Swimming at the 2021 US Olympic Trials | Behind the Scenes

[@adrielvelasco7991]

I’m not a swimmer, but a High School diver! I have a bunch of friends on the swim team, and I can confidently say that swimmers are some of the hardest working people out there. So I can really see that you have put so much effort in. I hope to join my School’s swim team next season as a swimmer as well, and I look to all the existing swimmers as role models.

[@KyleMillis]

That’s super cool! Thanks for the support, you’re right it does take a lot! Best of luck to you in your journey from diver to swimmer!

[@damper9473]

Ur the first person that doesn’t swim that actually understands how hard it is

[@samanthawoods3414]

as someone who also started swimming as a freshman in high school and then joined club the same year, this motivates me so much!

[@KyleMillis]

That’s awesome!! I’m glad I could motivate someone like yourself, that’s the whole goal of what I wanted to get out of this channel. I started late to swimming and still reached my goals.

[@marcosricopeng]

Bruh you wake up at 4am? Love th inside look at Olympic Trials! Great video!

[@KyleMillis]

Well... in high school we had 5 AM practice, they are going easy on us in college with this 6 AM practice haha. I know you roll out of bed at 5:50 AM though for 6 AM practice ;)

[@lillianzhang_]

such a cool look into your life at this once in a lifetime opportunity :O proud of what you've been able to accomplish!

[@KyleMillis]

Thanks so much Lillian! It was fun for sure!

[@davidavila727]

This gives me a lot of hope since I just started swimming freshman year too. You are such an inspiration. You give kids like me and others hope at a collegiate dream

[@KyleMillis]

I’m glad I could do that, I didn’t start swimming until my freshman year of high school so it is very possible

[@platinum8524]

GO KYLE!!

[@peter-cv1be]

Hey there! Just came across this channel today and I’m absolutely loving it. I just started high school swimming with 7+ years of experience throughout swimming in the summer. Seeing this is so motivating for me and so many other people. Congratulations on this huge accomplishment; hard work really pays off. Also, I was your 800th subscriber. Can’t wait to see where you go, and remember you’re making so many people happy!

[@KyleMillis]

Thanks so much for being the 800th subscriber! I really appreciate it! That’s awesome, always love hearing from a fellow swimmer! I’ll make sure more videos like this come out to keep you goin!

[@joudajam9908]

Thanks man for motivating everyone to chase their deams, you should be proud of yourself. Only 7 years to have achieved this is incredible. I'm 28 y now and training 4 times a week and when i tell anyone that i wanna swim competitively they think i'm crazy und dellusional :D

[@KyleMillis]

Keep up the hard work and prove them all!!

[@aculturedspecimen]

Good to see more swim content creators. We need to expand the sport and get more eyes on it outside of the olympics. Anything 200 and below for me. Covid hit right as I took a break from swimming. Getting back in shape sucks bad, but it feels good putting less and less effort into going fast each time I get in. My technique has dramatically improved since I became a coach, I’m 21 and I still have 2 years of eligibility left, so who knows might do something cool.

[@KyleMillis]

That’s so awesome that you were able to take a step back and rethinking your swimming career. Keep up the great work and thanks for the support!

[@francishood9680]

that trial was so intense and nerve wrecking ✊🏻

[@KyleMillis]

It really was!! A hard environment to compete in but one that was quite rewarding.

[@gruttero]

Wow man! Also, we can’t always have amazing performances! Now that this is said, so proud of you for getting there and I really hope to see you on TV at the 2024 Olympics dude! I’ll be rooting for you and hope your shoulder is doing better! ✌🏻👊🏻

[@KyleMillis]

Thanks so much for the support. We don’t always race our best when we need to, but hey that’s alright!

[@gruttero]

Indeed! That’s what makes sports fun!

[@chrismoody1342]

Former High School swimmer; I qualified in my first year to go to state, with no prior swimming experience other than my backyard pool. Did well and medaled in several meets; medley relay, backstroke, freestyle and freestyle relay were my events. However no scholarships were offered other than one which I didn’t really want to attend. The guy I chased after (motivation) on my team did go onto collegiate level as a scholarship at a major university and the Olympic trials. Even he didn’t make it to the Olympics and he was a gold medal machine.

[@KyleMillis]

Swimming is super competitive at the top level! Congrats to you for all your hard work and dedication. I was like you and your friend, I won lots in HS, state champion and all, but once I got to the Olympic Trials level, I wasn't top dog anymore

[@chasechambers3085]

I worked olympic swim trials!!! it was awesome

[@KyleMillis]

It really was awesome!!

[@elizabethxkowalski]

what a dream come true to swim in the olympic trials. Congrats! I wished I knew you could recover from shoulder injury by stretches earlier. I would have kept swimming. I love binge watching your videos

[@KyleMillis]

Thanks so much for binging them haha! I appreciate the support and yes hopefully my shoulder will recover fast in time for NCAAs this year. More to come so you can continue to watch!

[@Blingbling8899]

I just retired in may but sprint were my events

[@KyleMillis]

Sprint life is the move haha!

[@ang_hutchings]

Hey Kyle! I just came across your channel and funny story, I was a volunteer at Swim Trials! Seeing your video brought back so many good memories because that was one of the most fun experiences. I’m so glad you enjoyed Omaha and my favorite arena :)

[@KyleMillis]

It was quite a cool pool for sure! Very different than any meet I've ever been to, that jumbotron was huge!!

[@cooperbilello7065]

Hey Kyle there was a guy that I swam with that went to that same Olympic Trials as you did except he did the 400 IM! Now he has graduated and it’s his first year at Auburn University!

[@KyleMillis]

Oh very cool! Ya there were lots of swimmers at that meet!! Super cool though

[@brennanpui8755]

50 and 100 Breast, 200 Medley relay. Love your content btw!

