How They Train: A Look At the Development of Nashville Aquatic Club’s Spencer Nicholas (Sample Sets)
In a little more than a year, Nashville Aquatic Club swimmer Spencer Nicholas will join the list of superlative high school swimmers matriculating at the University of Virginia. According to Swimcloud.com, Nicholas, a rising senior at Martin Luther King High School, is the Volunteer state’s second-ranked prospect for the Class of 2024 (68th nationally). He is also the current Tennessee state champion in the 100 yard back (48.20) and 100 fly (46.74), having finished second (48.29) and first (47.47), respectively, in 2022. Last September, he attended the National Select Camp in Colorado Springs.
His best short course times as of May are impressive:
- 100 fly: 46.74 (Winter U.S. Open, 968*)
- 100 back: 47.63 (Summer Jrs., 968*)
- 100 breast: 54.79 (Summer Jrs., 929*)
- 200 IM: 1:47.27 (Summer Jrs., 954*)
- 400 IM: 3:56.34 (Winter Jrs., 864*)
- 50 Free: 20.21 (Summer Jrs., 886*)
- 100 free: 46.18 (Futures, 796*)
- 200 Free: 1:42.37 (AAA, 750*)
* These numbers refer to USA Swimming Power Point totals.
Nicholas has been training in NAC’s top-level group since he was 11. “We’ve seen him through lots of transitions in terms of best events, training/physiological adaptations and peer groups,” says his coach, Doug Wharam. “It’s allowed us to really hone in on what makes him tick. His continued improvement from season to season has been steady,” though a broken elbow short-circuited a promising 2022 long course season. “To his credit, he took that in stride. He endured a five-month recovery and has since really elevated all he does, showing real promise for a fun 2023 LC season.
“It’s always great when one of your most successful athletes is also one of your leaders—that’s Spencer,” says Wharam. “He leads by example and is quite vocal. He and his teammates have built a really strong training culture on the male side of our program.
“Spencer is generally a happy guy at practice regardless of practice outcome. He is focused without being too serious and understands that one bad day does not mean the end of the world, nor does one good day allow him to sit back and rest.
“He is inquisitive, constantly searching for ways to improve and is always asking for feedback. Spencer also likes to make things harder. In training, he will often add kicking 12.5 underwater or something fast at the end of sets.
“In practice, he is always here, always leading from the front,” says Wharam. “He’s very focused on distance per stroke right now and his top-end speed has continued to improve season-to-season.”
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Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” is in its third printing, and is available from store.Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and distributors worldwide.