Outdated Faculty vs. Excessive Faculty: A Former NCAA Champion Comes Out of Retirement to Race His Son

The youngsters stretching behind the blocks on the Florida Summer Area 5 Championship final month have been quietly smiling and pointing on the “old guy” behind the blocks. 

What these youngsters didn’t know was that the “old guy” behind the blocks was Michael Gilliam, a two-time NCAA champion, three-time SEC champion, 2001 SEC Swimmer of the Year, former American document holder and the fifth member of a University of Tennessee swimming household that has gathered a mixed 41 All-American honors.

Despite his spectacular credentials, he joked that he felt a bit like Mr. Incredible attempting to squeeze again into an excellent go well with he had outgrown a decade in the past.

Michael had saved swimming and figuring out over time, partly as a result of he beloved to eat. But now there was a brand new starvation driving his coaching. His son, Jack.

What adopted was all in good enjoyable, however make no mistake. Both Gilliams have been in it to win it.

”Obviously, I wouldn’t have educated as onerous and labored as onerous if I wasn’t attempting to beat Jack. And I feel he was working onerous to verify he beat his dad.”

Growing up Gilliam

The Gilliam identify has been a part of Tennessee swimming for greater than 5 a long time. Michael was the fifth member of his household to swim for the Volunteers, following his father, Steve, his uncles Mark and Keith, and his brother Craig. Craig was an eleven-time All-American who helped Tennessee win the 1996 NCAA title within the 200 medley relay.

At the 2001 NCAA Championships, Michael gained the 100 backstroke in 45.97, one among two NCAA titles he would declare within the occasion. As the leadoff swimmer on Tennessee’s 400 medley relay, he went even quicker, splitting 45.63 and setting a faculty document that stood for 18 years.

He may dash freestyle, too. Michael went 19.67 in prelims of the 50 free at those self same NCAA Championships earlier than ending sixth in 19.68.

Those numbers got here in a distinct period of faculty swimming, however they inform you one thing in regards to the swimmer Michael was.

For Jack, although, his father’s swimming historical past was principally one thing he heard about reasonably than one thing he skilled.

He wished extra tales.

When requested whether or not his dad talked about his school swimming days, Jack’s reply was telling.

“Not as much as I wish to hear.”

The $10,000 Millionaire

Just weeks after 9/11, Michael competed within the inaugural Novo Nordisk Sprint Cup in New York, knowledgeable “dash for cash” occasion that includes a number of the world’s quickest swimmers and a $310,000 complete prize purse. Olympic champion Gary Hall Jr. was behind the thought for the meet. Hall had sort 1 diabetes and was sponsored by Novo Nordisk.

Michael gained the 50-meter backstroke (SCM) in 24.17, upsetting the reigning world-record holder Neil Walker, who touched second in 24.28. In prelims, Gilliam had gone even quicker, swimming 23.93, the second-fastest time on the planet on the time. Only Walker’s 23.42, swum the earlier yr, was quicker. Gilliam’s prize for the win was $10,000.

“As a broke college student, winning $10,000 from swimming made me feel like a millionaire,” Michael recalled.

Just as swimming occasions have modified, so has the worth of a $10,000 payday.

Following the 2004 Olympic Trials, Michael determined to hold up his cap and goggles, ending his storied profession. “When I retired from swimming, I didn’t even like taking a shower because I was so sick of being wet,” he joked.

Last month, nevertheless, Michael was again within the pool, this time racing his son.

How It Happened

So how did a retired two-time NCAA champion find yourself behind the blocks racing his 16-year-old son?

Jack wanted some quicker competitors to assist him chase his personal targets. Michael supplied a easy answer. He would get again within the water and provides Jack somebody to race.

Shaking off greater than 20 years of retirement required extra than simply discovering an outdated pair of goggles. After reinstating his USA Swimming membership, the coaching started and so did the trash speak, though Jack admits to speaking extra.

“The banter is totally encouraging,” Michael says.

For Jack, the thought of truly racing his father was each thrilling and surreal.

“I always did imagine racing Dad. I didn’t know it was going to come so quickly, though. He always seemed like such a fast swimmer that I was never going to get there.”

80% Nervous, 20% Excited

At the summer time brief course meet, they deliberately entered solely two occasions collectively: the 50 freestyle and the 50 backstroke.

When the day of the meet arrived, the truth of the problem set in. Jack described his mindset as “80% nervous, 20% excited.”

The first showdown was the 50 free.

“Before I even got on the block, I was like, ‘I got this,’” Jack stated.

And he did.

Jack touched first in a private finest time of 21.81. Michael was proper behind him, throwing down a 21.99. That wasn’t simply Dad quick. That was legit quick.

Next was the 50 again, Michael’s signature stroke. Decades of muscle reminiscence kicked in because the elder Gilliam out-touched his son in 23.93, leaving Jack with a second-place end in 24.90.

Jack mirrored on his emotions after the backstroke race, the place he felt he had slipped on the beginning. Ironically, backstroke ledges didn’t even exist in his dad’s day. ”I wished to simply blame every little thing, however I knew it was my fault,” he stated. “It was all me, because that’s a big part of swimming. You can’t blame it on your teammates or the opponent.”

But he took nice satisfaction within the one which he gained. ”After I beat him, I felt achieved,” Jack stated proudly. “It’s never been done before.”

Michael additionally mirrored on racing his son. “Getting to race Jack was actually very memorable and exciting because we were right there together. Finishing one and two was a nice little added touch for both of us in each event.”

Jack’s Time

Michael is aware of his return to the blocks to race his son was an attractive anomaly. He doesn’t anticipate to race Jack once more anytime quickly, though he plans to proceed swimming and competing in Masters.

“Now I think Jack will continue to accelerate and I won’t be able to keep up anymore,” Michael stated. “It’s probably the last time we will race… until he’s in Masters.”

Though Michael nonetheless affords Jack technical tips about racing mentality and little tips he realized from his personal older brother (like carrying a college-style nostril clip in highschool) he’s fairly intentional about ensuring Jack’s profession belongs fully to Jack. “I try to make sure to leave the coaching to his coaches,” Michael stated. “This is all his journey. It’s no longer my journey.”

With the highschool season about to start in Florida, Jack has his sights set on breaking a faculty document, chasing Futures and Junior National cuts, and making ready for his personal upcoming school journey.

And his dad can be proper there as he takes his subsequent steps.

“I think the swimming together was a nice passing of the torch,” Michael stated. “But now he can carry on the Gilliam name in his own right. It’s definitely his journey now, and this is my time to sit back into the shadows and cheer him on.”

When requested the way it feels to listen to his father say that the subsequent chapter belongs to him, Jack replied, “I don’t feel pressured. I take honor in that. The sky’s the limit.”

All Photos Courtesy of the Gilliam Family.