SwimSwam Podcast: Claire Tuggle on UVA Commit, Running Her Own Swim Camp

On SwimSwam Podcast, we’re giving you an in-depth listen at all things swimming. Host Coleman Hodges welcomes guests and guest co-hosts alike to get perspective on our ever-changing swimming universe and break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

I sat down with UVA commit and age-group swim star Claire Tuggle. Tuggle took me through her swimming career, which is surprisingly extensive for a 16-year-old. From running her own swim camp for 2 summers to switching her training bases for elevated training and family moves to committing to Virginia as a new high school junior, Tuggle guides us through her swim story so far.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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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.

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coach
4 years ago

It’s really sad that so much pettiness hijacked a podcast of a 16-yr-old girl. We are better than this. Let the kid have her moment.

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  coach
4 years ago

Desorbo is the new Teri McKeever for SwimSwam haters. Soon he’ll be “ruining” all these recruits.

Austinpoolboy
4 years ago

…but Coleman’s roomie photobombing!

Ima Whoophan
4 years ago

Agree with Phillip – when Ms Douglass told Coleman that Todd was in regular contact and advising on workouts for her club team I think everyone viewing (including us Hoo-fans) did a big “YIKES!” But, given that the swim season is likely to be unofficial due to the pandemic, I suspect the NCAA rule makers will give him a slap on the wrist.

Brandi
Reply to  Ima Whoophan
4 years ago

NCAA season will happen, SEC starts Oct 1!

Rolle Tyde
Reply to  Brandi
4 years ago

Thanks Ima, I just went back and listened to Coleman’s K. Douglass interview and that admission is shocking…let’s imagine for a minute if Nick Saban was writing team workouts for highschools that he was recruiting quarterbacks from.

Admin
Reply to  Rolle Tyde
4 years ago

As I understand the rules, coaches are allowed to discuss workouts with high school and club coaches, talk about what they’re doing at the college level, ask coaches what the club athletes are doing, share sets that the UVA coaches are doing. If you read SwimSwam, you’ll regularly see coaches sharing their workouts.

I’ve asked a few coaches about it, and the general thought is that it only crosses a line if the coach is writing workouts for a specific PSA. There’s been some disagreement on whether it matters if that athlete has signed yet.

So, just because the club coach is “using Todd’s workouts,” that doesn’t really mean the same thing as “Todd is writing workouts for Kate and… Read more »

Go Horns
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

It seems a lot of the SwimSwam community is ignorant to the fact that workout sharing between college and clubs is not a rare occurrence.

ATTY
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Since nobody knows exactly what happened, the logical conclusion is for the AD or NCAA to investigate and make a determination.

NC Fan
Reply to  ATTY
4 years ago

Seems like all the same folks who complain about the NCAA not caring about athletes are the same ones saying high school swimmers shouldn’t be allowed to hang out with college swimmers and college coaches shouldn’t be allowed to help club coaches with workouts. That’s pretty absurd. Swimming is a small community with two degrees of separation at most so don’t act like these swimmers don’t all know each other from national/zone meets and camps and that the coaches aren’t all connected. Go find your conspiracies elsewhere and try to help rather than hurt the overall swimming community.

NC Fan
Reply to  NC Fan
4 years ago

And yes, these kids will fly across the country to check out a campus. And if a coach even gave them a FaceTime tour of the campus while the swimmer walked around that is totally fine also because it is still a virtual contact.

USC Swammer
Reply to  NC Fan
4 years ago

That last sentence is not permitted during the dead period. Check with your compliance office.

ATTY 2
Reply to  NC Fan
4 years ago

The issue is the college coach writing workouts for a high school swimmer. That is the issue that should be investigated by the UVA AD and NCAA. All other comments are trying to obscure and detract from what seems like a very clear infraction. All should follow the rules. This isn’t hurting the swim community… well maybe it is hurting the part of the swim community that breaks the rules… but it benefits the vast majority of people who play fair.

Play Fair
Reply to  Ima Whoophan
4 years ago

Why should the consequence for an infraction be different because of the type of season we have? It should be as much of a deterrent as it would be in a regular season. Perhaps the consequence should apply to the next regular season. It will be disgusting if there is no consequence at all. When he breaks the rules, he taints the entire team. Everything that he does/they do and accomplish will be now be viewed through a different lense.

Phillip Tern
4 years ago

That being said, the Desorbo relationship with that Connecticut club coach smells like a big NCAA violation. coaches.

BrianH
Reply to  Phillip Tern
4 years ago

According to the NCAA rules, it should be reported by the coach and/or the coaching staff to the AD. Since the disclosure was made on a recording that they all watched, none of them can claim that they are unaware of an infraction. It should be interesting to see how this plays out.

Dudebro
Reply to  Phillip Tern
4 years ago

Can you explain I have not seen this

Phillip Tern
4 years ago

UVA team has been blessed with great recruiting.

GA Boy
Reply to  Phillip Tern
4 years ago

Maybe because that’s cause their coaches put a lot of focus on recruiting and are good at it? It’s not like these people just wake up one morning and pick Virginia out of a hat. These athletes are highly sought after and Virginia is simply beating everyone. They aren’t blessed, they’ve worked for it. Maybe other colleges should take notes and instead of being annoyed that a new school is doing something new, they should evolve towards the new because it is obviously working better!

