Bob Bowman’s most famous protege, Michael Phelps, may be moved on to new sports, but that doesn’t mean his coaching career won’t move on. Bowman was announced as the head coach for the U.S. Men’s World Championship team for this summer’s Barcelona World Championships at the most recent meeting of the USA Swimming steering committee, multiple sources have confirmed.
An official announcement of him in this role, and Dave Salo as the coach of the women’s team will be made by USA Swimming later this week.
Bowman’s two biggest trainees headed toward the London Olympics were the aforementioned Phelps, and the 2012 SwimSwam Female Swimmer of the Year Allison Schmitt.
With Schmitt back training under Jack Bauerle at Georgia, Phelps retired, and Bowman travelling the world serving as a consultant to many different federations, including the British, there’s no Olympic team members still under his direct supervision. A few he has recently coached, though, could be on this team. That includes Chase Kalisz, who was still training at NBAC until January where he also joined the Georgia roster. Young distance swimmer Gillian Ryan also has a chance, perhaps in the 400 free, and recent NBAC alum Liz Pelton will be in the mix as well.
Assistant coaches will be named at a later time.
Wouldn’t be my first choice. Women’s team either.
Don’t we spread it around or is it shades of the past history AAU.
I think the choice is justified and a simple message to the rest of the world that Bob can and should consult whoever he wants but the US still wants to recognize and maintain one of our sports all time best coaches and give him the honor of leading the U.S. men’s team.
i have a feeling Bob was offered the position many times in the past…but having to coach Phelps (and later Schmitt, and for some meets, other swimmers) was such a big task that having to take on the role of head coach was too much. He needed to focus on Phelps. He’s always been an “assistant coach” on these national teams though…as is the case with any coach with a lot of swimmers and/or a lot of events. Now Bowman has the time to focus on the entire team. Can’t wait.
Bob Bowman was the Head Men’s Coach for Team USA at the 2007 and 2009 FINA World Championships.
Uhhhhhh. Why?
Very surprising- I thought for sure it would be Dave Durden. He’s never (in my knowledge)
held the head coach position of a major international team, and with his resume he certainly deserves it. I suppose they chose coach Bowman for his unmatched experience?
I’m surprised because I didn’t think Bowman was coaching anymore.
Exactly- seems kind of abrupt to me.
he said he would take off one year only…world champs are around the time of the olympics…so it’s been a year. makes perfect sense.
conflict of interest? us head coach and also consulting british and turkish federations! wonder if the president of the usa would be allowed to consult with israel or china?
None of us should chagrin anyone in the swimming industry for chasing a buck as a consultant or advisor. Insofar as Bowman coaches, he earns on merits like all others.
Conflict of interest? He’s not coaching another federations NT st the same time not was he coaching. Telling USAs secrets to success in the pool? Hardly. He is the very CEO of a extremely succesful club team and the greatest Olympian of all time. It’s another step above working international clinics and letting people know how he trained his athletes.
If hardly call this chasing a buck too..
I’d* hardly…
Also, then you don’t approve of hiring Salo as well, because he trains some outstanding foreigners as well. How about Durden or Bottom, them too.