Karin Bivens
Doug Springer, former head coach of the SaddleBrooke Swim Club, crushed three all-time top United States Masters Swimming (USMS) national swim records in the men’s 75 to 79 age group at two meets this year! At the United States Masters Short Course Yards (SCY) Spring National Championship held in San Antonio, Texas (April 28 to May 1), Doug set a new national age group record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 1:15:25 swim. This tops the national record of 1:16:74 that was set six years ago in 2016 by Mike Freshley! The USMS Spring National Championship brought together 1,814 swimmers from all over the country. Competition was held in five-year age divisions in 18 individual events. Doug competed in six individual events (winning first place in five events, including his record-breaking breaststroke swim, and taking second in one event). Live viewing was available online from the outstanding swimming venue in San Antonio. It was like watching the Olympics. So, when Doug broke the national record in the 100-yard breaststroke, I was cheering wildly all the way from Arizona!
Doug’s record-breaking and outstanding swims continued at the 2022 National Senior Games Swim Competition held in Plantation, Fla. (May 13 to 16), bringing together athletes 50 years and older from all over the country and abroad. There were 16 individual swimming events. Doug competed in six individual swim events, winning first place in all of them, including setting a new national record in the 50-yard breaststroke with a 33:89 swim (breaking the old record of 34:58 set by Mike Freshley in 2017), as well as setting a new national record in the 200-yard butterfly with a 2:48:81 swim (wiping out the old record of 2:57:93 set by David Kirby in 2018).
To be honest, I had to dig for these results, mainly because Doug is quite humble and doesn’t boast about his accomplishments or his upcoming competitions. Instead, he focuses on others, recognizing their potential and continually encouraging and supporting their goals.
Jeff Commings (U.S. elite swimmer, Master’s world and national record setter, coach, and mentor) said this of Doug: “I’m so impressed by Doug’s constant desire to be the best swimmer he can be, even if his body sometimes says otherwise. That goes back to his days as a coach, telling his swimmers that they can do whatever they set their minds to do. Doug does the same thing in his everyday life, and it’s an inspiration to all of us.”
Doug is a world-class swimmer. In checking Doug’s swim results for this year alone, he competed in 23 individual swimming events, set a national record in three, and won first place in all but one event, in which he was second. That is an amazing accomplishment, and the year isn’t over. There are more upcoming competitions, and there is no telling what records may be annihilated by Doug Springer! Swim on, Doug!