This GMM episode is for club owners, swim parents, aspiring coaches—and anyone who wants to understand how modern swimming clubs are built, sustained, and scaled.
When you talk about big swim clubs in the United States, one name swims to the top: Nitro Swimming.
Founded by Mike Koleber and Tracy Koleber Nitro didn’t just pop up overnight—it was built lane by lane, swimmer by swimmer, from the ground up in the suburbs of Austin, Texas. What started as a vision and a handful of kids is now the second-largest swim club in the United States, with thousands of swimmers across multiple locations and a digital footprint that rivals Olympians.
A digital-first world matters for an entrepreneur in any industry. Mike Koleber knows this and has built a social following that rivals the biggest names in our sport. U.S. stars have massive followers, like Michael Phelps‘ 3.7 million on Instagram. You might guess Caeleb Dressel (735,000) or Katie Ledecky (903,000) would come in second–and you would be wrong. Nitro CEO Mike Koleber has the second biggest following on Instagram with 1.6 million (and another 1.5 million on Tik Tok).
Mike joins us to talk:
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What it took to scale Nitro from startup to swimming empire
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How Learn-to-Swim feeds club excellence
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What values drive Nitro’s standout culture
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Why social media became a weapon—and how other teams can follow suit
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And what he’d say to himself on Day One, knowing what he knows now
If you have topics or questions for the most successful swim clubs in the United States, share them in the comments. I am deeply concerned about the state of our sport and the future of swimming. My goal is to better understand what is working, what isn’t, and what we can do to support our clubs and grow the sport of swimming.
Follow Mike Koleber on Instagram here.
Follow Gold Medal Mel on Instagram here.
This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.
Keep plugging! Thanks for all you do!
Great interview Mel & Mike ! Great for all coaches to listen & learn from & he is always willing to share. His a giver & leader and has a wonderful partner in Tracy….
Mel join Mike in his swim in Michigan – Fly 🙂
One idea would be to get rid of all the predators and stop covering for your buddies
Safe Sport has made an impact. Also, we are past the era where far too many people in leadership turned a blind-eye. We are now in an era where “insurance” is putting enormous demands on NGBs, forcing more and more layers of bureaucracy and certification. The overwhelming feedback I’m getting from clubs is that this process needs to be streamlined.
Maybe a certain ego-driven club owner in Austin can finally sell their pool, and Nitro can be the buyer/add a location/revive that location.
It’s kind of funny that Mike isn’t the ego driven club owner in this scenario.
Everybody knows swim coaches don’t have egos.
But it is another Mike, yes?
That probable location essentially is already Nitro with the make shift staff from Bee Cave with possibly a current Cedar Park coach getting ready to join that club. Let the carousel continue to spin.
What’s the biggest club? NCAP? Lakeside?
Probably NCAP, Rockville or Swim Atlanta?!? It has made him rich but rather see the top clubs as far as performance! That is just me!
Performance matters greatly, but at this moment in swimming history our registration is flat, and, considering we are in an Olympic quad, it should not be. I want to know how clubs service their communities, their customers (and clubs are servicing customers) and managing to grow.
Are we not always in an Olympic quad? Unless they are cancelled far in advance?
I sense this may be a learning opportunity for me—but—if an Olympic Quad is the four-year cycle leading up to the Games…when are we *not* in an Olympic quad?
I’m assuming Mel is referring to being in the year following the Olympics, which usually corresponds with a bump in registration.
Bump in reg in a post Oly year matters greatly. I think USA Swimming will be flat. If USA Swimming is lucky, I predict 1-2%, but it’s looking more like a flat year or even a contraction. (However, I do think AAU might roll up any contraction numbers–meaning they (swimmers) will simply move to that national gov body.)
Apologies. We are in a “domestic” Olympic quad. Very rare. The last time we had this opportunity was 1996 Atlanta. I do not think we will see another domestic summer Olympics for 30 years. So, we need to make the most of the next 3 years RIGHT NOW.
It sort of depends on whether you include the swim lessons program or not.
NCAP is what’s most often cited as “biggest club,” though SwimAtlanta may be bigger if you include learn to swim?
A lot of Nitro is also learn to swim, as I’m sure is the case with every big club. But that is what they really focus on. I think it’s fair to say, without judgment either way, that if Mike could make less money and be the best competitive swim club in the country, or more money with lessons, he’s going the lesson route.
By size, NCAP, then Nitro, then Swim Atlanta.
Doesn’t SA use AAU for some of their lesson/intro kids so their numbers might be distorted?!?
I did a podcast with Chris Davis/Swim Atlanta (which drops Tuesday of next week). He breaks down how he works with AAU. And, to answer your question off the top of my head, no, he doesn’t reg “lesson kids” via AAU. Chris said he registers all “competition” swimmers AAU, and if/when they need to swim a USA Swimming meets, then those specific swimmers reg w/USA Swimming.
So I was right! Their numbers are skewed lower because some are AAU. If all were USA swimming then maybe still #2. Not the size has much to do with excellence IMO.
I know you feel different. But several countries have great national programs with MUCH fewer swimmers!