Unfiltered Waters

Greg Meehan returns to Unfiltered Waters for an in-depth conversation reflecting on his first year leading USA Swimming and the challenges that come with guiding one of the world's most successful national teams. Joined by Olympian Katie Hoff Anderson, Greg shares what it's been like settling into the role, navigating major life transitions, and finding clarity after a whirlwind first season.
The conversation explores the future of American swimming, from long-term Olympic planning to developing athletes for sustained success rather than short-term results. Greg explains why broad athletic development, racing a variety of events, and building a strong foundation at a young age remain essential to producing world-class swimmers. He also discusses how Team USA is preparing years in advance for future Olympic Games, why performance-driven decision making matters, and the importance of creating a culture where coaches and athletes continue to learn and evolve.
Katie dives into Greg's coaching philosophy, touching on everything from athlete development and balancing innovation with tradition to fostering collaboration across the country's top coaches. Greg offers an honest look at what it takes to build a championship culture, why patience often beats quick fixes, and how developing great people is just as important as developing great swimmers.
The episode also takes a personal turn as Greg reflects on the transition to a new city, becoming an empty nester, finding balance amid constant change, and the self-awareness required to lead under pressure. It's a candid discussion about growth, leadership, and learning to embrace the challenges that come with one of the most visible jobs in the sport.
Whether you're a swimmer chasing your next goal, a coach developing the next generation, or simply a fan of elite sports, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the future of USA Swimming and the mindset required to build champions for years to come.
Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media (https://linktr.ee/unfilteredwaters) for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week.
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In this episode of Unfiltered Waters, it's all about one thing: hot takes. Katie Hoff Anderson sits down with four of Team USA's biggest stars: Phoebe Bacon, Gretchen Walsh, Michael Andrew, and Katharine Berkoff to debate the opinions everyone has but rarely says out loud. From swimming controversies to travel etiquette, social media, music, reality TV, and everything in between, no topic is off limits.

Should the person in the middle seat always get the armrest? Is one pull into the wall during kick sets actually cheating? Has TikTok destroyed our attention spans? Is the 100 freestyle really the most painful race in swimming? And why do breaststrokers have such a reputation for being... different? The answers are surprisingly honest, wildly entertaining, and often completely opposite from one another.

Along the way, the athletes open up about their personalities outside the pool, sharing everything from favorite food trucks and reality TV guilty pleasures to music habits, travel quirks, warm-up routines, and the little things that make each of them unique. It's a reminder that behind the Olympic medals are people who argue about the same everyday debates as the rest of us.

Whether you agree or disagree with these hot takes, one thing is guaranteed: you'll have opinions of your own by the end. This is one of our most lighthearted episodes yet, giving you a chance to see some of the world's fastest swimmers in a way you probably never have before.

Watch the episode, then head to the comments and let us know which hot take you agree with most... and which one is completely wrong.
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Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media (https://linktr.ee/unfilteredwaters) for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week.
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#UnfilteredWaters #Swimming #HotTakes

Coach Ray Looze has spent more than two decades building one of the premier programs in college swimming, but this conversation goes far beyond wins and championships. Joined by Olympians Lilly King and Katie Hoff Anderson, Ray opens up about the coaching philosophy that has produced generations of NCAA champions, Olympians, and world record holders while sharing the lessons that have shaped him as both a coach and a person.

From balancing the men's and women's teams at Indiana to creating individualized training plans for every athlete, Ray explains why great coaching is never one-size-fits-all. He dives into the evolution of sprint training, the importance of innovation, how elite athletes are developed over years rather than weeks, and why curiosity has been one of the greatest strengths of his coaching career.

The conversation also takes a lighter turn as Ray shares his legendary superstitions, life on the lake, his love of history, genealogy rabbit holes, and the routines that help him disconnect from the nonstop demands of coaching. Lilly and Katie pull back the curtain on the personality behind one of swimming's most respected coaches, revealing the humor, passion, and relentless drive that athletes have experienced for decades.

The episode closes with a heartfelt reflection on what coaching truly means. Ray discusses representing Team USA on the international stage, the responsibility of caring for athletes away from their home coaches, and the life lessons he hopes every swimmer carries long after they leave Indiana. It's an honest conversation about leadership, mentorship, innovation, and why the relationships built through sport often last far beyond the final race.

Whether you're a swimmer, coach, parent, or sports fan, this episode offers a rare look inside the mind of one of the most influential coaches in swimming and the philosophy that continues to shape champions on and off the pool deck.
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Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media (https://linktr.ee/unfilteredwaters) for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week.
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#UnfilteredWaters #Swimming #RayLooze

In this episode of Unfiltered Waters, Katie Hoff sits down with four of the biggest names in swimming for a rapid-fire conversation about one question: How do elite athletes maximize every area of their lives? Joined by Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Patrick Sammon, and Quintin McCarty, this episode explores the habits, routines, and mindsets that extend far beyond the pool.

From meditation and mental resilience to recovery, nutrition, skincare, social media, and race-day psychology, each athlete shares the routines that help them perform at their best. While their answers couldn't be more different, one thing becomes clear: there is no single blueprint for success. Every athlete has found their own way to maximize performance, happiness, and balance.

Along the way, you'll hear surprising confessions about doom scrolling, coffee addictions, fast food, ice cream, and the health trends they wish they had never tried. The conversation also dives into emotional intelligence, confidence, training philosophies, tapering, technical details, and the lessons they've learned from competing at the highest level. It's honest, funny, and full of practical takeaways that apply whether you're chasing Olympic dreams or simply trying to become a better version of yourself.

Most importantly, this episode reminds us that "life maxxing" looks different for everyone. Whether it's finding joy in the process, embracing time alone, investing in relationships, or learning to smile more through the ups and downs, these conversations reveal the human side of some of the world's best athletes.

If you're looking for new ideas to improve your mindset, health, habits, or performance, this episode is packed with insights you can start applying today.
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Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media (https://linktr.ee/unfilteredwaters) for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week.
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#UnfilteredWaters #Swimming #LifeMaxxing

In this episode of Unfiltered Waters, Katie Hoff is joined by special guest host Lilly King for a conversation with one of swimming's most unexpected breakout stars, Van Mathias, the American record holder in the 50-meter breaststroke and Indiana University's Director of Operations.

Van's journey is anything but conventional. After stepping away from elite competition to begin his full-time career, he found himself drawn back to the pool with a completely different perspective. Now balancing a demanding job with training, he's redefining what it looks like to chase world-class performance while living a life outside of swimming. Van shares how working a full-time job has actually made him a better athlete, why he no longer feels pressure on race day, and how having something bigger than swimming has completely changed his mindset.

The conversation also explores Van's unconventional training philosophy, the evolution from distance swimmer to sprint specialist, and how he and his coaches are challenging traditional ideas about what it takes to become one of the fastest breaststrokers in the world. He discusses returning to the sport after two years away, embracing new methods in the weight room and pool, and why sprinting is less about who swims the fastest and more about who slows down the least.

Along the way, Van opens up about his loyalty to Indiana University, the culture that shaped him, the sacrifices required to pursue two careers at once, and why he believes he's been given an extra life in the sport. From balancing spreadsheets and swim meets to chasing an Olympic dream, his story is a reminder that success doesn't always follow a straight line.

Honest, funny, and refreshingly different, this episode offers a unique look at one of swimming's most compelling stories and the mindset behind an athlete who is rewriting the rules while keeping the joy of competition at the center of it all.
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Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on social media (https://linktr.ee/unfilteredwaters) for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week.
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FOLLOW KATIE ON:
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#UnfilteredWaters #Swimming #VanMathias