The first draft of the psych sheets for the 2014 NCSA Junior National Championships, which begin next Tuesday, March 18th, in Orlando, Florida, have been released. The list of swimmers participating are a veritable who’s-who among top junior swimmers in the United States, especially in the Central and Eastern time zones. There are also a few standout entrants from the west coast as well to make things really interesting.
Among the names will include World Championship team member Simone Manuel of the First Colony Swim Team in Houston, who will swim the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles, plus the 100 back and 100 fly.
Joining her in the women’s races include NCAP’s Janet Hu, a National Age Group Record holder, and Beata Nelson from Wisconsin, who’s having a breakout season.
The men’s meet will be highlighted by NCAP’s Andrew Seliskar, who will swim the 50 and 100 backstroke, the 200 breaststroke, the 100 fly, the 50 free, and the 200 IM. He won’t swim the 100 breaststroke in which he recently broke the National High School Record (though that record was since broken).
Carsten Vissering will swim the 100 breaststroke as one of seven entries. The second seed behind him in the 100 breast is 14-year old pro Michael Andrew, who has just 5 weeks left to continue running down National Age Group Records in the 13-14 age group before moving up (he already holds 9 of 14 yards records).
He is actually entered in 14 events, a huge schedule, but with an opportunity to swim 50’s of strokes (not eligible for NAG Records as a 13-14), it’s not an overly-strenuous one. The two entries he has in which he doesn’t already own the NAG Record are the 200 free and the 200 breaststroke.
Tennessee commit Sam McHugh, Nova of Virginia’s Townley Haas, and Crimson Aquatics’ Liam Egan are all also entered in the meet. Those three are all very good in very similar races, and could have a huge battle in the 500 free (all three are seeded under 4:20).
Does MA have a shot at the 200 breast realistically after Reece Whitley’s 1:58? And even if he does get it, Reece will likely re-break it next winter (he stays 14 till December/January time period).
Only six events for Seliskar? No 200 fly or 400IM? Slacking. 🙂
But, seriously, hopes he swims leadoff on the 4×100 free; if his progress in the 100 free in on part with his progress in other events, he should be under 44.
*par
I hope Michael Andrew will scratch the 50 events. Focus your swimming on breaking some more NAG records. I want to see a 46 100 fly, a 47 100 back, a 53 100 breast, and thats all I really want to see. Maybe a 1:37 200 free that would be nice too.
I find the swimmers who do “real” school more impressive: Missy Franklin, Andrew Seliskar, Janet Hu, Katie Ledecky, Caleb Dressel, Simone Manuel, and all of the NCAA swimmers, to name a few. I am sure the home schooled swimmers are smart, etc, etc, but it is much more rigorous to have to do full time school and high-level swimming. They are probably getting a bit better education and most importantly gaining the social skills to succeed in their “lives after swimming.” Some home schooled swimmers: Michael Andrew, Gillian Ryan, Becca Mann, Cierra Runge, Kathleen Baker. Michael Andrew may finish school by 16 but he’s also competing in meets every single weekend (including some meets like NCSA which are Tuesday through… Read more »
I agree with you I go to school everyday then swim immediately after and also before school but he swims multiple times a day for a short amount of time and I hope in-between he does school work but I highly doubt that but also he’s already gone pro as long as something major doesn’t happen to him physically he’s on pace to swim for team USA and he’s probably planning to simply make a living like that.
I didn’t swim competitively growing up, but I did a mixture of homeschool, private school, and public school. While I’ll agree that swimming at the level these kids do while also attending a “real” school is in many ways more rigorous, I would not agree with any implication that it is automatically “better.”
Sure, there are some drawbacks to homeschooling, but there are drawbacks to private and public schools as well. I lived in Fairfax (DC area), for three of my four years of high school. The rigor was great, but you also end up with plenty of borderline-neurotic teenagers whose parents either a) much too much pressure on them or b) are too busy with their jobs to… Read more »
Your generalization and stereotyping about home schooled children is rather inaccurate. Rigorous class work is very possible and very common among the home school community. When is the only time in life when you are put together in groups based almost exclusively on age? In public & private school. Outside of that artificial construct, real-life is interacting with people of multiple ages in various venues across each day. Having met Michael, he seemed to have no problems socializing with adults and young people. If my children (6 of them who are also being home schooled) are able to move around socially as well as I witnessed Michael doing, then I will feel we did a very positive job in our… Read more »
I feel that, at least in the case of GR, BM, CR, and KB, training on teams with other swimmers does help to give them social skills they will need in life. It’s tough to say if what MA’s doing is really preparing him for life after swimming or just a long swimming career, but it’s working wonders now, so no complaints.
