Social Kick

Fresh off his double World Championship titles in the 800 and 1500 freestyle, Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi joins Social Kick! We talk about the meteoric rise that took him from an 8:02 800 to 7:36 in just one year, what it’s like going toe-to-toe with world record holder Bobby Finke, and why his turns still suck (his words, not ours). Ahmed shares his thoughts on racing strategy, aura farming, and his decision to join the Florida Gators to train with Bobby and Katie. Plus, we dig into training sets that sparked his Singapore breakout and why being world champion has only made him hungrier. Oh, and yes—he answers your DMs. Let’s go!

The TYR Summer Championships are here, and we have some hot takes. Bryan and John break down everything from the solo swims in the C finals to the most unexpected performances of the night. In this episode we discuss: The Solo Swims - When only one swimmer shows up to a final...is there a name for that? What's the longest solo swim you'd be willing to do? We get weird on this one. The Return of Caeleb - Is Caeleb Dressel's mojo back? A discussion on the 50 freestyle, what it takes to dominate the race and why strength training is a double-edged sword. Mustache Magic - Is there a correlation between facial hair and speed? We break down some of the most memorable mustaches in swimming and why a stache might be a swimmer's best weapon. The American Swimming Network - Does the USA swimming network have a problem? The gap between the production of high-level meets versus the low-level production of a meet like this one. Let us know what you think in the comments! What were some of the most surprising takeaways from night one? What do you think a "solo swim" should be named?

The 2025 World Championships are in the books, and we've got takes. Who delivered, who flopped, and what the heck happened to all those prelims relay lineups? John and Luke kick off the recap with taper talk and a few questionable Masters training choices before diving deep into the biggest storylines from Singapore: Summer McIntosh’s incredible meet and emotional rollercoaster, Léon Marchand’s stunning 1:52 200 IM, David Popovici’s last-50 death blows, and USA’s medley world record rebound. We break down our picks for: * Individual swim of the meet (Yes, it’s who you think… but we explain why) * Race of the meet (Spoiler: That 800 free was as epic as advertised) * Swimmer of the meet (and what happens if we don’t split by gender?) * Biggest surprise (Some swims sucked… others, just stunning) * Relay of the meet (Hint: Uncensored relay takes inside) * Newcomer spotlight (12-year-old medalist? Say what?) Plus: we rant about USA Swimming’s late 50-stroke bandwagon, float ideas for an unattached all-star relay, and wonder whether World Aquatics' anthem actually slaps. Let us know what we missed. What was your swim of the meet? Subscribe, comment, and follow us on Instagram @socialkickswim for more behind-the-scenes stuff we might not be brave enough to post publicly

Grant House joins Social Kick fresh off a season of huge personal bests at US Nationals! The multi-talented swimmer is well known for his leadership at ASU and, of course, his role as the lead plaintiff in the landmark NCAA antitrust lawsuit 'House v. NCAA' which bears his name. Grant unpacks the unfiltered truth about the lawsuit and its origins, how he has dealt with public backlash, and why he chose to stay in the fight for athlete rights. Plus, Grant offers his candid thoughts on swimming's "soft" image and the need for more rivalries. Grant also shares about his training and some go-to sets the world-class ASU training group does under coach Herbie Behm, what he saw from teammates like Patrick Sammon that led to breakthrough performances at Nationals, and how he's preparing for his post-swimming career through his work as a strength coach for pro athletes, including his tips on key dryland exercises for a strong finish!

Rising Team USA talent, Anna Moesch, joins Social Kick fresh off a breakthrough performance at US Nationals where she made her first senior national team with a 6th place finish in a 100 freestyle final stacked with her Virginia Cavalier teammates. Anna tells us about her unorthodox 100 free preparation that led to a massive personal best and what she's most excited about as she prepares to represent Team USA on the world stage. Anna also gives us the background on what she learned from her high-stakes swim-off at last year's Olympic Trials. Of course, this conversation covers Anna's incredible freshman year at UVA including her relay anchor legs for the four-time national champion program. We dive into her mindset transitioning from club to an elite college program, her adaptation to UVA's high-effort training philosophy, and how she deals with training alongside Olympic champions without "falling in their shadow."

Santo Condorelli, a man of many countries and an Olympic finalist, joins Social Kick! We discuss Santo’s unique journey, from brutal high school sets to a stunning 21.6 in the 50 Free, earning him a spot on the US World Championship team.   Santo shares his philosophical approach to training, why he embraces the "hardest" path, and how an unexpected mindset shift led to his recent personal best. We discuss the complexities of the athlete-coach relationship, the realities of being a veteran swimmer, and the vital role of individual expression in a sport often perceived as "soft." Santo also gives us his unfiltered take on rivalries, sponsorships, and the politics of international swimming, revealing a fiercely competitive spirit that drives him.

On this episode of Social Kick we’re joined by rising American sprinter Patrick Sammon, fresh off a breakout season that’s turned heads in the swimming world with his 47-low 100 freestyle at US Nationals that not only earned him earned him a spot on his first World Championship team, he also earned an individual swim and likely spot on US relays as well. Already a standout NCAA finalist and relay contributor for sprint powerhouse, ASU, this long course result is a huge step forward for Patrick and bodes well for coach Herbie Behm’s squad as well as the future of US sprinting.    We also take some time to look back at Patrick’s upbringing, his learnings from last year’s Olympic Trials, and we try to gain some knowledge from one of the most accomplished and awarded students in college swimming.

