A while back I explained exactly how our everyday Olympian (and others just like him) make a living. I wrote about it here. It is slightly less glorified than Michael Jordan's multi-million dollar NBA contract paired with a multi-gazillion dollar shoe deal. In fact, it is a combination of working your butt off on the road traveling to clinics, appearances, and speaking engagements and working your butt of in the pool in order to swim fast and place in the top two in the country to secure your USOC/USA Swimming stipend. Some have suit contracts and other endorsements, too. Mark was once sponsored by TYR (2004-2006) and then was sponsored by Speedo (2007-2008). Suit contracts are usually comprised of base salary (sometimes based off of world rankings--so, again, you gotta be speedy) and performance-based bonuses. At the end of the day, you've got to be fast (and consistently fast) to bring home the cash money.
As most of you know or have heard me blab my big mouth about, the tech-suits threw a wrench into the world of suit contracts. In 2008 Speedo had the fastest suit, so besides a few top tier folks (i.e. Michael Phelps and company), Speedo didn't need guys like our everyday Olympian to sell a suit. They had the market cornered. Thus ended (or just not renewed) Mark's Speedo contract. Then in 2009, a handful of super suits hit the market. In a mad dash and frantic game of musical suits, athletes were ignoring (now maybe we're realizing this was a mistake) the pursuit of a suit contract so that they could have the flexibility to wear the hottest, fastest, suit of the moment. Next, in 2010, the super suits were locked away and athletes were back on the, "Hello my name is _________, and I'd like a suit contract" journey.
Last summer Mark swam great (like SUPER great). He proved, again (it has been 12 years since Mark made his first national team) that he was a force to be reckoned with. But, still not a bite on his, "Hello my name is Mark..." pitch. So it is time to get serious. Mark and his secretary (ME!) are going beyond a mere introduction. We are saying "THIS IS WHY I'D BE GOOD FOR YOUR COMPANY..."
Why the renewed sense of urgency with the suit stuff? Mark attended a national team training camp a couple of weeks ago. The USA Swimming sports psychologist spoke to the team about feeling prepared. He said that it wasn't enough to feel prepared in the water, but that you must be totally prepared outside of the water, too. This includes having the right equipment and feeling confident that you have the means to accomplish your goals (in PhD world we call this "means efficacy"). So, Mark decided that we had had enough close calls with the suits. Remember, in 2009 we were rushing around right up until Mark's race to find him the right suit (Thank you to Nathan Jendrick, Megan's husband, for saving the day!). Then last summer, I was involved in a complicated situation in which our friend, Laure, and I were trying to successfully get a suit shipped from Japan, to France, and then to California in less than a week. If you don't remember the story click here. Well, beyond a pay check, having a suit contract means that your suits, the right suits, are shipped to you before your races. You don't have to worry about the right suit, or the shipping, or how stretched out your old suit is in case you have to wear it again. A brand new suit is just there... like magic. This is now our motivation to lock in a suit contract (though a paycheck would be nice, too). Financially we're hanging in there without a contract, but for Mark (and his confidence), a suit contract would ease the anxiety, nerves, and concern leading up to each race.
At the end of the day it is the swimmer in the suit that swims the race... but, a feeling confident in the suit you wear and the company that stands behind you is key.
Showing posts with label tech suits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tech suits. Show all posts
Friday, April 8, 2011
Monday, July 26, 2010
The traveling swim wife... assuming I make my flight
So, it is that time again. I leave for the USA Swimming Nationals in one week.
While Mark is tapering, I am coordinating my trip to California (where the Nationals will be held). Nationals is my time to shine as a nervous swim wife. I will sit in the stands, talk with the other swimming wives, parents, brothers and sisters, chit chat with sponsors and agents (all of this sounds much more glamourous than it actually is), and pretend like I am cool, calm and collected.
I have booked flights, hired a babysitter (really it is just my mother, Turtle) to stay home with the babe, and I am in the process of planning when, where and how I'll get to meet up with old friends living in the area.
I never really knew if Mark cared that I was at his meets until last summer. Last summer was probably the most nervous either of us (Mark or I) had ever been. There were a lot of things going on (i.e. a new coach, new training arrangement, I had just quit my job in anticipation of going back to school and we were pregnant... talk about pressure!). Last summer was also the summer of the suits.
Last July, as usual, I traveled to Indy to watch Mark race. Mark's races were great (more than great as he set the American record in the 100m breaststroke and 50m breaststroke). Typically I can hope that fast swims are a result of my positive energy and loud cheering, but last summer I feel directly responsible for Mark's swims. Okay, not really. But I do feel ownership in the fact that Mark was able to wear a dry suit during the meet.
My job last summer was to serve as the Official Suit Dryer for the Gangloff family and other Auburn folks that might have needed a dry suit, too. In between prelims and finals I sat in a chair for an hour+ with a tech suit in one hand and a hair dryer in the other. Those things take FOREVER to dry on their own and we just didn't have that kind of time. So, I not only dried Mark's suit, but I also dried a suit for one of his teammates.
