Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories

How does a former 800 freestyler from Fiji become an 18-second 50 freestyler in one of the fastest sprint environments in the NCAA? In this episode of the Social Kick Podcast, Arizona State University's Tolu Young shares his incredible journey from the "no rush, no worries" island culture of Fiji to the highly competitive, smack-talking pool deck at ASU. T olu breaks down his unexpected transition...

How does a multi-sport athlete who trained in the pool just 2 to 4 times a week become one of the fastest freestylers in the NCAA? In this episode of the Social Kick Podcast, we sit down with Indiana University sensation Liberty Clark to unpack her wildly unique path to swimming stardom. Growing up in Chico, California, Liberty balanced club volleyball, judo, and soccer with a low-yardage summer l...

Australia’s distance freestyle king has returned! Fresh off a historic performance at the 2026 Australian Trials—where he became the first man since Grant Hackett to sweep the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m Freestyles—Samuel Short joins the Social Kick Podcast to break down exactly how he did it. In this episode, Sam takes us behind the scenes of his elite training block. From brutal high-altitude ca...

In this episode of Social Kick, we are joined by the "Father of NIL," Grant House! As the lead plaintiff in the landmark House v. NCAA case, Grant completely changed the landscape of college sports. But he’s not stopping there. Grant is now focused on educating athletes, speaking at universities across the country, and developing his own performance consulting business. We discuss the evolving wor...

Is Josh Matheny the happiest guy in professional swimming? We caught up with the rising USA breaststroke star after meeting him at the Beyond the Blocks Clinic in Ohio, and he did not disappoint! In this episode of the Social Kick, Josh discusses his unique breaststroke technique—specifically answering the question everyone asks: Why does he open his mouth so wide when he breathes? Josh also opens...

How does a 200 Butterfly and IM swimmer completely reinvent himself to become the American Record holder in the 50 Breaststroke? In this episode of Social Kick, we sit down with sprint powerhouse Van Mathias to discuss his incredible and unconventional swimming journey. Van breaks down how stepping away from the pool to focus on heavy lifting (and bulking up to 235 lbs!) ultimately laid the founda...

What does it actually take to make a living as a professional swimmer? Olympic Silver Medalist and NCAA Champion Anna Peplowski joins Social Kick to pull back the curtain on pro swimming finances, her transition out of NCAA competition, and her road to the LA 2028 Olympics. Anna breaks down the exact numbers behind her professional career, including the $3,750 monthly stipend from USA Swimming, th...

Is he the best underwater kicker of all time? We think so—and so does Coach Dave Durden! In this episode of the Social Kick Podcast, Olympic Gold Medalist and Cal Bear legend Tom Shields joins the crew to talk about his life post-retirement, his new swimming clinics, and his life in Santa Cruz, California.   Tom takes us through his incredible career, revealing the exact moment he realized his und...

Remember the fun of summer league swimming? The relays, the snacks, and hanging out with your friends by the pool? Brian Robbins is bringing that exact energy back to the sport with Grown-Up Swimming, a recreational summer swim league designed specifically for adults.   In this episode of the Social Kick Podcast, Brian, John, and Luke sit down with Brian Robbins to discuss the massive, rapid growt...

The UVA Men’s team has officially arrived. We are joined by the powerhouse freshman duo of Thomas Heilman and Maximus Williamson to recap a historic NCAA season that saw the Virginia men jump into the Top 10. Maximus takes us behind the scenes of his legendary 200 Freestyle win from Lane 8 (and the secret tattoo deal he made with Todd DeSorbo), while Thomas breaks down the "stacked" 100 Butterfly...

In this episode of Social Kick, Bryan and the crew sit down with one of the hottest "free agents" in NCAA swimming: Julian Koch. After an explosive sophomore season at Pitt that saw him jump from a non-qualifier to a top seed in the 100 Freestyle A-Final, Julian has officially entered the transfer portal. Julian breaks down the "overwhelming" 48 hours after his name hit the portal, his recent visi...

In this episode of Social Kick, Olympic swimmer David Johnston opens up about his recent decision to transfer from Texas to Florida, diving deep into the realities of navigating the transfer portal, and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals in collegiate swimming. He candidly shares his struggles with a debilitating shoulder injury, his relentless drive to return to the sport he loves, and his ult...