Cal standout and rising Team USA breaststroker Abby Herscu joins Social Kick fresh off a breakout season that earned her a spot at the 2025 World University Games in Berlin. We dive into Abby’s journey from an age grouper to the NCAA Championship final and her huge personal best in the 200 breaststroke at U.S. Trials—dropping nearly 3.5 seconds to post one of the fastest U.S. times of the year. Abby shares what it’s like training at Cal, how that’s evolved with different coaches, and how creativity and trying new things led to her discovery of strengths that she has used to find continuous improvement. We also talk Olympic Trials takeaways, what drives her progression such as swimming free with no pressure, and what excites her most about competing for Team USA this summer.

He just went 58 in the 100 breaststroke! Campbell McKean, the breakout breaststroker who skipped the 59-second barrier entirely, joins us fresh off his electrifying performance at US Nationals. This ascending American star shares the inside story of winning both sprint breaststroke events and becoming the fastest 18-year-old ever in the 100 breaststroke. We discuss grueling training sets that forged his record-breaking speed, his strategic approach to 50 breaststroke races, and what it feels like to touch the wall knowing you've just upset legends. Campbell also pulls back the curtain on his journey from a swimming family to committing to the University of Texas under the renowned Bob Bowman. We cover everything from resistance training techniques and tech suit preferences to the unexpected realities of balancing elite training with senior year. Get ready for an inspiring conversation with one of swimming's most exciting young talents! Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts! 0:00 - 4:14: Welcome and Early Questions 4:14 - 8:16: US Nationals Victory and Race Strategy 8:16 - 12:47: Training Regimen and Daily Schedule 12:47 - 18:50: Specific Breaststroke Training and Techniques 18:50 - 24:25: Worlds Preparation and Post-Nationals Life 24:25 - 29:08: Swimming Journey and Family Influence 29:08 - 34:00: College Commitment to Texas and Bob Bowman 34:00 - 39:50: Swim Tech and Continuous Improvement 39:50 - 46:38: Physical Attributes, Coaching Changes, and Future Goals 46:38 - 53:50: Rapid Fire Questions and Final Thoughts

Faster everywhere she goes It took a few attempts and many years before Ashley Twichell eventually became an Olympian at age 32, the oldest first time Olympian on the US team in Tokyo, but that wasn’t what she set out to achieve anyway. In this episode, we check in with Ashley a few weeks after giving birth to her 2nd child, which took place during the Kentucky Derby! We cover everything from her journey from Duke to the legendary Mission Viejo workouts with distance guru coach Bill Rose, to winning the 5k World Title in 2017, to making the Tokyo Olympics, and then having her highest pool water finish with a 3rd place at the 2024 Trials. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Three world records in one day?!?!   Superstar paralympian Leanne Smith may be on the best form of her career following her recent performance at the World Series stop in Indianapolis where she won 5 events and broke 3 world records in the 50, 100, and 200 free with all records happening on the same day!    Following her diagnosis with dystonia, Leanne discovered swimming as part of her rehab but but the sport became an athletic pursuit as Leanne has amassed one of the most impressive resumes in swimming. Following her first Paralympics in Tokyo, Leanne smashed the 2022 Worlds where she won 7 gold medals! Then came a health setback that could have derailed her career, but she bounced back to make the 2023 Worlds team and still won a medal. Then came Paris where she won two individual Paralympic gold medals (50 & 100 free) and two silvers on relays.   Leanne is an inspiration and we had so much fun chatting with her and learning from one of the best to ever do it! Enjoy!

Team GB’s backstroker has arrived, and he’s one of the world’s best. Oliver Morgan has been on a rapid rise the last few years including an assault on the British record in the 100 backstroke and now has won the backstroke treble twice at his country’s championship meet. Only fully committing to swimming around age 18, the now 21 year old recently dropped his best time in the 100 to 52.1, close enough to taste a 51 second performance which few men in history have done. In this episode, we chat with Ollie as he looks ahead to the World Championships this summer and discuss how he trains, what he’s learned from years of cycling and football training before focusing on swimming, how he assimilates into Team GB and the great potential for British medley relays. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

With all the conversation surrounding the Enhanced Games, we decided to hop on a live show to discuss the pros, cons, and everything in between!   Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

From crossing the Maui channel at age 10 to rocking the American flag cap for Team USA to becoming the first and only person to complete the Maui Nui triple crossing, Becca Mann has lived a swimming life full of triumphs and tribulations too good not to share with the world, so the accomplished novelist and screenwriter pivoted to non-fiction and wrote a memoir - Outside the Lanes: A Pro Swimmer’s Story of Resilience, Reinvention, and Redefining Success. Becca joins us for a chat about her life, writing books, and swimming. She’s a riot and her energy is contagious. Following a five year break from competition, Becca is back in the pool aiming to get back on the US National team, having moved to North Carolina to join her old friend and World Champion Ashley Twichell in training. Judging by her results thus far, she looks to be right on track.

The Stanford women were on fire this year and it was performances like Caroline Bricker had at NCAAs that led the Cardinal moving up the podium to take the 2nd place trophy back to The Farm. Dropping 12 seconds over the course of 2 years is something age groupers do, not often seen among the elite field who generally are chasing marginal gains and celebrating personal bests by tenths of a second. But not Caroline Bricker. Her self belief, as she explains in this episode, powered her with a winning mindset that she brought to the A final and unleashed on the field to win the 400 IM, pulling away from the Olympic silver medalist in the process to stamp her name in Stanford history as “400 IM U.”   A lot is changing though, with the recent departure of coach Greg Meehan to take the helm at USA Swimming, Caroline updates us on the search process and how other coaches and teammates are stepping in to keep the momentum going into long course season.