How They Train: The Work of St. Xavier/Lakeside Standout Johnny Crush

How They Train: The Work of St. Xavier/Lakeside Standout Johnny Crush

Johnny Crush, a St. Xavier High School (Ky.) senior bound for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point this coming fall, is the Class of 2024’s No. 1 recruit in Kentucky and No. 6 nationally (according to Swimcloud).

He is a seven-time Kentucky high school state champion, seven-time NISCA All-American and the reigning state champion in the 100 yard free (43.89), 100 back (state record 46.55) and 400 free relay (43.50 split). His 21.55 leadoff on the school’s 200 medley relay in 2023 was 2.57 seconds faster than any other backstroker in the final eight.

In December at the Speedo Winter Junior Championships-East, Crush (swimming for Lakeside, Ky.) closed a stellar year by posting personal-best times in the following SCY events:

50 free – 19.99 (9th)
100 free – 43.50 (6th)
500 free – 4:25.62 (20th)
50 back – 21.39r (1:28.12 200 MR/team finished 3rd)
100 back – 45.56 (1st/11th all-time/17-18 NAG)
200 back – 1:44.15 (8th)
100 fly – 47.00 (5th)

Swimming is a family affair for the Crushes. Two older Crush siblings have contributed heavily to the St. X and sister school Sacred Heart titles. Anabelle (2018-21) now swims at NC State, while brother, Charlie, suits up for Coach Arthur Albeiro at the University of Louisville. Younger sister, Charlotte, currently 15, is the 13-14 NAG record holder in the 100 and 200 yard backstrokes (50.44, 1:50.95). She also holds the top spot in the 15-16 100 back (49.53).

The aquatic genes come from parents, Chip and Mimi (Bowen), both four-year swimmers for David Marsh at Auburn. Chip was the national independent school record holder in the 100 back. He left The Plains in 1999 after winning three consecutive SEC 100 butterfly titles and recording six CSCAAA All-America honors. Mother Mimi was a 13-time CSCAA A-A and national champion in the 100 fly and the 200 medley relay (1997).

Courtesy: Chip Dumstorf

“Johnny is a natural born leader,” says his high school coach, Todd Larkin. “He defines true servant leadership, leading by example and pushing his teammates in a positive way. He takes pride in his role as one of our team captains, and represents our core values by his actions.

“Johnny also respects the sport and is a true student of the game. He is always trying to find ways to drop time and be the best version of himself. I enjoy our conversations on deck and love hearing his insight on his races. Johnny shows and has earned everyone’s respect. He does the little things that make a big difference, and he takes feedback extremely well—always pushing himself no matter how he feels. To me that is the true essence of leadership. We are fortunate and blessed to have him in the program.”

Mike DeBoor, head coach of the Lakeside Seahawk Swim Team, directs most of Crush’s weekly swim training. He has been named the Kentucky Swimming Senior Coach of the Year 15 times and ASCA Age Group Coach of the Year twice. Among other accomplishments, he has coached four Olympians and has placed swimmers on 17 different USA national teams. He and Larkin have a longstanding coaching relationship.

“Learning the self-confidence it takes to be great comes at different times for each athlete,” says DeBoor. “As a swimmer, Johnny is still developing, and I really feel his training is ahead of his meet performance. While training at an elite level, he is still learning how to race. Johnny still feels a bit nervous and is not quite as confident in pushing himself the same way at meets. This is frustrating, but also a huge positive for the future. As he matures and learns to trust himself, he will be outstanding.

“Johnny loves the challenge and loves to train. He prefers faster sets and thinks of himself as more of a sprint-oriented swimmer, but he really has great potential in the 50 through the 500…so we’ll just wait and see what he can do. Like many young men, he can be a bit hard-headed and reluctant to change. That said, he normally comes back later and says, ‘Yes, you were right—that was better’ or ‘That works.’ Johnny continues to grow and be more self-aware. I really think he will catch and/or pass a few of those ahead of him if he allows himself to be great,” says his club coach.

“As Todd notes, Johnny is a solid team leader and very excited about his choice to attend West Point, which is probably a little against what many of the best athletes determine as their path. However, since he is driven, I am confident that he will reach full potential and be an outstanding young man!”

CRUSH PROGRESSIONS

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

100 free 46.20 45.70 43.89 43.50

100 back 49.32 48.04 46.55 45.56

CRUSH SETS

Following are five sets provided by Coach DeBoor that Crush enjoys and with which he has done well. “We adjusted our training a bit,” he says, “and Wednesday is now a fast day versus the aerobic training we have done in the past. It is different in that we train in a shallow short-course-meters pool on Wednesday afternoon and can’t dive, so we have had to adjust, and Johnny seems to like those.

