Nike Swim Camp at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois
Southern Illinois University is located just two hours southeast of St. Louis, MO, near downtown Carbondale. Campers train and improve their strokes each day in a 10-lane, 50-meter indoor pool featuring two eight lane 25-yard courses. Overnight campers are housed comfortably on the SIU campus in air-conditioned dormitories.
The Nike Swim Camps at SIU Carbondale are designed to help competitive swimmers improve their stroke technique so they can compete at the next level. Upon arrival at camp, campers are placed in groups with other swimmers having similar abilities and goals. Our camp staff will do their best to accommodate your needs, keeping in consideration your experience and desire to improve.
Highlights Include
- Stroke technique refinement for competitive swimming
- Low camper to staff ratio and 24 hour supervision
- Small group and individual stroke analysis/instruction
- Fun evening social activities
- Every camper receives a Nike Camp T-shirt and Nike Swim Cap
- Every camper is eligible to receive merit-based prizes during camp
The Olympic-sized pool, features a 10-lane, 50-meter long course, and two eight-lane, 25-yard short courses. The pool is also equipped with the latest in aquatic technology including underwater speakers and three viewing windows to record and analyze the athlete's underwater stroke performance.
The Nike Swim Camp at Southern Illinois University is open to any and all entrants. For your safety and benefit, we recommend you have competitive swimming experience (e.g. U.S.S. age group, national qualifiers, high school swimmers, or summer league swimmers) and can swim at least 50 meters in all four competitive strokes: fly, back, breast and freestyle.
Meet your coaching staff
Co-Director
Jeff Goelz
Coordinating the camp is Jeff Goelz, the former Head Women’s Coach at Southern Illinois University. Goelz, a five-time All American for the Saluki’s, concluded his swimming career by sharing the school record for best times in the 200 free relay and the 200-medley relay.
As a coach, he assisted in leading the SIU Men’s team to five consecutive conference crowns and the Women’s team to two conference championships. Jeff has coached numerous events around the world including the US Open Water National Team at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Japan, the Pre-World Championships in Hawaii, and the 2003 World Championship in Barcelona.
Co-Director
Rick Walker
Leading instruction is SIU Head Coach Rick Walker.
A former National Junior College Swimmer of the Year and Five Time National Record, Coach Walker’s 1000 free record still stands at Texas A&M. Coach Walker was the USA National Team Head Coach for Distance Swimming for the years 1999-2005. In addition, Rick served as Head Coach of the most successful USA finish at the 1998 World Championships. A member of the USA Olympic Committee, Rick has coached numerous National and Olympic Team swimmers.
Discounts Available
Camp Details
Session I: June 9-13
Session II: June 16-19
Campers are supervised 24 hours a day. The staff live in the dormitories with the campers and participate in evening activities. Drugs, alcohol and tobacco are strictly prohibited, and constitute, along with general misconduct, grounds for dismissal from camp without a refund.
Optional Evening Activities & Items
♦ UNDERWATER DVD: $30.00
Sample Daily Schedule
- 7:30 am Breakfast (overnighters)
- 8:50 am Extended Day Campers arrive, stretch
- 9:00 am Morning Pool Session
- 10:00 am Videotaping
- Noon Lunch
- 1:00 pm Classroom Session
- 2:00 pm Afternoon Pool Session/Video Review
- 5:30 pm Dinner
- 6:30 pm Evening Session/Activity
- 9:00 pm Extended Day Campers depart
- 10:00 pm Lights out!
Very impressed!
My daughter received alot of one to one attention, and was excited to come home and show others what changes she had made in her strokes. She loved the planned activities with the group, and of course the social times are very important to this age group! As a parent, I was very impressed with the video of her swimming, and am encouraging her to watch it again and remember the advise that was given on it.
Kristy H.
Wonderful experience!
This was the most wonderful experience that I ever had, I can't wait to go back next year.
Improve your technique.
My daughter has been on a swim team for one year. She was looking to improve in all strokes. She loves the video of her technique and views it often as a reminder of how to improve her strokes. Her swim coach noticed an improvement in all of her strokes immediately after returning home from camp.
Great camp!
The under water video with coach comments on strokes was very helpful. The work outs are great. The activities are great and the food is great.
We will be back!
As a parent of a preteen, I was a bit anxious the first time my daughter attended the Nike Camp. It was several hours away from home. Every time I would talk to her, she was so excited about advise she had been given, and how her strokes had been changing due to this. My daughter begins planning "next year" as soon as camp is over! I feel like this is an important step in getting my daughter to that "next level" of competitive swimming. The staff were wonderful, and very welcoming, and willing to listen to any concerns, comments etc. My daughter loved the social times, planned activities and said the food was incredible. Keep up the good work Nike and SIU. We will be back!!
Incredible experience!
This was an incredible experience for my daughter. She was so excited to fill me in on the day’s activities and more excited to tell us what she was learning. I’ve never heard this type of excitement about any camp or activity she has done in the past as we did with this camp. She now has a new spark for swimming and she can’t wait for her fall season to start. She had a blast.
Parent of Southern Illinois Camper
Absolutely loves it!
My son has attended Nike Swim Camp at SIUC for 4 years. He absolutley loves it! My son is not the top swimmer, nor is he the bottom swimmer on his team. He is just a kid who loves the water and loves the sport of swimming. He looks forward every year to camp, and always returns having learned or improved on something. I asked him after this year's camp if he wanted to try a camp somewhere else, and he said "NO WAY!!!" As a parent I have always felt that my swimmer is in a very safe place and is gaining a wonderful experience. We will be back!