Saw Guerrera
Reply to  GA Boy
4 years ago

Or maybe they break the rules like have current swimmers meet recruits on campus tours…

Go Horns
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

It is not against NCAA rules for recruits to meet team members on unofficial visits or have them show them around campus. Please inform yourself.

USC Swammer
Reply to  Go Horns
4 years ago

During a dead period it is. Also there is a pandemic going on so allowing your team to meet with recruits from other States……

Go Horns
Reply to  USC Swammer
4 years ago

As far as I know, dead period means a recruit can’t go do face to face recruiting activities with coaches and an athletic department. It does not mean that they can’t go hang out/meet with members on the team. If that is the case, some NCSU commit mentioned on this same podcast that he got to see some of the team on his unofficial visit. Does that mean that is a violation also? I don’t think so.

GA Boy
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

I’d like for you to cite a rule and a specific occurrence. In addition, that still wouldn’t explain the previous 2 years.

Learn the rules
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

“Current swimmers meet recruits on campus tours….” this is not against any rule. What are you talking about?

Saw Guerrera
Reply to  Learn the rules
4 years ago

You’re trying to tell me that the number 3 female recruit is flying across the US (from a COVID hotspot) to just take a tour on your campus and you don’t have your team hang out with them? Also tell me that as the head coach he isn’t texting them while they’re on campus…she even states in the video they have a great relationship…. she was on the market for a month between the time it was permissible to contact her and the time she committed….

Learn the rules
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

You are trying to tell me that its “breaking the rules” for a prospective student athlete to hang out with team members during an unofficial visit. This is 100% incorrect. There is absolutely no NCAA recruiting rule against this.

She stated in the video that she did not meet face to face with the coaches because it is an NCAA dead period. Recruits can still talk to coaches through other channels (texting, phone, email, etc.) during an NCAA dead period. How do you think recruits are committing during the dead period?

You are trying to accuse someone of “breaking the rules” when you obviously have no idea what the rules are. Troll.

Last edited 4 years ago by Learn the rules
Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

Why are we interviewing Juniors in High School? Brett Hawke is interviewing Olympians and SwimSwam is asking High Schoolers what swimming Desorbo practices are like…..

SCCOACH
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

Because there are only a handful of actual pro American swimmers and they can’t just interview the same people over and over

SCCOACH
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

I also doubt Brett Hawke is putting out daily content

swimapologist
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

“We”? Does Saw Guerrera work at SwimSwam? Is Saw Guerrera related distantly to Guerra? Is Saw referencing a saw that you would use to cut wood? Or something that you saw with your eyes?

I have so many unanswered questions. All of them are better than this question.

Swimswamfan
Reply to  Coleman Hodges
4 years ago

Maybe interview some commits to other schools as well?

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Swimswamfan
4 years ago

Yeah. Never go full-on Hoos.

GA Boy
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

Because it’s good content? Because people want to hear from young swimmers? Because it’s an untapped market? Because young swimmers like the attention? Because it prepares these athletes for more interviews later in their career? Must I continue? Because I can think of more. You don’t have to listen but I listen to them every day.

alum14
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

Would you rather we keep college swimming as unpopular with fan support as possible? I’m sure that will help the health of college swimming

ACC fan
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

If you like Brett Hawk you’ll like Champions Mojo Podcast too. I think Coleman is doing a great job and the more all swimmers, of all ages and levels, are showcased the better for our sport.

Swimmy
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

Also you clearly don’t see that these younger swimmers are catching up to/or already have caught up to the pros and olympians. If you’re looking for fast swimmer interviews you’re getting them here, seems you just want to nit pick

TROBOB
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

Because she is a decent bet to make the Olympic team. I have been watching her for years. She will be top of the line 200, 400, 800 swimmer. Fine IMer as well.

Last edited 4 years ago by TROBOB
Gold Medal Mel Stewart
Reply to  Saw Guerrera
4 years ago

At SwimSwam we strive to cover as many swimmers as we can, and rising talent matters. And, of course, we will cover all of the biggest names in sport on pod.

Nonrevhoofan
4 years ago

Claire – I look forward to meeting you and watching your career continue to blossom – now and once you are officially a member of the Wahoo family!

Sam
Reply to  Nonrevhoofan
4 years ago

and the downvote means….?

Irish Ringer
Reply to  Sam
4 years ago

Maybe people are upset she chose UVA?

Con
Reply to  Irish Ringer
4 years ago

Maybe people wondering if desorbo writing her practices as well.

Swimfan
Reply to  Con
4 years ago

This wins the Internet

tired
Reply to  Sam
4 years ago

it means nobody cares if you’re a uva fan

Tomek
Reply to  Sam
4 years ago

fun?

Nonrevhoofan
Reply to  Nonrevhoofan
4 years ago

Clearly, the downvotes are not about the comment, but about the voters’ dislike of UVA and/or me (and, hopefully, not a 16 yo swimmer or her hoped-for continued successes). For the record: I have never downvoted anything about one of Virginia’s rivals or an athlete who chose to go to another school – I wish everyone would have as much success as possible and may the chips fall as they are meant to fall.

Go Horns
Reply to  Nonrevhoofan
4 years ago

Nonrevhoofan, these are trolls (most likely NCSU fans) who feed off this type of response you are giving them. We as a SwimSwam community should ignore them. Who cares about downvotes/upvotes on a positive comment such as yours?

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Nonrevhoofan
4 years ago

This must be a parody account.

Ol' Longhorn
Reply to  Nonrevhoofan
4 years ago

WTF is a Wahoo anyway?

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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