In late July, ASU Swimming and Dive head coach Bob Bowman made a bold move: He decided to redshirt his entire program amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bowman, along with the team, came to a consensus that it was best to put this school year's efforts toward training for the 2021-22 swimming season and the 2021 Olympic trials.
Still, months after that decision, Bowman said the benefits “are being realized thus far.”
“In the first semester, we are not really concerned with competition at all, and we are just concerned with trying to get back to a fitness level after missing an unprecedented amount of time this summer," said Bowman.
Part of this outside-the-box idea was trying to compile a uniquely stacked roster, with seniors from this year granted an extra year of eligibility.
READ MORE: ASU men's and women's swim and dive teams to redshirt 2020-21 season
"I’m very pleased that we are going to be able to take a very talented senior class from this year and combine it with the incoming freshman class of 2021," Bowman said. "That really is a great combination for us in terms of concentrating talent and really moving up in the world.”
Bowman, who coached 23-time Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps, is looking to prepare his Olympic swimmers for the 2021 Olympic Trials, which will begin in June. Sun Devils participating in those trials will have the opportunity to qualify for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo with a strong performance.
One of those swimmers set to compete in the trials is reigning Pac-12 Freshman Swimmer of the Year, Jack Dolan. Dolan said he appreciated this methodical approach of Bowman, citing his experience in training for Olympic competition.
"It’s a cool thing to be a part of, to adapt in a way that no one has really had to before and see where it goes from there,” Dolan said. "Bob has done this countless times before, and he really knows what he's doing when it comes to focusing on the details as we approach trials."
Associate head coach Rachel Stratton-Mills said she's seen athletes in the program progress in certain aspects of swimming, which would be harder to improve upon in a normal season.
"I’ve seen more developments in technical aspects this year in this much time that I’ve ever seen,” Stratton-Mills said. “For some reason, without the presence of those competitions, they’ve just been able to take the feedback that our coaches have given them and make some adjustments.”
With no NCAA meets or tournaments to worry about, Stratton-Mills has appreciated the extra time to sharpen these types of skills.
“Let’s just worry about how hard your head is turning when you take a breath, what your body position looks like on that stroke," Stratton-Mills said. "Those are things that we are always trying to fix, but I think there is something about this year and not feeling like we have to be at full speed.”
Freshman swimmer Lindsay Looney said the program's decision has helped the team establish camaraderie as well as a consistent regimen of training.
“Being able to come together as a team and just figure out what we are going to be like for the rest of the year is really important and really exciting," Looney said. "Having the opportunity to redshirt this year has given us a direction during this pandemic.”
Stratton-Mills said the mood around the Mona Plummer Aquatic Complex is a positive one.
“There is a lot of energy and optimism," Stratton-Mills said. "They know what's coming and they know how hard we’ve worked to get the team to the level it is at now."
Reach the reporter at ltochter@asu.edu and follow @Leo_Toch on Twitter.
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