Swimming World Presents “Blue Collar Swimmer: Andrew Seliskar”

Blue Collar Swimmer: Andrew Seliskar

Cal’s Humble Superstar

Cal’s Andrew Seliskar has put in the hard work to enable him to swim at a higher level. He loves the sport, and he knows that if he wants to be successful at swimming, he has to be fully invested into it. He constantly focuses on not letting himself be satisfied by one or two great swims, preferring to keep a goal-oriented, future-focused mindset.

Cal men’s head coach Dave Durden, who has worked with Seliskar since the fall of 2015, likes to consider the previous 18 months’ worth of training when assessing performance. Therefore, it would have been tough for Seliskar to be at his best at the 2016 Olympic Trials, before which he had only spent 10 months in Berkeley. Durden called that “a rather short snapshot to work with an athlete and really help them have success at the meet.”

After his impressive sophomore year at Cal (2017), when Seliskar finished second in the 400 IM at NCAAs, his entire summer was derailed when he broke his arm in a skateboarding accident.

“Finally, as we started the fall of 2017, we got a good amount of time with Andrew,” Durden said. Sometime in December or January—Seliskar and Durden couldn’t pinpoint a specific moment, set or day—everything clicked.

“I don’t want to say I had been taking swimming for granted a little bit, but I feel like every day when I hit the water during my junior year, it was like, ‘I’m really, really happy to be swimming in college and to be able to keep swimming—just because it’s something I love,’” Seliskar said.

As 2017 gave way to 2018, Seliskar was finding more excitement in racing his teammates or getting breakfast after practice. Realizing how content he was with his life and swimming strengthened his resolve. 2018 was a banner year for Seliskar, and it culminated with gold and silver medals at the Pan Pacific Championships in Tokyo.

To read more about Andrew Seliskar and his work ethic toward training in his final year as a Cal Bear,
check out the March 2019 issue of Swimming World Magazine, available now!

Swimming World subscribers can download this issue in the Swimming World Vault!

[PHOTO CREDIT: PETER H. BICK]

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FEATURES

016 BUCKLE UP!
by Dan D’Addona
It has been four in a row for the Longhorns, but last year was the closest yet—with no less than three teams having a mathematical shot to win the team title heading into the final relay! Expect more of the same at this year’s men’s NCAAs.

020 STILL STANFORD
by Dan D’Addona
Stanford dominated last year’s women’s Division I NCAAs, and even though the Cardinal are favored to win their third straight championship, this year’s meet should be different.

023 ELITE TO REPEAT?
by Andy Ross and Cathleen Pruden
In NCAA Division II and III swimming and diving, the same elite teams seem to battle it out for the national championship each year. Both the Queens women’s and men’s squads have realistic shots at winning five titles in a row at D-IIs, while in D-III, Emory’s women will be looking for their 10th straight title, and Denison’s men are poised to win their third championship in four years.

026 BLUE-COLLAR SWIMMER
by David Rieder
Cal’s Andrew Seliskar has put in the hard work to enable him to swim at a higher level. He loves the sport, and he knows that if he wants to be successful at swimming, he has to be fully invested into it.

COACHING

010 LESSONS WITH THE LEGENDS: GUS STAGER
by Michael J. Stott

014 SPECIAL SETS: SEASON-LONG AND CHAMPIONSHIP PREP FOR 10-AND-UNDERS
by Michael J. Stott
When an elite swimmer shines, sunlight occasionally falls on the athlete’s coach. In the ensuing excitement, what is often overlooked is the contribution made years earlier by the 10-and-under coach who set the foundation for success and possible stardom by teaching proper mechanics, motivation and a love of the sport.

030 WHAT COACHES CAN LEARN FROM SWIMMERS (Part 1)
by Michael J. Stott
At first blush, education might appear to be a one-way street. Teachers teach, students learn. Same with sports—coaches give instruction, athletes absorb and, hopefully, execute. But time on the job often reveals a different dynamic. In the first of a two-part series, Swimming World shares epiphanies where swimmer interaction fundamentally altered coaching behavior.

040 Q&A WITH COACH JEAN-PAUL GOWDY
by Michael J. Stott

042 HOW THEY TRAIN: MADDIE KAUAHI
by Michael J. Stott

TRAINING

013 DRYSIDE TRAINING: EXERCISE EQUIPMENT SERIES—DUMBBELLS
by J.R. Rosania

JUNIOR SWIMMER

045 UP & COMERS: DANIEL BRANON
by Taylor Brien

COLUMNS & SPECIAL SECTIONS

008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT
009 BEYOND THE YARDS
019 OFFICIAL WORD
025 DID YOU KNOW? TRACY CAULKINS
032 2019 SWIM CAMP DIRECTORY
044 HASTY HIGH POINTERS
046 GUTTER TALK
048 PARTING SHOT

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