“He does well with these sets and is also solid on aerobic free. He doesn’t realize how strong he is and the potential he has in the 200 and 500. He could probably train a bit more back and fly, but he leans to freestyle when given the choice. He has historically been a solid trainer, and his best times are ahead of him.”

10-11-23 (Wednesday – PM)

300 Swim

3 x 100 Free Kick w/board or streamline facedown w/snorkel 1:50-1:40-1:30

1 x 150 Scull – Strong Drill w/intent – Strong Stroke Count 2:40

3 x 100 Kick Streamline on back 1:50-1:40-1:30

1 x 150 Scull – Strong Drill w/intent – Strong Stroke Count 2:40

3 x 100 Kick with a board or streamline on back or streamline with snorkel 1:50-1:40-1:30

1 x 150 Scull – Strong Drill w/intent – Strong Stroke Count 2:40

2 x 400 Pull or Swim N/S 5:40

3 x 100 Swim Descend 1:20

4 x 50 Choice Odd Strong Drill – Even Strong Stroke Count 1:00

4 x 25 Choice Max Speed 4 Cycle-5 Cycle-6 Cycle-Choice Sprints :40

Everything matters! Be at max speed/race level swimming wall-to-wall!

3 x 6 x 25 Max Speed Sprint w/Parachute 1:00 Round 1&3 Swim, Round 2 Kick (no side kick)

3 x 50 Max Speed Sprint Swim – be 1-2 under best LC 100 Bring Back 1:40

200-300 Steady Smooth Swim or Kick 5:00 you will get the full 5:00

:10 Apart on 25’s and 50’s & if we can we might go in 2 heats on 50’s

All one stroke per round – should be primary strokes, not off strokes

Can be IM for IM people – FL-BK-BR or BK-BR-FR

10-18-23 (Wednesday – PM)

300 Swim

3 x 150 100 Kick – 50 Choice 2:30

6 x 25 Paddle Push & work on body line/balance :30

6 x 50 Odds 25 Kick on side inline/25 Catch up – Evens R-L 1:00

6 x 100 Free Fast Turns – 2 no kick, 2 long, 2 reg – pull bottom arm, press into and get feet on the wall quicker – free kick in, avoid dolphin kick and chin lift 1:30

3 x 2 x 75 IM Sprint Turns! 1:10

1 x 150 Free 100 N/S Pull buoy at ankles – 50 Hard Swim w/fast kick 2:10

Get headset on:

6 x 25 UWSDK at .45 :40

1 round each stroke IM order We will use – FL 1.2/1.0, BK 1.4/1.2, BR 1.5/1.2 FR 1.3/1.1

4 x 3 x 25 at 200 Tempo :40 Boys – 1.2/1.4/1.6/1.4 Girls – 1.1/1.3/1.5/1.3

3 x 25 at 100 Tempo :40 Boys – 1.0/1.2/1.2/1.1 Girls – 1.0/1.2/1.2/1.2

6 x 50 Choice :50

IF Head Sets don’t work?

3 x 4 x 25 Odds 15m Max Speed UWSDK – Evens Max Speed 4 & 6 Cycle Sprints :30

5 x 50 2 @ 200 Pace – 1 EZ – 1 @ 200 Pace – 1 EZ 1:00

6 x 50 Choice :50

Primary Strokes – All one stroke within a round – no more than 2 – or 1 x each IM order

Be at max speed on all sprints – using a parachute doesn’t change your stroke, nor your tempo – we have to practice at race level with resistance!

4 x 2 x 25 Sprint w/Parachute :40

1 x 50 Sprint (no parachute) 1:00

2 x 25 Sprint w/Parachute :40

1 x 50 Sprint (no parachute) 1:00

1 x 200 Smooth 4:00

10-25-23 (Wednesday – PM)

Fins on for warmup

300 Swim with Fins

Paddles , no snorkels

15 x 50 FREE work with Fins – no snorkels and you need paddles! :55

2 Inline kick on side, head inline w/spine, work breath > 1 Strong Catch up

2 Paddle Push Catch up > 1 Strong Catch up

2 Paddles @ wrist Catch up > 1 Strong Catch up

2 R-L 25 finger drag/25 straight arm > 1 Strong Catch up

2 Paddles @ finger tips catch up > 1 Strong Catch up

Fins off after Free work!

