Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories - Podcasts

62:42

Thomas Heilman & Maximus Williamson: UVA’s Lane 8...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/05/15

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 final and the intense rivalry and camaraderie at the heart of the Cavalier culture. We dive into the

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60:16

Julian Koch on the Transfer Portal, 20lbs of Muscle,...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/05/08

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 visits to powerhouses like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, and the 20-pound muscle transformation that

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75:58

David Johnston Discusses Moving to Florida &...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/05/04

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 ultimate goal for the 2028 Olympics. They discuss everything from what it means to “outwork” the

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60:31

The Josh Bey "Barracuda" Mentality: From Freshman...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/04/24

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 opens up about his "cannon event"—a heart-to-heart meeting in December that saved his season—and how he

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63:30

Kacper Stokowski on Leveling Up Athlete Mentorship &...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/04/18

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. Kacper shares his personal journey from a young swimmer in Poland with unanswered questions to an elite

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60:43

How Sean Kao Built ASP: From a Parents' Garage to...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/04/09

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 the legendary Bob Bowman to building a world-class training facility from a garage. We discuss his

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58:37

NCAA Format Shakeup: Why We Need B-Finals Back & The...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/04/06

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-finals" experiment, the decision to open the meet with the 1650 Freestyle, and why Josh Liendo and Hubi Kos

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58:34

Isabelle Stadden: UVA Reset, Breaking a 5-Year...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/03/23

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 Todd DeSorbo training styles, the "trauma" of training with Ryan Murphy at altitude, and why she’s

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54:07

Anastasia Gorbenko on IM Training, Pro to NCAA...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/03/14

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 "American way" of training, the emotional weight of representing Israel during a time of war, and how

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62:47

Daniel & Nathan Wiffen: The 15-Hour Recovery Secret...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/03/07

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 Wiffen and Nathan Wiffen break down their journey from Loughborough’s high-volume training environment

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48:09

Gabe Jett: Breaking the Yips, Elite Underwaters, and...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/03/01

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 meters, and how building a life involving film and personal relationships actually made him a faster swimmer

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56:57

Charlotte Crush: The #1 Recruit, Team USA, and...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/02/20

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 everywhere. But rather than shy away from the pressure, she’s learned how to channel it — maintaining a

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46:47

Jacob Mills: The 6'6" British Sprint Phenom Chasing...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/02/13

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 — cutting his stroke count dramatically, refining his “big man” freestyle, and learning how to balance raw

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60:13

Ryan Erisman: Beating Olympians & a Breakout Freshman...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/02/06

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 400 free, dropping massive time in the 1500, and racing everything from the 200 fly to the 100 free —

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65:08

Skyler Smith: Breaststroke, Confidence & Racing...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/01/30

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 stay dangerous across a long season. This conversation goes deep into breaststroke — how it works for

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74:33

Andy Donaldson: Ultramarathon Swimming, Purpose & 4...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/01/25

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 hours in dark water, brutal conditions, sickness, fear, and the moments where progress feels impossible

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43:45

Eva Okaro on NCAA Swimming, Texas Culture & Breaking...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/01/20

British Olympian Eva Okaro joins Social Kick to talk about her breakout freshman season at the University of Texas, adapting to NCAA swimming, and why fun, confidence, and environment have fueled her early success. Eva shares what it’s really like moving from Team GB to Texas, adjusting to short course yards, handling tougher training, and surrounding herself with athletes who push each other daily. She also opens up about mindset shifts, embracing change, international competition, and what excites

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80:34

Dave Durden: How Cal Swimming Builds Champions &...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2026/01/11

Legendary coach Dave Durden joins Social Kick to talk culture, champions, and what really matters in elite swim training.As the head coach of the California Golden Bears, Dave has built one of the most successful programs in college swimming history, developing Olympic champions and sustained excellence. In this episode, he breaks down his coaching philosophy, why evaluating how athletes move in the water matters more than times, and how long-term planning shapes winning environments. We also dive

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54:21

Swimming’s Best, Worst, and Weirdest Moments of 2025....

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2025/12/28

Dude, what a year.”In this year-end episode of The Social Kick Podcast, the full crew — Bryan Lundquist, Dr. John Mullen, and Luke Paddington — gets together to close out 2025 by debating the most unforgettable moments in swimming. We break down the races that defined the year, from Leon Marchand skipping the 1:53s entirely in the 200 IM to Katie Ledecky breaking the 15-minute barrier at a home invitational. We also dig into the moments that sparked debate and disbelief, including the Florida relay

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47:17

John Shortt: World Junior Gold, Elite Backstroke...

Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories ·

2025/12/19

John Shortt is emerging as one of the most exciting young backstrokers in the world.In this episode of The Social Kick Podcast, the Irish standout and World Junior Champion joins us to talk through his rapid rise on the international stage, including his performances at World Juniors and the European Short Course Championships. Known for his closing speed and elite turns, John breaks down the technical details that separate his backstroke and how years of training in a 20-meter pool shaped his

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