Creating highlight videos is a crucial part of the recruiting process. It's pretty straightforward for sports like basketball, softball, or tennis: show your best shots, throws, or swings. But what about racing sports, like swimming? In an interview with Boston University's swim coach, Bill Smyth, we get an idea of what swim coaches want to see on video:

“Prospective swimmers should send in their best race videos, particularly a race of your fastest time in your best event. Stroke technique, turns, and kicking ability are the three things that jump out at Smyth when he sees these videos, as it will give him more of an idea of what he could potentially be working with”

Boston University Swim and Dive Coach Bill Smyth Reveals His Expectations for Incoming Athletes

There are 5 key takeaways from Coach Smyth's advice:

1. Send videos of your best race: Show your best times, and show yourself against tough competition. A video where you are a lap ahead of a bunch of slow swimmers, but you finish with a less-than-good time is less impressive than a race where you're neck-and-neck with high-level competition and finish with a new PR.
2. Show stroke technique: Coaches want to see technique; this is a more coachable skill, but if you start with a solid technique, it's easier for them to work with.
3. Show turns: In a close race, how you take a turn can mean a win or loss. Coaches want to see that you're smart and efficient on the turns.
4. Show Kicking ability: In a sport where you're judged on both speed and technique, your legs play a crucial role in being a successful swimmer, so showing film of your kicking ability is a great way for coaches to get an idea of what kind of athlete you are.
5. Identify Yourself: Don't forget this step! In a pool with lots of swimmers making a splash, it's hard to identify just one athlete. Identifying which lane you're in makes it easier for coaches to know who to watch.

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* Originally published on February 11, 2022, by Thomas Walker