Regular Season Nov 8, 2009
|
|
|
|
Why is swimming underappreciated as a sport and do you feel like it is capable of growing into something bigger?
|
Kathy Thompson
Owasso High School |
 | Swimming is an underappreciated sport in that it is "under the radar." Many people in Owasso don't even know there is a swim team. Lack of press and facilities are both factors. However, I know it is growing into something bigger because the number of swimmers is increasing. The sport and Owasso's swimmers are getting more press lately; therefore, spreading the word that swimming is a healthy lifelong sport that will be around for a long time! |
|
John Turner
Jenks High School |
 | I think there are several reasons. One would be the difficulty of the sport and the level of commitment it takes to be successful. Swimming is a family commitment, not just the athlete, and that is hard for parents. Both parents, more often than not, have full time jobs. The number of children and the activities each are involved in are important as well. I think media coverage has a great deal to do with the popularity of any activity. A great deal of that can be attributed to the all mighty dollar. I look at some of the "sports" on TV that receive coverage with probably not any larger fan base than swimming and the only reason they are on is because some beer company is sponsoring them. Swimming is one of the most watched events every Olympic year and our enrollment in both club programs and high school programs increase because of that coverage. |
|
Courtney Nichols
Broken Arrow High School |
 | Swimming is underappreciated in Oklahoma due in large part to the fact it is underrepresented in Oklahoma's colleges and universities. No college in Oklahoma has a swimming program. In order to swim in college, Oklahoma swimmers travel to California, Missouri, Florida, even Arkansas where swimming is recognized as a collegiate sport. Swimming is quite capable of growing into something bigger, especially if it is ever reinstated in Oklahoma's colleges and universities. |
|
Phil Brougher
Booker T. Washington High School |
 | I feel that swimming is underappreciated because most people think that swimming is easy, that anyone can do it and do it well if they want. I have add young kids come to me and after a few practices say, wow, swimming is harder than I thought, it is a lot harder than football, basketball or baseball. People just do not realize how much time and effort is involved in being a good swimmer. I wish it could be bigger, but I doubt it will be in the near future or until Tulsa gets a good swimming facility. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
