Ben Proud and The Enhanced Games | Olympic Medalist Joins Controversial League | Episode 261

Brett Hawke is back—now as Head Coach of swimming for the Enhanced Games. He talks about the bold move to join the Games, the signing of Ben Proud, athlete health vs. shortcuts, and why sprint events and new formats could change the sport.

Olympic medalist and World Champion Ben Proud has stunned the swimming world by retiring from professional swimming to join the controversial Enhance Games. In this episode of The Social Kick Podcast, we break down what this means for the sport: Why Proud’s decision is so shocking The reaction from governing bodies like Aquatics GB Whether clean athletes can compete in Enhance Games What this move signals for athlete pay and the future of swimming Is this the start of a new chapter for athletes — or a risk to Proud’s legacy? Tune in as we unpack the biggest story in swimming right now.

Jack Alexy is back on Social Kick! Fresh off Worlds, the American record holder dives into the mindset shift that unlocked his 46s—and that wild 45.9 relay split. We break down how 200 free training boosted his 100, the backend-50 sets he loves, and why slowing his tempo led to his fastest swim of the year. Jack also shares thoughts on Team USA’s performances in Paris and Singapore, Pan Pacs selection, the Enhanced Games debate, his World Cup debut, and how a goofy smile in the ready room keeps racing fun.

Australian sprinter Jamie Jack joins Social Kick fresh off a breakout season! We talk sprint training at St. Peters with Dean Boxall, racing the 50 free, working alongside Cam McEvoy, and the mindset behind becoming one of the world’s next great sprinters.

Fresh off a breakout summer on Team USA, Tommy Janton joins Social Kick to talk about his wild ride through Worlds, winning a U.S. national title from lane one, and embracing the nickname “Crocodile Man.” We get into everything from goggle strap fashion faux pas to Shake Shack saves during team illness, plus why Tommy’s sticking with goggles-over-the-cap no matter what anyone says. He reflects on Notre Dame’s unique team journey, the pressure of representing the U.S. backstroke group, and what it takes to bring home a relay medal after a brutal week in Singapore. Oh, and yes—he’s got opinions on the hardest race in swimming, his dream sponsors, and the underrated dolphin kickers you should be watching.

Fresh off his double World Championship titles in the 800 and 1500 freestyle, Tunisia’s Ahmed Jaouadi joins Social Kick! We talk about the meteoric rise that took him from an 8:02 800 to 7:36 in just one year, what it’s like going toe-to-toe with world record holder Bobby Finke, and why his turns still suck (his words, not ours). Ahmed shares his thoughts on racing strategy, aura farming, and his decision to join the Florida Gators to train with Bobby and Katie. Plus, we dig into training sets that sparked his Singapore breakout and why being world champion has only made him hungrier. Oh, and yes—he answers your DMs. Let’s go!

The TYR Summer Championships are here, and we have some hot takes. Bryan and John break down everything from the solo swims in the C finals to the most unexpected performances of the night. In this episode we discuss: The Solo Swims - When only one swimmer shows up to a final...is there a name for that? What's the longest solo swim you'd be willing to do? We get weird on this one. The Return of Caeleb - Is Caeleb Dressel's mojo back? A discussion on the 50 freestyle, what it takes to dominate the race and why strength training is a double-edged sword. Mustache Magic - Is there a correlation between facial hair and speed? We break down some of the most memorable mustaches in swimming and why a stache might be a swimmer's best weapon. The American Swimming Network - Does the USA swimming network have a problem? The gap between the production of high-level meets versus the low-level production of a meet like this one. Let us know what you think in the comments! What were some of the most surprising takeaways from night one? What do you think a "solo swim" should be named?

The 2025 World Championships are in the books, and we've got takes. Who delivered, who flopped, and what the heck happened to all those prelims relay lineups? John and Luke kick off the recap with taper talk and a few questionable Masters training choices before diving deep into the biggest storylines from Singapore: Summer McIntosh’s incredible meet and emotional rollercoaster, Léon Marchand’s stunning 1:52 200 IM, David Popovici’s last-50 death blows, and USA’s medley world record rebound. We break down our picks for: * Individual swim of the meet (Yes, it’s who you think… but we explain why) * Race of the meet (Spoiler: That 800 free was as epic as advertised) * Swimmer of the meet (and what happens if we don’t split by gender?) * Biggest surprise (Some swims sucked… others, just stunning) * Relay of the meet (Hint: Uncensored relay takes inside) * Newcomer spotlight (12-year-old medalist? Say what?) Plus: we rant about USA Swimming’s late 50-stroke bandwagon, float ideas for an unattached all-star relay, and wonder whether World Aquatics' anthem actually slaps. Let us know what we missed. What was your swim of the meet? Subscribe, comment, and follow us on Instagram @socialkickswim for more behind-the-scenes stuff we might not be brave enough to post publicly

Grant House joins Social Kick fresh off a season of huge personal bests at US Nationals! The multi-talented swimmer is well known for his leadership at ASU and, of course, his role as the lead plaintiff in the landmark NCAA antitrust lawsuit 'House v. NCAA' which bears his name. Grant unpacks the unfiltered truth about the lawsuit and its origins, how he has dealt with public backlash, and why he chose to stay in the fight for athlete rights. Plus, Grant offers his candid thoughts on swimming's "soft" image and the need for more rivalries. Grant also shares about his training and some go-to sets the world-class ASU training group does under coach Herbie Behm, what he saw from teammates like Patrick Sammon that led to breakthrough performances at Nationals, and how he's preparing for his post-swimming career through his work as a strength coach for pro athletes, including his tips on key dryland exercises for a strong finish!

Rising Team USA talent, Anna Moesch, joins Social Kick fresh off a breakthrough performance at US Nationals where she made her first senior national team with a 6th place finish in a 100 freestyle final stacked with her Virginia Cavalier teammates. Anna tells us about her unorthodox 100 free preparation that led to a massive personal best and what she's most excited about as she prepares to represent Team USA on the world stage. Anna also gives us the background on what she learned from her high-stakes swim-off at last year's Olympic Trials. Of course, this conversation covers Anna's incredible freshman year at UVA including her relay anchor legs for the four-time national champion program. We dive into her mindset transitioning from club to an elite college program, her adaptation to UVA's high-effort training philosophy, and how she deals with training alongside Olympic champions without "falling in their shadow."