Teaser: Coach Bob Bowman, now back with the North Baltimore Aquatic Club after three-and-a-half years in Michigan, is definitely one of the masters of his trade. His vision and molding skills helped guide Michael Phelps to never-before-seen heights.
Behind all masterpieces, there is an element of genius. Think Michelangelo and his statue of David. Think the Mona Lisa, the grand work of Leonardo da Vinci. Think Water Lilies, the famed oil painting of Claude Monet. All own a place in history— all crafted by men among the greatest at their endeavors.
It’s not difficult to pinpoint the masterpiece of the Beijing Olympics. It was the snowman rolled by Michael Phelps, his eight gold medals won in both dominating and dramatic fashion. Phelps, too, is the masterpiece of our sport, seemingly designed for legendary status—from his body type to his mental acuity.
Yet, for all of Phelps’ unmatched attributes, someone has had to stroke the brush just right. Someone has had to sculpt the right angles. That man—genius status hardly a stretch—has been molding his masterpiece for a dozen years. His name is Bob Bowman.
MINING GOLD
It was mid-afternoon the day after Thanksgiving and Bob Bowman had an easy sound to his voice. Maybe the tryptophan hadn’t entirely exited his system just yet. Or maybe Bowman is somewhat relaxed these days, his grand production not world, but by the athletic universe.
It’s been a little more than a decade since Michael Phelps walked onto Bowman’s pool deck old, but Bowman saw something special. Soon after that first glimpse, Bowman was approaching the prodigy’s parents and suggesting—at the risk of being branded a lunatic—that this pre-teen could be an Olympic champion.
The great ones have impeccable vision, the ability to think outside the box. This group includes Bowman, a man with the old...a man who could foresee a world record a few months later...a man who thought Mark Spitz’s Olympic excellence of 1972 could be matched—and passed. Call him Nostradamus of the Pool.
By now, the story is pretty well known. Phelps qualified for those 2000 Games. He set his first global standard before he could drive. He won eight medals at the Athens Olympics, six of the gold variety. He took home seven gold medals at the 2007 World Championships. And, of course, there were the eight gold medals from Beijing—many in routs, a pair won by a fingernail.
Has there been time to digest it all?
“Things have been pretty busy,” Bowman told Swimming World Magazine. "But if I get a quiet moment here or there, I’ll think about how very special the whole thing was. There were so many things that could have gone wrong, and none of them did. Michael had himself so well prepared. You look at the 400 free relay and (Jason Lezak) was wonderful. But it also took an American record from Michael leading off. He was prepared to do the job.”
Bowman has always had Phelps prepared, the result of a working relationship that has featured many more ups than downs. Sure, there have been disagreements between the duo—even the occasional ejection from practice. There have been a couple of injuries along the way, too. Nothing, however, has interrupted Bowman’s grand plan.
That blueprint is constantly evolving, so even as Bowman spent some beach time following the Beijing Games and visited Arizona for a little more vacation, the wheels continued to turn. Count on Phelps trusting in his mentor, but equally important, someone he considers a close
friend.
“I’ve said this all along,” Phelps said in Beijing. “I don’t think I’d be where I am today with any other coach.”
PAYING HIS DUES
Looking at Bob Bowman today, it would be easy to think he’s been on top of the sport seemingly forever. He’ll be the United States men’s coach at this summer’s World Championships in Rome, the second consecutive time he’s held that position. And he figures to be a strong possibility for head-coaching duties at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Bowman, though, has traveled a long road to his current status. Since graduating from Florida State, he has held various assistant- and head-coaching positions, including stops with the Cincinnati Marlins, the Las Vegas Gold Swim Team and the Napa Valley Swim Club. In 1996, however, Bowman started to ponder a future away from the water.
Although prepared to take an assistant’s job with David Marsh at Auburn, a slot that would pay him a stipend of $100,000, Bowman was looking at the bigger picture. While at Auburn, he would earn a graduate degree and move on with his life. Then came a call from Murray Stephens, the
founder of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. After asking Bowman what he would receive at Auburn, Stephens uttered the following words that changed Bowman’s mind: "How about $35,000?"
With that offer, Bowman landed in Maryland and—need we say it—the rest is history.
“It’s not easy,” Bowman said. “Right before I met Michael, I was frustrated. I felt I had worked hard enough, but thought I was never going to get there. Then I joined (NBAC), became re-energized and this kid comes into my group.
