It's not just Michael Phelps who will reap the rewards for the incredible performance he put on in Beijing last week.
His eight gold medals will net him millions of dollars, and it will net local swim teams a bunch of new members as well.
"Any time you have the Olympics, there's an increase in interest in sports like swimming," said Pinkerton swimming coach Ed Faszewski, whose team captured its first state title this winter. "I think around Olympic times you see an increase in kids trying it out as a first time. But the numbers of kids will increase (even more) due to the popularity of swimming at these Olympics and Michael Phelps especially."
Even people who wouldn't count themselves among the devoted fans of the sport could not help but be transfixed by Phelps' assault on world and Olympic records. At 23 years old, he captured eight gold medals in China, bumping his career total to 14 (he earned six in Athens), and hedrew huge ratings for NBC. He also broke seven world records and an Olympic record.
A number of local kids who want to test the waters, so to speak, will be more willing to give the sport a try once it gets in-season this winter.
"It's a general interest thing," Faszewski said. "I think with all the publicity it's been getting, the kids see that it's a pretty popular sport in the Olympics, and they will want to be a part of that."
Faszewski is also quick to note that locals could be drawn in by the exploits of prococious 15-year-old Rhode Island native Elizabeth Beisel, who despite her age was considered a contender in several events in Beijing.
"She came in fifth in the 200 backstroke," Faszewski noted. "Things like that can really inspire kids. The kids in this area have an opportunity to swim against swimmers of her talent (if they make it to New England regional competitions) and that carries over to the sport as a whole. Kids can swim in the same races as Olympians that are qualifying for the team. That's big."
But, says Faszewski, it's inconceivable that the swimming world will see someone as uniquely talented as Michael Phelps, no matter how many kids pour into local programs.
"Nobody's even close, aside from Mark Spitz," he said. "But even he was a little before my time. At the time, I might have been only 5 years old. There's never been anybody like that that even comes close. There are people that are specialists. Phelps is excelling in all four strokes. It's unbelievable."
