GOLD MEDAL MEL: NOV 26th

SUMMER SANDERS is BACK!

PETER MARSHALL is pure PRO-SWIMMING!

ROB BUTCHER plus US MASTERS SWIMMING = Serious Marketing!

When SUMMER SANDERS swam at any swimming meet, she brought a certain level of easy-going fun that was always a treat. As a multi-Olympic-medalist back in 1992, she captured the hearts of men and women all across the United States. Summer went on to host several TV shows (most notably "Inside the NBA"), and she called the swimming portion of NBC's Telecast of the Olympic Games. After that Summer took a break. She found love with a pro-skier, got married, and had two babies.... Summer's been a mom for a few years now, and has loved every minute of it. Now that her babies are no-longer babies, she's back on the super-star circuit. I caught up with Summer at the 2008 Golden Goggles. As you'll see in the video, she hasn't changed a bit:

I also caught up with Summer at the 2008 Olympic Swimming Trials in Omaha. She was there as a spokesperson for JOHNSON & JOHNSON and 24 HOUR FITNESS. She was with her youngest boy, Spider. Yes, she calls him Spider. Watch the video and see for yourself: We're lucky to have Summer Sanders back. I know she's hitting Hollywood looking for new work. Watch for her soon on TV. Knowing Summer, she'll be a great host for some television series...

PETER MARSHALL! I finally spoke to him by phone. He was in HONG KONG, on vacation, trying to make sense of his swimming success on FINA's WOLRD CUP circuit. Peter, of course, broke two short course meters world records in the 50 and 100m backstroke. I could hear in his voice, over the phone, all the way across the Pacific, that his times were a surprise. He came off a little shell-shocked, in GOOD WAY!  THE BEST WAY!  PETER's on CLOUD NINE!  

I'm writing my GOLD MEDAL MEL column for swimnetwork right now. In it I'm breaking-down the evolution of Peter's progress, and how he got to be where he is now...open to new endorsements, and new training techniques, and more pro-swimming, and more world records in the future. If you haven't seen his world record swim, check it out here! Click on this link! 

As the year progresses, I'll be checking in on Peter Marshall, a man on the cusp of swimming history. Peter's not retiring. He's staying in the game. He is because of a new avenue for our athletes: PRO SWIMMING!!!!

ROB BUTCHER looks like a former Versace Underwear Model, but don't be fooled by his pretty face. Rob's all business and great at his new job: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF US MASTERS SWIMMING. I caught up with Rob at Golden Goggles, where he attended as a member of the CHAMPION'S CLUB, as supporter of the USA Swimming Foundation:

Since August, when Rob came on board, he's been on a crusade to bring all swimmers back to the fold. CASE IN POINT: I didn't swim masters, but I did swim to stay in shape. I did it alone, without any friends or a sense of team and community.  After meeting Rob, I decided to sign up. It was the best decision I've made since I retired from swimming back in 1996. 

I'm going to masters nationals in CLOVIS next spring. I plan to swim some fly and sprint free, but mostly I want to reconnect with a part of my life that was so rewarding. My times aren't bad, but I certainly won't win my age-group. My goals are simple: I want to be healthy and have an incentive to practice and race. I've heard the slogan for years, EVERYONE'S A WINNER IN MASTERS, but I never really understood it... I get it now. My wife's swimming, and loves it. It's been great watching her improve so dramatically. She's coming to CLOVIS NATIONALS too, but I can't promise she'll race. I can promise that she'll help me blog and vlog about all the stories of the meet. I want to play a part in telling as many masters swimmers' narratives as possible.... I've only been in masters 4 months, but I've been making friends with other masters swimmer I can't wait to see in CLOVIS; Tony Austin, Brandon Franklin, Stephan Grant and Kelly Evans Legaspi....

If you're swimming alone, like I was, and want to make your workouts more enjoyable and fun, join US Masters Swimming. Go to www.usms.org and sign up....  

 

Comments

[gold Medal Mel]

Crystal, thanks for checking in.... Rob's a good guy, doing great things with masters swimming.... You should look into it.... :)

[gold Medal Mel]

Crystal, thanks for checking in.... Rob's a good guy, doing great things with masters swimming.... You should look into it.... :)

[Crystal]

summer is absolutely adorable. and i love her response to your last question.

peter's 49.94 in the 100 back, to beat out lochte for the WR is just amazing. i bet he's on cloud 9. good for him :) i'll check back for your swimnetwork post.

bob's looking kinda foxy, you weren't kidding about looking like a former versace underwear model. and he even gave you some kissy love! he seems like a good guy... and definitely doing his part to get the swimmers back into swimming.

thanks for the usms link. i swim every once in a while, every chance i get. i just never really knew there was a legitimate place where i could be as involved with swimming as i wanted. personally, i'd swim every single day if i could (which i think i now have the chance to). so thanks again :P