Medalists seek to promote sport at Baton Rouge swim meet

By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
Advocate sportswriter

Mention the term "water sports" in Louisiana and most people picture a fisherman in a boat.

Four Olympic medalists, led by world-record holders Aaron Peirsol and Brendan Hansen, might help change that perception at Crawfish Aquatics' Gulf States Challenge from Friday to Sunday at the LSU Natatorium.

The Olympians lead a group of elite swimmers in the U.S. Swimming-sanctioned meet expected to attract 800 age-group swimmers.

"We want to promote swimming in Louisiana, especially in the younger age groups," Crawfish Aquatics owner Jan Ripple said. "U.S. Swimming, and Louisiana Swimming, is hurting in numbers, particularly when you look at the number of males vs. females.

"Swimming has to compete with baseball, football, soccer and other sports. There's a real campaign to get more children involved in the sport, especially boys.

"To have a setting such as this, with Olympic athletes and world champions competing in the same arena as age-group athletes is something very special."

Events begin at 5 p.m. Friday. Morning sessions for 13 and over competitors start at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

A series of special 50-meter races for elite swimmers, also including medalists Neil Walker and Nate Dusing, will be held at the end of each morning session. Like Peirsol and Hansen, Walker and Dusing were University of Texas standouts.

An afternoon session for 12 and under swimmers will start at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Ex-Stanford standouts Peter Marshall, Gary Marshall, Randall Bal and Jayme Kramer are also entered.

Four-time Olympic men's coach Eddie Reese of Texas, three-time Olympic men's coach Skip Kenney of Stanford and ex-Alabama coach Don Gambril, a five-time Olympic men's coach, also will be on hand.

Ripple, a former LSU swimmer and world-class triathlete, said the seeds for the meet were planted during a brainstorming session she had with her husband, local dentist and former LSU football player Steve Ripple.

At first, the plan was to bring in one or two top athletes. That's when the Gulf States Challenge really became a fish story.

"We knew if we brought in one guy from Texas, there would still be three others who were medalists last year," Ripple said. "So I called their coach, Eddie Reese. He said the meet would be attractive to all of them, especially because it's in Louisiana where the fishing is great. They all love to fish."

Securing the LSU Natatorium was the next step. Ripple said LSU coach Adam Schmitt, Athletic Director Skip Bertman, and assistant athletic director for Olympic sports Verge Ausberry were receptive to the idea and graciously provided the facility.

The meet has already attracted national attention. U.S. Swimming informed Ripple that FINA, the world swimming association, will send representatives to Baton Rouge to handle drug-testing procedures, in case American or world records are set.

Peirsol won three Olympic gold medals and holds world records in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Hansen was a gold, silver and bronze medalist and holds world records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Dusing and Walker also earned medals in Athens.

Ripple said the friendships her daughter, ex-Parkview Baptist and Stanford swimmer Shelly Ripple Johnston, has with the top swimmers and coaches played in a key role in the development of the meet.

"It really helped that Shelly is friends with all these guys," Ripple said. "Swimmers are really a tight-knit group. I've met them all and watched them for years. They take care of each other and that's what you're seeing.

"Two of the Stanford guys, Peter Marshall and Gary Marshall, turned down the World University Games competition in Turkey to come to Baton Rouge. That's a huge compliment."

Ripple said all the elite swimmers and coaches will be available for autographs and photos during the meet.

Johnston and another top female swimmer with regional ties, Maggie Bowen, will be on hand to advise young swimmers. Bowen, a native of Jackson, Miss., is a former Auburn standout who holds the American record in the 200 individual medley. Bowen's other local tie is that Crawfish Aquatics head coach Jimmy Roberts was her age-group coach when she swam for Jackson's Sunkist team.

Most Louisiana teams are entered in the three-day meet. The two largest local teams, Crawfish Aquatics and Bengal Tiger Aquatic Club, each are set to have more than 100 entries.

Schmitt's new Tiger Aquatic Club which provides summer training for the LSU squad will also get involved, swimming in a 400-medley relay against the ex-Stanford and ex-Texas swimmers.

The goal for all involved will be swimming fast times, Ripple also has an eye on the bigger picture.

"We want the young swimmers in Louisiana to see that these Olympic swimmers are regular people," Ripple said. "Obviously, they have talent, but they also have a great work ethic. And if you have that anything is possible."