In this episode of Social Kick, Bryan Lundquist and Dr. John Mullen sit down with Indiana University’s breakout freshman sensation, Josh Bey. After a monster first year that saw him drop 5 seconds in his 200 breaststroke to become the #8 all-time performer (1:48.9) and win the Big 10 title in the 400 IM, Josh pulls back the curtain on the mental and physical grind of elite college swimming. Josh o...

In this episode of the Social Kick Podcast, we welcome back NCAA Champion and Polish Olympian Kacper Stokowski. Known for his legendary celebrations and underwater dominance at NC State, Kacper is now pivoting his competitive drive into the world of sports business. We discuss his new venture, Level Up Mentorship, a platform designed to bridge the gap between young athletes and elite mentors. Kacp...

In this episode of the Social Kick Podcast, we sit down with Sean Kao, the founder and mastermind behind Aquatic Sports Performance (ASP). Sean has revolutionized the way elite swimmers approach the weight room, training some of the fastest athletes on the planet, including Caleb Dressel and Michael Andrew. Sean takes us through his journey from being a sprinter at Arizona State University under t...

The 2026 NCAA Swimming & Diving season is officially in the books! Bryan and John are back from Atlanta (Georgia Tech) to recap a wild week of record-breaking performances and controversial format changes. From the Virginia Women securing an epic 6th straight title to the Texas Men going back-to-back, the dynasties are alive and well—but the sport is changing. We dive deep into the "no B-final...

What happens when a top-tier athlete hits a plateau after five years in the same environment? Isabelle Stadden joins the crew to discuss her "reset" move from Cal to the University of Virginia. After nearly walking away from the sport last summer, Isabelle is back and faster than ever, dropping a massive 2:05 200 Backstroke at Westmont. We dive deep into the differences between the Dave Durden and...

What happens when you’re the first alternate for an Olympic final and get the call only 40 minutes before the blocks? Israeli star Anastasia Gorbenko joins the Social Kick crew to break down the "Paris Drama," her transition from the professional ISL ranks to the Louisville Cardinals, and the story behind the most famous flip turn in breaststroke history. Anastasia discusses the intensity of the "...

Daniel Wiffen and Nathan Wiffen join the Social Kick Podcast to discuss the training, mindset, and recovery behind elite 1500m freestyle swimming. Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen, one of the fastest distance swimmers in the world, shares the unusual recovery routine—including a famous 15-hour nap cycle—that helped power his rise in Olympic swimming. In Episode 288 of the Social Kick Podcast, Daniel...

Gabe Jett is more than just a 1:54 butterflyer; he is a film major, a quiche enthusiast, and a man who has looked the 200 fly yips in the eye and won. In this episode, Gabe joins the Social Kick crew to discuss his evolution from a collegiate standout at Cal to a seasoned professional. He gets remarkably honest about the mental plateau that followed his early success, the fear of the last 50 meter...

Charlotte Crush isn’t just the top high school recruit in the nation — she’s one of the most promising young swimmers in the world. In Episode 286 of Social Kick, we sit down with the Team USA standout and Lakeside Hawks star to explore the mindset, training, and discipline driving her rapid rise. Coming from a family of NCAA champions and elite athletes, Charlotte knows expectations follow her ev...

Jacob Mills is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about young sprinters in world swimming — and for good reason. Standing 6'6" with elite power and rapidly improving efficiency, the British freestyle rising star joins Social Kick after a breakout season that has put the global sprint scene on notice. In this episode, Jacob breaks down the technical transformation that changed his career — cut...

Ryan Erisman is having one of the most eye-opening freshman seasons in college swimming — and he proved it on the world stage. Fresh off a dominant performance at the 2026 Pro Swim Series in Austin, the Cal freshman joins Social Kick to break down what it takes to beat Olympic medalists, manage insane race schedules, and thrive inside the legendary Cal system. Ryan talks about winning the 200 and...

Skyler Smith is swimming some of the best races of her career — right now. In this episode of Social Kick, the UNC senior and U.S. National Team pool member opens up about finding momentum, building confidence, and racing fast without waiting for the perfect taper. From dropping personal bests at the Pro Swim Series to navigating NCAA pressure and setbacks, Skyler shares what it actually takes to...

What does it take to keep going when you’ve already given everything you have? In this episode of Social Kick, we sit down with Andy Donaldson — ultramarathon swimmer, world-record holder, fastest man to swim around Manhattan Island, and the first male swimmer to complete the Ocean’s Seven in a single calendar year. Andy shares the realities behind the swims most people only see in photos: long ho...