6 x 50 Kick 3 on :55/3 on :50 > 1 x 150 Scull-Strong Drill-Strong Stroke Count 2:40

4 x 75 Kick 2 on 1:20/2 on 1:10 > 1 x 150 Scull-Strong Drill-Strong Stroke Count 2:40

2 x 150 Free Get your HR up! 2:00

3 x 50 Choice – be ready to go FAST! 1:00

ALL ONE STROKE or IM – IM is 25’s 2 ea FL-BK-BR-FR, 50’s 2 ea FL-BK-BR, 75’s 1 ea FL-BK-BR-FR

8 x 100 25 Max Speed under 100 speed! – 75 Smooth 2:00

6 x 100 50 Max Speed – 1-2 under LC 100 2^nd 50 – 50 smooth 3:00 Think we can do 2 heats here

4 x 100 75 Max Speed – Sustain Max Speed as long as you can 4:00 Think we can do 2 heats here

Have copies of best splits – with the turn and underwater you should be a second better if not 2, those with out splits – basic would be for FR and BK – half best time plus .7-.8, BR and FL basic would be half best time plus 1.5

1 x 300 Free or Back – 1 Paddle, 1 Fin on opposite – snorkel for Free 4:30 Stay Balanced

3 x 100 Kick 1:40

1 x 300 Free or Back – 1 Paddle, 1 Fin on opposite – snorkel for Free 4:30 Stay Balanced

11-8-23 (Wednesday – PM)

300 Swim

6 x 75 Free Catch up – Sprint Turn work 1:20 Bulkhead wall are 1/2 UW Turns, Wall is no kick turns

Less than 1 sec from last hand entry to feet OFF the wall! Snap the feet over! Press/Submerge into the turn, move forward as you are doing the turn, tuck the chin and flutter kick in – tumble through the turn.

6 x 75 Kick Odds Choice / Evens MAX speed UW 12.5-15m off walls 1:20

6 x Mid Pool Deadstart Open turns (if I’m not there yet I only allowed 5 min for this)

6 x 25 Mid Pool Fast BR or FL with fast turns :30 Less that 1 sec from touch to feet off the wall – drop down and BACK versus turning around.

2 x 300 L&S 4:00

3 x 100 Hold a faster pace 1:30

2 x 75 50 Strong Drill – 25 Strong Stroke Count 1:20

3 x 50 35m Fast-25m Faster-15m Fastest 1:00

20 x 50 ALL AFAP – ALL on stroke or IM – 5 each stroke FL-BK-BR-FR

Must be race specific wall-to-wall – going fast times is NICE, doing it the way you want to RACE is GREAT!

Consistently hit UW’s, breakouts, turns and finishes.

5 on 1:00 > 5 on 1:20 > 5 on 1:40 > 5 on 2:00

9 x 150 1 Smooth 2:30 > 3 Kick 2:30

1 Smooth 2:30 > 3 Kick 2:30

1 Smooth 2:30

11-22-23 (Wednesday – PM)

300 Swim

2 x 150 Kick 2:40

3 x 50 HARD Kick or 15m Sprint UW off both walls 1:00

150 Scull-Strong Drill-Strong Stroke Count 2:40

2 x 150 Pull Buoy at Ankles 2:15

150 Pull Regular Buoy 2:00

100 Hard Swim 1:15

2 x 50 Fast Swim :40

Same stroke within a round:

3 x 100 Scull 2:10 Torpedo/Regular by 25’s, Bucket/Alt Hand by 25’s, Choice but switch at 25

75 Strong Drill with intent 1:20

50 Strong Stroke Count :50

25 Fast at Stroke Count :40

Primary Strokes – no IM option:

4 x 25 Sprint under 100m Speed 1:00 All together 10 back

1 x 50 Sprint – target 1-2 seconds under 2^nd 50 of 100m Best time 2:00 2 Heats

3 x 100 Smooth 1:30 > 2 x 50 Re-Set 1:00

4 x 25 Sprint under 100m Speed 1:00

2 x 50 Sprint – target 1-2 seconds under 2^nd 50 of 100m Best time 2:00

3 x 100 Smooth 1:30 > 2 x 50 Re-Set 1:00

4 x 25 Sprint under 100m Speed 1:00

3 x 50 Sprint – target 1-2 seconds under 2^nd 50 of 100m Best time 2:00

4 x 100 Smooth 1:30 > 3 x 50 Re-Set 1:00

1 x 100 Sprint – under or as close as possible to best 100m time – with extra turns you should make up for not being able to dive – 4 Heats

6-9 x 50 Smooth :50 Warm down more if you can and I’d think you need too!

Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” is in its third printing, and is available from store.Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and distributors worldwide.

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