This summer, I do not envision myself drying any suits (not that there would be that much to dry anymore), so I expect to take my normal position in the stands.
Since I didn't get to go to France this summer as planned and read a just-for-fun fiction novel (thanks for all of the recommendations!), I will take my book with me on the plane to Cali. I am also contemplating learning to knit. Can you tell that I use my nervous energy on projects?
While Mark is tapering, I am coordinating my trip to California (where the Nationals will be held). Nationals is my time to shine as a nervous swim wife. I will sit in the stands, talk with the other swimming wives, parents, brothers and sisters, chit chat with sponsors and agents (all of this sounds much more glamourous than it actually is), and pretend like I am cool, calm and collected.
I have booked flights, hired a babysitter (really it is just my mother, Turtle) to stay home with the babe, and I am in the process of planning when, where and how I'll get to meet up with old friends living in the area.
I never really knew if Mark cared that I was at his meets until last summer. Last summer was probably the most nervous either of us (Mark or I) had ever been. There were a lot of things going on (i.e. a new coach, new training arrangement, I had just quit my job in anticipation of going back to school and we were pregnant... talk about pressure!). Last summer was also the summer of the suits.
Last July, as usual, I traveled to Indy to watch Mark race. Mark's races were great (more than great as he set the American record in the 100m breaststroke and 50m breaststroke). Typically I can hope that fast swims are a result of my positive energy and loud cheering, but last summer I feel directly responsible for Mark's swims. Okay, not really. But I do feel ownership in the fact that Mark was able to wear a dry suit during the meet.
My job last summer was to serve as the Official Suit Dryer for the Gangloff family and other Auburn folks that might have needed a dry suit, too. In between prelims and finals I sat in a chair for an hour+ with a tech suit in one hand and a hair dryer in the other. Those things take FOREVER to dry on their own and we just didn't have that kind of time. So, I not only dried Mark's suit, but I also dried a suit for one of his teammates.
This summer, I do not envision myself drying any suits (not that there would be that much to dry anymore), so I expect to take my normal position in the stands.
Since I didn't get to go to France this summer as planned and read a just-for-fun fiction novel (thanks for all of the recommendations!), I will take my book with me on the plane to Cali. I am also contemplating learning to knit. Can you tell that I use my nervous energy on projects?
Here is the round up:
Plane ticket... roughly $300
Event tickets... $45
Box of Austin Peanut Butter Crackers... $2.99
Book from the library... free
Getting to sit in the bleechers while your dear husband races for a spot on the Short Course World Championship team, the Long Course World Championship Team and the Pan Pacific Games team... PRICELESS.
If you are wondering about Mark's week-before-the-big-race routine it goes something like this...
Eat, Sleep, Swim, Massage, Rest, watch an entire season of Mad Men and repeat.
If you'd like to send him a good luck note or a few words of wisdom for this traveling swim wife as we head into this year's big meet, feel free to leave a comment or email us at everydayolympian@gmail.com.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
But don't you have a suit contract?
When people ask, "how the heck does Mark make money?" people usually follow up by asking, "sponsorships?"
When you think swimming sponsorships, who do you think of? Speedo? TYR? Nike? You're right. These companies and other suit companies like blueseventy, FINIS and Arena also sponsor athletes. Mark, however, has not been under a suit contract since 2008.
When Mark's Speedo contract ended in 2008 he floated contractless. 2009 was the year of the high-tech suits and suit contracts weren't really happening. Companies weren't particularly interested and when there was interest, athletes were afraid to sign and risk missing out on the next fastest suit. It was a mess.
Ugh.
Mark spoke with his agent yesterday. When I asked how the conversation unfolded (remember, it is all I can do to just ask and not nag), Mark responded, "I just have to swim fast at nationals. Period."
It's okay. We'll be fine. We've done okay without a suit contract for 18 months. And, I have no doubt that mark will "just swim fast."
In the mean time I have been brainstorming (like any swim wife would) about ways that I can help our average, everyday, Olympian get a little support behind him. I have decided, with the help/push/nudge of one of my mentor swim wives (the wife of a 2x Austrailian swimmer... okay, fine, you guessed it-Brett Hawke's wife. Brett Hawke is Mark's coach, therefore, my coach-in-law which means that Brett's wife and I are practically family) that I will be pursuing local sponsorship opportunities for Mark this fall.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Religion and tech suits
I received a comment on my facebook page a few days ago from Leah Gram... it read:
Well, Leah, you were right to think that I have an opinion about this one. And, now that you've asked, I feel compelled to run my big mouth on the topic (today and probably every so often over the course of this blog). The only problem is that my opinion has changed over the course of the last 18 months.