[@KyleMillis]

Thanks so much!! Oh man, those are my weakest events, you are a beast!

[@DavidGenz]

I am a coach now, but my main events were all 3 breast strokes (50, 100, and 200) and sprint freestyle events.

[@KyleMillis]

Very cool!! That is definetly my weak point in swimming

[@realalbertan]

Swim parent and masters swimmer here .... 2Fly, 4IM, 4/8/15Free. My son is 14 and going for 🇨🇦Westerns & Junior Cuts in 1-2Fly

[@KyleMillis]

That’s super cool! That’s far from my expertise, the 2fly is a beast of an event!

[@rileymiller9894]

Im training to go to the olympic trials in my high school years in the 200 or 100 breast any tips

[@KyleMillis]

I’m not the best breaststroke expert but I have a bunch of inspiring swim videos that I talk about general mentality and training tips you should definitely check out!

[@j.r.4111]

💯💯💯

[@KyleMillis]

Thanks!!!

[@nashe1462]

Kyle how tall are you & how much do you way (factors in swimming well competitively), how tall are your family members?

[@KyleMillis]

I'm 6 foot 6 inches so I'm pretty tall. It has helped me a lot in my swimming career, I won lots of races my touching out others with my long arms. It totally depends though as I know some of my teammates aren't close to as tall as me (under 6 foot) and are much better swimmers than me.

[@nashe1462]

@@KyleMillis And the family?

[@jbear6828]

Wait, you are from Seattle?

[@KyleMillis]

Yes from Issaquah

[@jbear6828]

@@KyleMillis Cool! I am a swimmer from Mercer Island, I swam on SMAC. I am in college now.

[@bengalssmith2870]

is cal swimming team the best univ swim team?

[@KyleMillis]

We are normally one of the top programs in the country, it’s always a fight for the top spot. Go Bears!

[@swimfan752]

Texas and florida better

[@LoyaFrostwind]

Is Olympic trials by invitation? What are the requirements?

[@KyleMillis]

Great question! USA swimming sets time standards that swimmers must achieve to attend the event. So I qualified in the 100 back and was then allowed to go

[@LoyaFrostwind]

@@KyleMillis Cool! At Trials, did you represent Cal, your home club, or both?

[@KyleMillis]

@@LoyaFrostwind I represented both with my main team being my club team

[@matthewjensen9043]

There I am!

[@KyleMillis]

you made it!!! Thanks for being a good roommate

[@oliviax.8166]

Haha that’s so funny! Really enjoy the video

[@adriansapi]

How to get into college like that? I am 15 in high school swimming for 12 years and i live far far away haha, but here we dont have high school swimming only train outside school

[@KyleMillis]

I have heard of it being different but in high school I had a club swim team and a high school swim team.

[@elizabethxkowalski]

100 butterfly and 200 IM. :)

[@KyleMillis]

Both very tough events! 2 IM is an all out sprint as well these days

[@raymondfarland301]

100 fly and 200 freestyle

[@KyleMillis]

Awesome!! Those are some tough events, hats off to you!

[@danielmoore9214]

How about an altitude tent to raise your game a bit.

[@KyleMillis]

Altitude tent?

[@danielmoore9214]

@@KyleMillis Don't you know that one ? You can get small altitude tents which effectively enclose your head while you are sleeping. The effect is similar to being at high altitude so there is less oxygen which means that you produce more red blood cells so more oxygenated blood when you compete. They are popular among University track athletes and also used by Michael Phelps.

[@KyleMillis]

@@danielmoore9214 yes now that you mention it, I have heard of those. We go each year to the Olympic training center in Colorado and get some altitude training. At home we don’t have any tents or anything as they cost a lot of money and we are still on a college budget.

[@danielmoore9214]

@@KyleMillis I see, quite expensive. I watched some vlogs from Stanford and they each had their own altitude tent...

[@KyleMillis]

@@danielmoore9214 wow that’s pretty cool! I didn’t know about that. Well I guess that’s public vs private school for ya haha

[@ryry9694]

My events: 50, 100 & 200 Fly 50. 100 & 200 Back 1500 Free And IM’S

[@KyleMillis]

Woah that’s a big range all the way from the 50 to the mile, you must be a hard worker to do that!

[@juancroal6007]

Mine I 50 fly 200 free relay 200 medley relay 200 free

[@KyleMillis]

Oh man those are some fun ones! No 2 fly?

[@realalbertan]

Anyone in the A Final... except the men's 400m free, only 1 guy made the A cut.

[@KyleMillis]

For the most part, I’d say so, there are a couple of events that the US isn’t as strong in but look at the Men’s 100 free!! Insanely stacked, swimmers like Nathan Adrian missed the team. A former gold and bronze medalist in the event!!

[@jacksonsnyder1121]

100 breast, 200 im, 100 fly,

[@KyleMillis]

Oh man! Those are tough ones for me

[@oscaroliver6045]

You have been a collegiate swimmer for 7 years? Wth

[@KyleMillis]

Haha no no, I have been swimming for 7 years. I started swimming club in my sophomore year of high school and swam 3 years. Now, I’m a senior in college so another 4 years.

[@ghp7382]

@@KyleMillis god, you must be made for swimming lol

[@danielmoore9214]

But isn't basketball much a much cooler sport ???

[@KyleMillis]

I mean I’d say so haha basketball is really fun!

[@swimfan752]

Yea but much more competitive

[@KyleMillis]

@@swimfan752 not necessarily. There are lots more college basketball programs than there are college swimming so while more people play basketball, much more get to go onto college to play while swimming is much more select.

[@katemillis2131]

lovin the vlogs

[@KyleMillis]

Thanks so much for the support! Go Bears!