Legendary Olympian Michael Phelps has committed to becoming a volunteer assistant coach at Arizona State University following the conclusion of his career in competitive swimming.
Phelps and fellow Olympian Allison Schmitt have made the school their new home recently. According to Jeff Metcalfe of azcentral.com, Phelps is planning on joining trainer Bob Bowman to turn the school’s swim program into a national powerhouse in 2016-17 while Schmitt intends on earning a master’s degree in psychology to help others like her who deal with depression.
Following his 2014 DUI arrest, Phelps has thrown himself back into swimming. Previously he had disconnected from the sport he cherished, but he’s now back on track to compete in the 2016 Summer Games in Rio and sees himself staying involved well after his competition days are over.
“I wanted nothing to do with the water,” after London, where he raised his haul to an Olympic-record 22 medals, including 18 gold, Phelps says. “I wanted to be as far away from it as I could. Now, being around it more than I have in a long time, I don’t think I’ll be able to go far from the sport because it is a part of me.”
Phelps and Bowman are joined at the hip these days, and the relationship will certainly benefit ASU when his career as an Olympian is concluded.
Until then, it will be fascinating to see if Phelps can add to his record gold medal collection, which is currently stuck at 18. He’s posted the fastest times in the world in three events this season — 100- and 200-meter butterfly and 200 IM — and is as motivated as ever to make his country proud next summer.