The other night Mark and I were eating dinner on the porch. We were recapping the Paris Open (at which he was pretty much AWESOME--if I do say so myself) and he said, "Man, I'm glad the suits are out." He was referring to the tech suits.
I remember in 2008 when Mark first slipped into a Speedo LZR he thought it was awesome. Then, last year when he wore the Jaked he felt unstoppable. The only problem was that everyone else felt this way (and it was true), too. So many people were swimming fast. Though this was great, it seemed to take the mystery, excitement and passion out of fast swims (I'm not hating on the suits... at the time, we loved them as much as the next guy).
I did not travel to the World Championships last summer with Mark (boo), but Mark later told me that world record swims were becoming so common that no one really even seemed to care (I'm sure this is an exageration). Mark says that he remembers the moment that he saw a world record swim for the first time. He says that he remembers almost all of the world record swims that he has seen since then (stroke technique, breathing patterns, celebrations at the wall). But last summer, world records were falling so fast that he doesn't quite remember them like he used to (this may also be his old age... our Old Man River is the oldest in his event most of the time); fast swims and records had become the norm.
What I loved about the suit drama was the drama (Mark hated this). I loved the discussion boards, the arguments, the meetings and rulings and the subsequent press releases. And, the suit contraversy definitely created a wave of drama. Though this drama increased television viewership and swimming conversation among non swimmers and mainstream media, it was no good for the athletes. Remind me to tell you about the time that Mark ripped his suit at nationals hours before his race and had to send everyone on, what seemed like a wild goose chase, a mission to find him a suit to wear; I hate to give the ending away but Megan Jendrick's husband was the big hero of the day.
Anyway, now that the "suits are out" I can't wait to see a world record swim (and it will happen). I can't wait to hear Rowdy Gaines shout, "He did it! He did it!" A world record swim in a textile will be a thrill for all of us waiting eagerly in the stands and a textile-only existence will ease the stress of athletes like Mark.
So, without boring those who may not know, or who may not care, about the tech suit controversy, my official opinion is...
I like fast swimming. I liked watching the fast swims in the high tech suits, but I am going to like the fast swims in textile suits, too (maybe more).
In Mark's words, "It is now back to being all about the swimming..."
My opinion, and personal angst, over what the tech suits did for sponsorship of average, everyday Olympians will come in the next few weeks.
"I have also been interested in the suit drama over the past year or so. I was wondering what your thoughts are. Or is this too much like asking about religion and politics?"
Well, Leah, you were right to think that I have an opinion about this one. And, now that you've asked, I feel compelled to run my big mouth on the topic (today and probably every so often over the course of this blog). The only problem is that my opinion has changed over the course of the last 18 months.
The other night Mark and I were eating dinner on the porch. We were recapping the Paris Open (at which he was pretty much AWESOME--if I do say so myself) and he said, "Man, I'm glad the suits are out." He was referring to the tech suits.
I remember in 2008 when Mark first slipped into a Speedo LZR he thought it was awesome. Then, last year when he wore the Jaked he felt unstoppable. The only problem was that everyone else felt this way (and it was true), too. So many people were swimming fast. Though this was great, it seemed to take the mystery, excitement and passion out of fast swims (I'm not hating on the suits... at the time, we loved them as much as the next guy).
I did not travel to the World Championships last summer with Mark (boo), but Mark later told me that world record swims were becoming so common that no one really even seemed to care (I'm sure this is an exageration). Mark says that he remembers the moment that he saw a world record swim for the first time. He says that he remembers almost all of the world record swims that he has seen since then (stroke technique, breathing patterns, celebrations at the wall). But last summer, world records were falling so fast that he doesn't quite remember them like he used to (this may also be his old age... our Old Man River is the oldest in his event most of the time); fast swims and records had become the norm.
What I loved about the suit drama was the drama (Mark hated this). I loved the discussion boards, the arguments, the meetings and rulings and the subsequent press releases. And, the suit contraversy definitely created a wave of drama. Though this drama increased television viewership and swimming conversation among non swimmers and mainstream media, it was no good for the athletes. Remind me to tell you about the time that Mark ripped his suit at nationals hours before his race and had to send everyone on, what seemed like a wild goose chase, a mission to find him a suit to wear; I hate to give the ending away but Megan Jendrick's husband was the big hero of the day.
Anyway, now that the "suits are out" I can't wait to see a world record swim (and it will happen). I can't wait to hear Rowdy Gaines shout, "He did it! He did it!" A world record swim in a textile will be a thrill for all of us waiting eagerly in the stands and a textile-only existence will ease the stress of athletes like Mark.
So, without boring those who may not know, or who may not care, about the tech suit controversy, my official opinion is...
I like fast swimming. I liked watching the fast swims in the high tech suits, but I am going to like the fast swims in textile suits, too (maybe more).
In Mark's words, "It is now back to being all about the swimming..."
My opinion, and personal angst, over what the tech suits did for sponsorship of average, everyday Olympians will come in the next few weeks.
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