“My advice is to work with the best program possible, and learn from those who do the job well. I think joining a program is better than starting your own from scratch. I encourage working at the grassroots level, which is the best place to work on problem-solving skills. It’s important to take something from everyone you work with. My style is a mix of the individuals I learned from—Paul Bergen, Dave Marsh, Murray Stephens.”
Known for being a taskmaster of sorts, Bowman is a high-demand type. His practices—as Phelps has attested through the years—have the feeling that they were constructed by a sadist. Practice doesn’t make perfect in his book. Perfect practices make perfect.
Leaning on what he’s learned through the years, Bowman understands what characteristics make a top-flight coach. In addition to setting the level of expectation, Bowman is keen on providing support—through the good and bad times. Third, and probably the most obvious, is stressing proper technique and high levels of fitness.
“One of the reasons why Bob is such a good coach is that he honestly cares about a swimmer’s success, as evident by his actions,” said Jamie Barone, a former nationally ranked breaststroker who trained under Bowman at NBAC and with Club Wolverine.
“I can’t remember a day where I got to the pool for morning practice and his car wasn’t in the parking lot, and I don’t remember a day where he left the pool before me. He was 100 percent dedicated to his athletes. He also has the ability to cater his approach to each swimmer. I believe the analogy he used was that not every swimmer is a nail, so using a hammer on everyone won’t work. He has many tools in his bag and can pick and choose based on each swimmer’s personality and abilities.”
MOVING FORWARD
Departing NBAC for the head posts at the University of Michigan and Club Wolverine after the 2004 Olympics, Bowman is now back in Baltimore. He has assumed the chief executive officer role and head-coaching duties at NBAC and-along with Phelps- is striving to make North Baltimore the premier club in the world.
With Phelps returning to full-time training this month, a goal has been established to feature an elite training group of about 10-12 swimmers. One of the members will be Katie Hoff, who began training with Bowman six weeks after the Beijing Olympics. But there is more on Bowman’s mind than simply that elite collection. He envisions expansion for NBAC--by number and facility.
“I think we have several challenges ahead,” said Bowman, who indicated he’d like to see the club grow to about 400 members within five years, up from the roughly 210 it currently boasts. "We want to feature a comprehensive program—from beginners to those chasing Olympic gold... and everything in between. I’m not sure that’s ever been done.”
While the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center is the primary venue these days, another facility is likely in the future. Whether the new building is constructed from scratch or whether an existing building is renovated remains to be seen. What’s next for Phelps and Hoff, too, is a question. Bowman will help provide the answers.
After concluding his Beijing program, Phelps spoke of exploring a different schedule, testing his vast skills in different events. He vowed he was through with the 400 IM, but would discuss with Bowman the plans for the future. An agenda has been set.
“I’m definitely excited to see him in some different events,” Bowman said. “And he’s into it. I’d love to see what he can do in the 100 and 200 backstrokes (on a major stage), and he’s interested in the new challenges ahead. It’s time to see how fast he can go in some other events, and he’s in position to do that. From this point forward, everything is gravy. If he doesn’t ever race again, he’s still the greatest of all time.”
As for Hoff, Bowman is working with a female with versatility similar to that of Phelps. Qualified for Beijing in five individual events, Hoff left Beijing with a silver medal in the 400 freestyle and bronze in the 400 individual medley. She was fourth in the 200 free and 200 IM. Upon her return to the United States, Hoff took a six week break before beginning to work with Bowman, opting for a coaching change from Paul Yetter.
"I think Katie can improve quite a bit," Bowman said. “We’re going to do some different things with her training that will allow her to handle a program (like Beijing) a little bit better, not to say she’s going to do that program again. I think she’s just starting to scratch the surface in the freestyle, and she still has the medleys.”
GREATNESS ACHIEVED
For all the great athletes in swimming’s history—Tracy Caulkins, Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps among them—there have been an equal number of great coaches, the likes of Bob Kiphuth, Doc Counsilman and Mark Schubert, to mention a few.
Count Bob Bowman as one of the masters of his trade. A little more than a decade ago, an 11-year-old strolled onto Bowman’s deck with the ability to dominate the sport like no one before him. But it took Bowman’s vision and molding skills to guide Michael Phelps to never-before seen heights.
Call him an artist, creator of a masterpiece