What is your swimming fantasy, racing Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin or Missy Franklin? Maybe it’s a little more odd, like playing Marco Polo or capture the greased watermelon with the 2012 Olympic Team? Whatever it may be, we came to close to creating the ideal swim fantasy last weekend at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
USA Swimming Foundation’s Fantasy Camp delivered a full-immersion experience into Olympic training and fun. Hosted by Rowdy Gaines, Coach David Marsh, Janet Evans, Ricky Berens, Garrett Weber-Gale and I, it included four training/techinque workouts + video analysis, nutritional instruction from the Weber-Gale (aka The Athletic Foodie), nights in the Olympic dorms and social fun with USA Swimming leadership. Fantasy camp was geared toward masters swimmers and attracted many US Masters National finalists and even an English Channel Swimmer.
Thankfully, Coach David Marsh, CEO of SwimMAC, became our resident videographer. His Vine Videos are below and I’ve cobbled together photos from friends and the USA Swimming Foundation for an inside look. While there are no firm plans for the next Fantasy Camp, I’m pretty sure another will be hosted in the future as it was all for a good cause, support of the USA Swimming Foundation’s mission to Save Lives and Build Champions.
David Marsh Message: Streamline!
David Marsh Message: Kick Faster!
Ricky Berens’ perfect streamline – via Marsh Vine:
Fantasy Camp video analysis with Olympic Champion Ricky Berens (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
Fantasy Camp Video Analysis, the bullpen, where the magic happens (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
Garrett Weber-Gale, the Athletic Foodie, hosted a talk on nutrition at the 2013 Fantasy Camp (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
Janet Evans, the greatest distance swimmer of all-time, stops in on Garrett’s nutritional talk at the 2013 Fantasy Camp (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
David Marsh leads one of the many technique workouts at the 2013 Fantasy Camp (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
2013 Fantasy Camp, ondeck at the Olympic Training Center Pool (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
Olympic Coach David Marsh and Olympians Rowdy Gaines, Janet Evans, Ricky Berens & Mel Stewart (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
Fantasy Campers! (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
Many thanks to BMW, who drove us everywhere during the 2013 Fantasy Camp (courtesy of the USA Swimming Foundation)
Follow the USA Swimming Foundation on Twitter here.
Like the USA Swimming Foundation on Facebook here.
About the USA Swimming Foundation
The USA Swimming Foundation raises funds to support programs that save lives and build champions–in the pool and in life.
As the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, the USA Swimming Foundation works to strengthen the sport from grassroots to gold medals. Whether we’re equipping our children with learn-to-swim skills, or providing financial support to our heroes on the U.S. National Team, the USA Swimming Foundation is dedicated to supporting the pursuit of excellence in our sport and aims to provide the wonderful experience of swimming to kids at all levels across the country.
The USA Swimming Foundation also serves as the home for our U.S. National and Olympic Team Alumni reunions and regional events.
We invite our friends and fans across the country to help us achieve our goals by getting involved as a donor, fundraiser, event attendee or volunteer.
MISSION STATEMENT
The USA Swimming Foundation raises funds to support programs that save lives and build champions in the pool and in life.
THAT was SOME Fantasy Camp!
The actual creation of the videos were SO much more entertaining. 😉