year, and Rio soon after. Bowman says he will be running both practices separately, but giving both the attention they need to have the utmost success. After 2016, Bowman will buckle down and turn his attentions mainly toward the ASU program, directly in line with the expected retirement of his star pupil, Phelps.
Are we seeing a Bob Bowman who’s ready to settle down? Is this the last stop in his coaching journey? Stay tuned for answers.
Coach Bowman is one of the greatest coaches in swimming history. Developing Michael Phelps, who delivered the greatest Olympic-run in history, often overshadows his long, storied career, but Bowman has had enormous success in all areas of his coaching life. Coach Bowman’s NBAC has developed countless elite athletes and swimmers competing at the college level. Bowman takes the reins at ASU Swimming and Diving as college swimming programs continue to get cut across the country. ASU’s choice to invest in Bowman and in swimming is beacon of light at this time in college swimming history.
I believe Bob is 49 / 50. 1987 graduate of FSU.
I think Bowman is looking past Phelps with move. He even stated that ideally this opportunity would have come up next year. Howver I think it’s too good a position to turn down and so he will do his best to make it work for one year
Bowman and Phelps could get free lane space anywhere they want at any number of outdoor olympic pools across the sunbelt, so why take on the burden of coaching ASU if he wasn’t sincere about turning the program around? ASU sports and lifestyle culture also has a lot of energy that they hope might carry over to the olympics and backfeed the college program but that could be a fairy tale once Rio is in the books and this might just be a transition to Bowman’s retirement. How old is the guy anyway pushing 60?
No reason a coach can’t coach till 85 or even 95 if they look after their health.
I think that movie where no one died & they all hung about the pool all day was set in Phoenix. There those 2 will be 95 year old Bowman & 75 year old MP . Happy days.
gone as soon as Rio Olympics are over…..
What’s the point to coach ASU for a year and then leave? He’s coaching them just for the facility for Phelps and crew to train in?
Probably Phelps’ last or second to last Olympics, so Bowman needs an alternative outlet. He’s much better with older athletes. He’s had relative success with younger swimmers. For the most part they flourished under other coaches at his club team or came from transfer age group swimmers looking to push themselves further. Elizabeth Pelton, Gillian Ryan, Becca Mann, Sierra Schmidt, Conor Dwyer, etc were all extremely successful prior to joining his program, he simply created an environment where all top caliber athletes came together and pushed one another from my observation.
I am more excited for Misty Hyman. I’ve been able to watch one of her private lessons from the side and she was fantastic. Very professional. No college… Read more »