How I Learned to Love Mel Stewart

If, like me, you are a rabid consumer of all things Swimswam, you may have noticed that I found myself a byline there a couple days ago. I'm immensely proud to be involved with them for a simple reason: I believe that Swimswam is providing bar none the best swimming content in the world. I am getting a chance to help with that, while continuing the work I started here at the Swimbrief.

As Wrestling Leaves the Olympics, Swimming Sighs Relief

Today, many people in the domestic swimming world are discussing the IOC's decision to cut wrestling from the Olympic program. As Braden Keith writes for Swimswam, this is a good thing for swimming. Is it sad that "not getting cut" passes for good news in swimming? Yes! Is it absolutely heartbreaking to see a sport whose decline on the NCAA level has made the recent cuts in men's swimming seem like a minor setback take another hit like this? Absolutely. Is the way the decision came to pass extremely unsettling for the sports that were saved? I think you know the answer.

DeSantis Relocating to Accept Head Blogger Position at Danish Swimming Website

The Viking is just jealous because in Denmark Chris will get to wear cool Nordic armor like this to work every day.

February 4, 2013

Atlanta, GA-- After three seasons as Editor in Chief at the successful website The Swim Brief, Chris DeSantis has accepted a job overseas as the lead blogger for the Danish Swimming website Svimyingk.

Moving to Denmark: Or, How I'm Leaving to Go Home

The Moment

On December 17th, 2011, I stood in the stands at my home pool, shouting out encouragement and shaking a big Danish flag. The Duel in the Pool was underway, and Denmark's star swimmer, Lotte Friis, was under world record pace in the 800 free. I was lined up nearly perfectly with the turn end of the pool. After the race, I went down and sheepishly asked her to take a picture of me. I like this photo because I can now look back on it and realize I was at a massive turning point in my life. I didn't know it yet, but this was the weekend that sent me on a collision course with some big decisions: to change jobs, move roughly 4,000 miles away to a foreign (sort of) country, and to go home.