You’re probably reading this headline and thinking, “Hm, I don’t know what any of this means,” or, “Hm, I do know what this means,” but both of these probably lead to the question: What does this have anything to do with swimming?!
Here’s the catch: Daniel Lara, who was the subject of the “Damn, Daniel” videos which have been made into countless memes and resulted in enough fame to send he and his friend Josh Holz to “The Ellen Show,” is a swimmer. And that’s why he turned down the modeling contract.
No, he didn’t turn down the contract because of practice conflicts, or because the goggle tan might mess up a nice photo-op. Rather, according to his friend and as reported by Hollywood Life, “Daniel was offered a modeling job this week but he turned down the contract because he wants a swimming scholarship and he can’t have both.”
Darn right. Had he chosen to work with a modeling agency, he’d no longer be eligible for an NCAA scholarship, and he’d have to give up on those dreams. Isn’t that nice?
No, seriously.
Can we just stop and appreciate that this 14-year-old kid surrounded by a ridiculous amount of rapid internet fame is actually thinking about his future instead of selling out? Yes! Yes we can! It may be the only thing from this media circus that is worth giving a few thoughts too. But it’s something.
Lara, a sprint freestyler, is a freshman at Riverside Polytechnic High School in Riverside, CA. He swims club for Riverside Aquatics Association. Poly High’s next dual competition is away on March 10th against Martin Luther King High.
I love that he knows what’s best and he’s 14 years old its amazing…
So then, how do athletes like Missy Franklin (gold medalist London Olympics), Michael Phelps etc, get to swim in college? They get paid based on how they place in the Olympics….
Linda – there is an NCAA ‘loophole’ for federation bonuses awarded at a country’s top international meet (aka, Olympics). That’s a paraphrasing of what the exact rule is, but that exception is fairly explicitly laid out.
Phelps did NOT swim in college due to his pro status and Franklin had to retain amateur status in order to swim with Cal for two years. During those two years she could not take any paid endorsements.
This rule is perfectly reasonable. Though you are allowed to have been a model previously, you can’t continue once you compete at NCAA level as it applies directly to amateurism. It’s dealt with on a case by case basis and with a sport so far from the spotlight I doubt the issue would ever leave the athletic department.
It’s obvious what would happen if this rule were to be repealed. Football and basketball stars would suddenly become models and spokespeople (if they can read/write/speak) for brands and be compensated for their work – work which ties directly to their athletic success and their team branding. No college athlete should be allowed to profit from their talents while in college. Imagine… Read more »
Every time I watch the 200 breast from London I think “Daaaaammmnnnn Daniel!”
How does have a job, make you ineligible for the NCAA?
Honestly how many swimmers work at lifeguards and teach lessons?
Damn. Sprinters get all the looks… and the girls.
He can definitely do the modeling job – someone should relay that to him. The NCAA doesn’t regulate this type of thing in pre-college/athletic scholarship years – Unless there is a specific local high school conference or state rule, he should be able to model prior to entering college. The NCAA rules are stated something like this “unless he or she was working as a professional model before entering college, student-athletes may not permit the use of their picture to advertise or promote the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind.” You are not eligible in any sport if, AFTER you become a (college) student-athlete, you accept any pay for promoting a commercial product or… Read more »
The company won’t be able to use his name in promoting their product. So if they say “damn Daniel” the NCAA with all their wisdom and power will probably consider that to be using his name. The NCAA is a ludicrous money gouging scheme that should be dissolved immediately. They are keeping college athletes from making money so that they may benefit off the athletes backs of those same athletes. I could rant on this forever and I cannot wait until they become irrelevant due to football and basketball players, who they make their money off of, decide to sue the hell out of them. They have set up an incredible monopoly in such a tricky way. Trying to use… Read more »
I don’t understand how a modeling job — unrelated to swimming — would adversely affect his amateur status. If he worked at McDonald’s while in high school, that wouldn’t make him ineligible for the NCAA, right? How would a modeling job — again, assuming it is not connected to swimming — be any different?