Swim Club to Superpower: How Nitro Became #2 in the Nation—and is Still Growing
GMM presented by @SwimOutletcom @SwimOutletGear
This GMM episode is for club owners, swim parents, aspiring coaches—and anyone who wants to understand how modern swimming clubs are built, sustained, and scaled in a digital-first world. When you talk about big teams in USA Swimming, one name swims to the top: Nitro Swimming.
Founded by Mike Koleber and Tracy Koleber Nitro didn’t just pop up overnight—it was built lane by lane, swimmer by swimmer, from the ground up in the suburbs of Austin, Texas. What started as a vision and a handful of kids is now the second-largest swim club in the United States, with thousands of swimmers across multiple locations and a digital footprint that rivals Olympians. A digital-first world matters when you are an entrepreneur in any industry. Mike Koleber knows this, and he has built a social following that rivals the biggest names in our sport. U.S. stars have massive followers, like Michael Phelps' 3.7 million on Instagram. You might think Caeleb Dressel (735,000) or Katie Ledecky (903,000) would come in second--and you would be wrong. Nitro CEO and swim coach Mike Koleber has the second biggest followers on Instagram with 1.6 million followers (and another 1.5 million on Tik Tok).
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Head Coach Thad Schultz on Prep School Swimming, AAU, and the SPIRE Academy Way
On today’s episode of the SwimSwam Podcast, we’re joined by a coach who has consistently left his mark across every level of the sport: SPIRE Academy Head CoachThad Schultz. A standout swimmer at West Virginia back in the day, Thad transitioned from athlete to trusted mentor and coach with a résumé that reads like a tour through American swimming. Thad coached on the deck at Clemson, Ohio State, and Penn State, and has worked with over 20 Olympians, 18 NCAA All-Americans, and countless age group and sectional standouts. Whether it was building champions at SwimMAC, developing youth at Brunswick Y, or now shaping the next generation at SPIRE Academy, Coach Thad has seen—and built—it all. And he’s not just coaching for performance in the pool—he’s building stronger minds. With a master’s in counseling from Clemson, Thad brings a perspective many coaches miss. In this episode, we dive into how that training informs his philosophy on athlete development, leadership, and life after the pool.
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Head Coach Mike Norment Discusses Notre Dame Swim, Training Nic Fink, & Starting a Club Team
SwimSwam sat down with newly hired Notre Dame men's and women's swimming head coach, Mike Norment. The 16x NCAA All-American swimmer has been coaching on deck for a while now, with college coaching stops at Georgia Tech and Georgia.
Norment is innovative and thinks outside the box, which has resulted in his swimmers being engaged and bought into his system. He hopes to bring the same level of enthusiasm and concentration to South Bend, which will see the men's team back in action this season after a 1-year suspension for gambling.
The new head coach also dives into what he learned from working with Nic Fink as a seasoned pro and starting his own club team, Metro Atlanta Aquatic Club.
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Summer McIntosh Speaks to Media Ahead of 2025 World Championships (FULL Press Conference)
It was only one month ago that Summer McIntosh broke 3 world records and approached 2 more at the 2025 Canadian World Trials in Victoria. After one of the single best performances at a competition in history, McIntosh has gotten back to work, preparing for Singapore at the end of the month. Today, McIntosh sat down with the media and fielded questions about Katie Ledecky, training with Fred Vergnoux and Bob Bowman, and chasing 5 Olympic gold medals in LA.
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Olympian Mary-Ambre Moluh Discusses French Trials, Tough Sets, & "The American Mentality"
SwimSwam sat down with May-Ambre Moluh, the French sprinter who just finished her freshman season at Cal and is headed to Singapore for the World Championships this summer. We discuss her toughest sets in France, the American Mentality, and competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.
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