Versatile IMer Nicklas Bohn Raises Alabama’s Recruiting Presence in Georgia

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Nicklas Bohn, a junior with the Dynamo Swim Club in Atlanta, Georgia, has verbally committed to the University of Alabama. He will arrive in Tuscaloosa in the fall of 2021 as a member of Alabama’s class of 2025.

Bohn, who swam for Forsyth Central High School as a freshman but hasn’t since, has top times as an IMer and mid-distance freestyler, with versatility to support the former as he progresses to college. As a 13-14 in 2017, he won the 200 back at the Southern Premier Meet in Nashville, which is one of the country’s top non-championship club meets annually.

Best Times in Yards:

  • 200 free – 1:41.01
  • 500 free – 4:33.40
  • 1000 free – 9:44.00
  • 1650 free – 16:02.13
  • 100 back – 51.13
  • 200 back – 1:50.29
  • 100 breast – 56.69
  • 200 breast – 2:03.91
  • 100 fly – 52.95
  • 200 fly – 1:55.09
  • 200 IM – 1:50.77
  • 400 IM – 3:55.23

At last year’s SEC Championship meet, it took times of 1:46.4 and 3:50.0, respectively, to score in the men’s IM races. Alabama sophomore Nicholas Perera finished 4th in the 400 IM.

Given geographic proximity, and generally a lack of depth in the in-state swimming, Alabama has relatively-few swimmers from the state of Georgia on their current roster. Last season, they had only 4 on the men’s and women’s teams combined, including freshman Cam Auerbach from the same Dynamo Swim Club. That trend continues, with no public commits in the class of 2020 and Bohn being the first in the class of 2021.

He joins a group that includes SwimSwam Honorable Mention top 25 recruit Nikolas Lee-Bishop, Braden Rollins, Mateo Miceli, Holden Smith, and Ben Hines.

The Alabama men showed some progress under first-year head coach Coley Stickels last season, jumping from 6th place to 4th place in the conference. One path to sustained success would be through a bigger presence from the fertile recruiting grounds to the east in Georgia.

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Togger
4 years ago

Out of interest, as a non-American, why do some kids choose to sit out High School swimming?

One of my favourite swimming memories is helping my school team win an otherwise meaningless local schools relay, when I was completely beaten up, just because I was swimming with my schoolmates (none of them club swimmers).

Hearing my college team mates talk about high school, I’d have given my right arm to compete at a meet like High School state champs.

Hmm
Reply to  Togger
4 years ago

From my experience it has to do with coaching. High school coaches want swimmers to train with the high school team but they might not get the same level of training as a club team. Because of this many club coaches are against high school swimming and swimmers find it easier to just do club

Togger
Reply to  Hmm
4 years ago

Makes sense, though seems a shame they can’t compete anyway.

Swim Parent
Reply to  Togger
4 years ago

Really depends on the state and school. Some states essentially say you can’t do club swimming during high school season and the lack of practice rigor and commitment amidst many (not all, of course) non-year round swimmers leads to bad habits. Also, some schools decide at the school level that swimmers have to go to their practices to compete (some for good reasons such as team camaraderie others just for coach power), so they force swimmers to choose. Those that have to choose will typically choose club if it better aligns with their goals for individual improvement and cuts and for college recruiting. As an aside, many, and becoming most, top high school soccer players in the US are skipping… Read more »

Hmm
Reply to  Swim Parent
4 years ago

Recruiting is a good point. Especially if your events aren’t high school events it makes sense to do club to train for those…anyway, congrats to nick

Burkhard Bohn
Reply to  Hmm
4 years ago

Nicklas does not swim in HS anymore as he transferred to a school after Freshman not offering HS sports.
Roll tide!!!

Togger
Reply to  Swim Parent
4 years ago

Thanks, from a rose tinted view it seems a loss of something uniquely American.

I would expect soccer is heavily influenced by the European system and the relative lack of appeal that gives collegiate sport? Club academies here are signing kids up to six figure contracts at 16. 18 year olds playing under 21s can make 250-500k (GBP) a year, first teamers several million. No college scholarship has that kind of value and kids wanting to play La Liga or EPL know what clubs value is pro experience, not collegiate.

Swim Parent
Reply to  Togger
4 years ago

Yep, that’s what soccer here is trying to replicate. For most still, and especially in sports like swimming with no money for teenagers without the promise of gold medals, the lure of college ‘glory’ and hopefully some scholarship money (though there isn’t a ton to go around especially for boys in swimming) is the main draw.

Doconc
4 years ago

Roll tide! As a parent they do much we like!

Swim Parent
4 years ago

And one of those from Georgia is entering the transfer portal, Liam Bell. With Alabama’s resources and its national push (60% of student body not from Alabama) and Coley’s national reputation and background, he’ll do great bringing top swimmers from across the nation. As with all schools, it’ll have to be a fit with Coley’s unique approach, but even this year’s results with swimmers who ‘weren’t his kids’ show the development possible for those who buy in. Tide is going to rise fast in the SEC.

Ladyvoldisser
Reply to  Swim Parent
4 years ago

A VERY proficient coach and recruiter

Mr. Stay Puff
Reply to  Swim Parent
4 years ago

Why did Bell leave? He was from Georgia I believe.

JohnJ
Reply to  Mr. Stay Puff
4 years ago

Wants to go to an Ivy League school apparently.

Big Daddys Pizza
Reply to  JohnJ
4 years ago

How did you discover this information John J?

SwimInsider
Reply to  JohnJ
4 years ago

What is your source for this information? Is this academically driven?

JCO
4 years ago

Alabama has also just recently picked up Charlie Hawke from Australia for their class of 2021. Big class so far! Also Nicholas Perera placed 4th at SECs this season

Togger
Reply to  JCO
4 years ago

Is he any relative of Brett?

GA Boy
4 years ago

Nick is a good one. Great reputation as a hard worker! Big pick up for Alabama, good for them for finally getting in to the recruiting game in the best state in the country.

Coach
Reply to  GA Boy
4 years ago

But can he make field goals?

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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