Friday, June 17, 2022

As we transition into summer, athletic programs are also having transitions of their own, which includes our very own University of Hawai’i Men’s Swimming and Diving team with appointment of new head coach, Michael Stephens. Tune in to today’s conversation as Dave and Michael break down his decision to leave Boston and head the UH Men’s program, physical and intangible traits he looks for when he recruits for athletes, his experience training Olympic athletes, and what the sport culture was like living in Boston.

Good Quotes: “There are so many different ways for people to swim fast and compete at a high level. I think we try to do a really good job in the recruiting process of tracking potential and seeing not just who the fast swimmers are, but who we believe has the opportunity to really grow and develop and have the best four years during college. There are different things, obviously height, wingspan, certain flexibility in their knees and their shoulders, they all kind of factor in. Obviously some will be more important for sprint, vs. middle distance, vs. distance. But, I think a big thing too, some of those intangible characteristics tend to be really, really important. Their grit, their heart for the sport, their care for their teammates, all those different factors that would make somebody go that extra 10% that you would need to do at a really high level.”

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