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University of Texas Coaches Eddie Reese and Matt Scoggin Talk Longhorn Success
By Dan D’Addona
Photos by Texas Athletics
“All for one, and one for all.”
The popular motto of The Musketeers, built on supporting each other as well as the group, is just one of many reasons why the University of Texas remains among the strongest in men’s college swimming and diving.
The University of Texas has seen one of the greatest dynasties in college swimming. The Longhorns have won a plethora of men’s NCAA team championships and have been contenders seemingly every year.
One of the biggest keys to their success—and often one of the most overlooked—is the success of the Texas divers.
The Longhorns have won at least three NCAA titles with the point-boost they received from their divers.
A RELATIONSHIP BUILT ON SUPPORT
Texas has talented coaches and athletes, both swimming and diving, but what makes the Longhorns unique is the relationship between swimming and diving—in and out of the water.
That relationship is built on support.
“We have always been in a really good situation at Texas—even before I was coaching,” commented Matt Scoggin, UT’s diving coach since 1994. “When I was a diver here (from 1981-85), I could feel that kind of support.”
That support started with head swimming coach, Eddie Reese. “In addition to his support, his interest in us—the team— was great,” recalled Scoggin. “Eddie would sit and listen to the diving staff or the athletes and just talk about life. The swim coaches supported the divers during the good times as well as the tough times.”
Scoggin learned this first hand: “When I was a diver, I knew if I hit my last dive at NCAAs that it would push it to the relay and we could beat UCLA. That was 1982. Of course, I missed that dive miserably, but I got so much support from the swimmers as well as the divers,” Scoggin said. “They support us even more when things aren’t going great.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
There have been multiple years when divers clinched a title for the Longhorns… and twice in the past decade. In 2010, Texas beat Cal by 30.5 points with divers Drew Livingston and Matthew Cooper racking up 42 points.
The most recent diving coup came in 2018 when Texas was in a three-way battle on the final day with Cal and Indiana.
“Jacob Cornish was 14th on 1-meter, then in the prelims of platform, he qualified 16th. Just 15 minutes later, he was bummed he couldn’t get in the top eight,” recalls Scoggin. “But I told him if he moved up, he could make the difference. He moved up to 10th and got 13 points…and we won by 11. It came down to the bitter end. I will never forget that.”
To read more about The Longhorns, Eddie Reese, and Matt Scoggin,
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[PHOTO BY DELLY CARR, SWIMMING AUSTRALIA]
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Swimming World Magazine February 2021 Issue
FEATURES
012 THE PRIDE OF GIRLS’ POLO IN THE GATEWAY CITY
by Michael Randazzo
When COVID-19 lockdowns last spring stopped polo, Rob Peglar and Abby VerMeer didn’t hesitate: they focused on getting girls water polo untracked in the Gateway City. The result: the St. Louis Lions, the city’s first all-girls team.
014 ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL
by Dan D’Addona
The popular motto of The Musketeers, built on supporting each other as well as the group, is just one of many reasons why the University of Texas remains among the strongest in men’s college swimming and diving.
020 READY FOR A BREAKTHROUGH
by Andy Ross
Melanie Margalis is an Olympic relay gold medalist and a three-time relay champion at Worlds, but a podium finish in an individual event has eluded her on the world’s biggest stage. After ranking No. 1 in the 400 IM and No. 3 in the shorter medley for 2020, her turn to win a medal for the United States could take place this year in Tokyo.
022 PERSEVERANCE AND HARD WORK PAY OFF
by David Rieder
After not qualifying for Australia’s Olympic team in 2012, Emma McKeon was ready to quit…but over the next several months, she had a change of heart and understood what was necessary to compete at a higher level. Since then, she has become a significant international force, a consistent podium presence and one of the world’s most impactful relay swimmers.
026 TAKEOFF TO TOKYO: TARNISHED GOLD
by John Lohn
East Germany’s Kristin Otto will long be remembered as a highly decorated athlete, and for turning in one of the greatest Olympic outings in history, winning six gold medals at the 1988 Games. But because of the links to her and performance-enhancing drugs, what she accomplished—before and in Seoul—will always be tainted.
029 WHO “SHOT” THE SWIMMERS? (Part 2)
by Bruce Wigo
Shortly after the 1936 Olympics in a lab in Boston, Harold “Doc” Edgerton, an electrical engineering professor at MIT, began tinkering with equipment that would change the way science explains natural phenomena—and with it, the art of aquatic sports photography—forever.
032 NUTRITION: TO BE THE BEST, YOU NEED TO EAT THE BEST!
by Dawn Weatherwax
Each year really does build onto another—nutrition is an imperative part of the process, even at an early age.
COACHING
016 SELLING PROCESS TO SWIMMERS (Part 2)
by Michael J. Stott
In 1993, psychologist Anders Ericsson wrote that greatness wasn’t born, but grown. Fifteen years later, author Malcolm Gladwell suggested that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a skill or field. Known by the term, “process,” swim coaches use that learning curve to improve the performance of their swimmers.
036 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE FOR SPRINT AND DISTANCE (Part 2)
by Rod Havriluk
Optimal freestyle technique for sprint and distance is identical with respect to the arm motion throughout the stroke cycle, but the arm coordination is different. While a swimmer can swim a wide range of velocities with opposition coordination, a swimmer will only achieve his/her fastest velocity with superposition coordination.
040 SPECIAL SETS: TRAINING THE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE—THEN AND NOW
by Michael J. Stott
In his lengthy career, Gregg Troy has mentored athletes of all ages and abilities, which has given him a unique perspective of how to prepare post-college grads for excellence at the international level.
042 Q&A WITH COACH JOE PLANE
by Michael J. Stott
044 HOW THEY TRAIN ANDREW IVERSON
by Michael J. Stott
TRAINING
035 DRYSIDE TRAINING: TIME TO GET STRONG…AGAIN!
by J.R. Rosania
JUNIOR SWIMMER
038 GOLDMINDS: JUST GO WITH THE FLOW
by Wayne Goldsmith
How can you control—and even master—your emotions? The answer is by learning to become a more resilient swimmer. Here’s how…
046 UP & COMERS: RICHARD POPLAWSKI
by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COLUMNS
010 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT
011 DID YOU KNOW:
ABOUT FREDERICK LANE?
047 GUTTERTALK
049 PARTING SHOT
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