So you say that he goes to meets every weekend with hundreds of kids his age? You’re right, I’m not sure when a 14 year old boy surrounded by his peers every weekend could possibly find the time to socialize.
All sarcasm aside, I’ve known a decent number of homeschooled kids, and not all of them were socially impaired. The defining factor, to me, seemed to be the reason why homeschooling was chosen. Some of them have parents who are what I like to call “completely insane,” who chose homeschooling because it would keep their child from being corrupted. Some of the parents genuinely think they can provide a higher quality education while still allowing their child to have a… Read more »
I have to comment. I’m a homeschooled high school sophomore, and swimmer, though not nearly of the same caliber as Missy Franklin, Katie Ledecky, ect. 🙂 My group has 8 practices a week (five afternoons, two mornings, and Saturday morning.) As well juggling high school and club swimming (Captain-elect for the public high school team, 2 time varsity letterman, 2 time state participant) and year round club swimmer (including high school season) I’m also heavily involved in other activities, such as being a leader at a local youth club, my church youth group, and various other things. I swim between 3 and 5 hours a day, just like my public schooled teammates.
I do a mixture of classes at… Read more »
I haven’t seen anything about Caleb Dressel since December… Is he taking a sabbatical?
That’s what I wrote above.
He probably trains like a monster in long course 24/7 to be ready in August. Ready to qualify at least in the US 4X100 free relay team.
But it’s just an assumption from my part.
Perhaps someone has real and fresh news.
I remember he has had some health problems at the US junior nationals.
I hope he’s still alive. His last proof of life on tweeter was on February 5th!
His last big accomplishment in video. 18.94.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UaEan2EYps
WE WANT SOME NEWS!
I share some mutual friends with him. As far as I know, he’s not having anymore health problems and he’s training his butt off. No breaking news of any interest haha I’ll let you know if I hear anything of importance
Alright, I got the scoop for you haha. Apparently, there’s a rumor going around that he’s had shoulder surgery…
Ok. That’s why he hasn’t posted any message on twitter since February 5th! 😆
Sorry but I can’t understand if you’re serious or not.
Naw, I’m dead serious, but I’m not 100% certain. It’s all hearsay, I haven’t talked directly to him or his family.
Flyin’ – just talked to a coach at Bolles, and he’s not had any shoulder surgery.
Ok, thanks, sorry, that’s what I meant about hearsay 😛
Glad to hear that I was write the first time. I feel really bad though, it was my intention to spread rumors; I’ll try to be more careful in future.
*wasn’t lol
Braden, I am sure this is (sad), but true…which is why I so hope Elizabeth Beisel continues swimming – as she is the role model for swimmers who want to attend school (with all the benefits and restrictions!) AND are elite swimmers. I believe the same holds true for Missy Franklin.
Wow…just how does he fit in school work?? He is a great swimmer, but I find the swimmers who juggle school, etc and still post top times (with no private pool, coach, or corporate backing) more impressive.
Marie – he’s taking classes online through Liberty University, and last we spoke to his family was scheduled to finish his high school coursework at around 16.
This is nothing new for elite swimmers. A lot (most??) of the NBAC elite high school swimmers are enrolled in online programs.
Then in case you don’t know, Andrew Seliskar goes to the #1 ranked high school in the US. As if he weren’t impressive enough.
/sorry for hijacking
Presuming you’re referring to the U.S. News & World Report, Thomas Jefferson slipped to #4 this year, but was #1 from 2007-2013. Still none-too-shabby.
/sorryforhijackingyourhijacking
It certainly is impressive and incredibly admirable to see an elite level swimmer managing their commitments in the pool as well as managing a traditional school schedule. My question is, is it desirable to do that just because people on the internet will be more impressed with you? There is nothing wrong with that route, but if you have an option available that yields the same result without putting stresses on your lifestyle, why not?
Michael Andrew is going to be VERY busy then, because he’s swimming all weekend in a number of events at the SCS meet in Plantation starting Friday, and then he’s going to get all of a day’s rest before this short course meet starts.