Competitor Coach of the Month: Mike Bottom, Michigan

Competitor Coach of the Month is a recurring SwimSwam feature shedding light on a U.S.-based coach who has risen above the competition. As with any item of recognition, Competitor Coach of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one coach whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a coach who was clearly in the limelight, or one whose work fell through the cracks a bit more among other stories. If your favorite coach wasn’t selected, feel free to respectfully recognize them in our comment section.

It was a solid month of competition for the Michigan Wolverines.

Coming off a month of July that saw freshman sensation Maggie MacNeil win Worlds gold in the 100 fly, the Wolverines kept things moving with a huge Charlie Swanson gold at Pan American Games.

Heading into this summer, Swanson’s career-best in the 400 IM was 4:14.01, and that in itself was a two-second drop. Swanson ranked 6th nationally that season. But at Pan Ams, he blasted a 4:11.046 that moves him to #2 in the nation, and won Pan Ams gold by a whopping 8 seconds.

Swanson wasn’t the only Michigan swimmer to shine in August. At U.S. Nationals, Miles Smachlo improved his butterflys from 53.08 and 1:57.64 to 51.93 and 1:55.94. He was the national silver medalist in the 200 fly and ranks #3 among Americans this season.

Meanwhile Miranda Tucker improved her lifetime-best in the 100 breast to 1:07.33, taking U.S. Nationals bronze. Sierra Schmidt took home an 800 free silver and 400 free/1500 free bronze at U.S. Nationals. A Michigan collegiate swimmer, Mexico’s Ricardo Vargas won two bronzes at Pan Ams.

 

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Coach K
4 years ago

Mike Bottom has paid his dues. A brilliant coach with a great and very loyal staff that has been around him for a long time. He works hard to maintain a great program. I have worked along side him and know and respect his talents! Congrats on a good choice!

Dunc1952
Reply to  Coach K
4 years ago

Mike remembers and honors from whence he came. In the middle of all these meets all over the world where members of his team/training group were swimming and performing remarkably well, Mike took time out to come to Arizona for the Celebration of Life for Mike Troy after his passing a few weeks ago. Troy had once coached Walnut Creek, where Mike Bottom had been involved in his younger years. Both Mikes, passed and present, were/are class acts.

Afolami olaniyi
Reply to  Coach K
4 years ago

Hi coach… am gonna be digressing a bit, to talk about the impact your team could bring to Nigeria. Nigeria is gradually becoming a nation with good interest on swimming (though on a slow pace). can we discussion on possible opportunities that lies there? you can reach me via mail. [email protected]

Mike Zabel
4 years ago

No different from any other Major Sport NCAA Head Coaches. Its a lot of work and organizational time required

JPaul
4 years ago

Too bad he didn’t make the cut to be a national coach this summer. Maybe he can be on the international scene as the Yemen coach.

Admin
Reply to  JPaul
4 years ago
JPaul
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

He wasn’t at World Championships was he?

Admin
Reply to  JPaul
4 years ago

Not as part of the US coaching staff, but that’s not what a “National Team coach” is in this country.

JPaul
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

So he didn’t make the cut as a US coach this summer. That was my point.

DMacNCheez
4 years ago

Can we accept that Competitor probably just saw a ton of great Michigan swims, looked up the head coach, and credited him? No need to attack him for “taking credit” when all he’s done is be awarded something out of his control

JimSwim22
4 years ago

So I guess Bill Belichick doesn’t matter for the Patriots. He just oversees the operation and doesn’t coach a specific group.
Silly not to credit Coach Bottom for assembling a great staff.

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  JimSwim22
4 years ago

Since you mentioned it, TOM BRADY SUCKS.

Betty
Reply to  Ol' Longhorn
4 years ago

Yeah, darn those six super bowl wins… What a loser…

SeaMonster
4 years ago

He doesn’t coach a single one of these athletes but nice that he takes the credit

Goblue
4 years ago

Schmidt also bronzed in the 1500.

PointOutTheObvious
Reply to  Goblue
4 years ago

Neither of which train with Coach Botttom

Honest Observer
4 years ago

I realize “of the month” refers to August, but another Michigan swimmer who had a fantastic summer was Siobhan Haughey, who had best times in the 50-100-200 frees, missing out on the bronze in the 200 in Gwangju by only .2.

Goblue
Reply to  Honest Observer
4 years ago

If looking outside August what about Gabby Deloof who was athlete of the meet at WUGs

FREESTYLER
Reply to  Honest Observer
4 years ago

Well, in the 200 free, the top 3 contenders elected not to swim due to illnesses and relay obligations

Rachel Wander
Reply to  FREESTYLER
4 years ago

She still had an amazing best time. Breaking 1:55 is a big deal.

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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