By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam
By Dr. Chelsea Ale
College athletics is changing. Revenue sharing is on the horizon. NIL is growing rapidly. Legal rulings like House v. NCAA are forcing long-overdue conversations about fairness and compensation. But as these developments unfold, another shift is happening quietly—and dangerously.
Olympic sports are being left behind.
Athletic departments across the country are making painful decisions, and too often, it’s Olympic sports programs that get cut first. Over the past few years alone, we’ve seen schools eliminate men’s gymnastics, wrestling, swimming and diving, track and field, and more. Even when programs are spared, many are shrinking rosters or reducing scholarship support just to survive.
I’ve spent my life in Olympic sport—as a diver, as a coach, as someone who has run the world’s largest diving camp, and now as the President of the U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association. I can tell you this with absolute certainty: collegiate athletics is one of the most important pieces of our Olympic pipeline. And right now, it’s in jeopardy.
The United States does not have a centralized government-funded training system like many other countries. Instead, we’ve relied on a uniquely American ecosystem—one where Olympic hopefuls develop through youth sports, club teams, and most critically, college athletics. NCAA programs provide athletes with elite coaching, strength and conditioning, nutrition, medical care, academic support, world-class facilities, and regular high-level competition. These are not luxuries—they are essential.
Collegiate sport is where our Olympians grow. It’s where they refine their skills, build resilience, and stay motivated. Without it, most of them simply wouldn’t make it to the next level.
For many Olympic sports, college is the end goal. It’s what keeps young athletes in the sport. When you know there’s a chance to compete at a school you’re proud of, represent a university that believes in you, and be part of a team that supports your goals—you’re more likely to keep training, even when the odds are tough. Especially in sports where there’s little or no professional path, college is everything.
But that dream is fading. We are cutting lifelines.
Title IX remains an important tool in ensuring equity, but it cannot be the only thing keeping these programs alive. We must value Olympic sports not just for compliance, but for their contribution to our national identity, international success, and personal development of athletes who represent the very best of us.
And the timing could not be more urgent. The Olympic Games are coming to Los Angeles in 2028. We will host the world—and we should be doing everything we can right now to prepare our athletes to shine on their home soil. What message do we send if we dismantle the very system that produces those athletes? How can we ask them to carry our flag if we’ve stripped away their pathway to get there?
This is not just about medals. This is about community. Character. National pride.
Olympic sports may not generate massive media rights or sell out stadiums, but their impact is profound. These athletes inspire us. They serve as role models. They embody discipline, sacrifice, and determination. They often give more than they receive—and they do it out of love for their sport and pride in their country.
If we want Olympic sports to survive and thrive, we need action now:
Athletic departments must explore creative financial solutions that preserve Olympic programs, not eliminate them. Conferences and the NCAA should establish protections or incentives for maintaining broad-based sport offerings. National Governing Bodies (NGBs) need to deepen their partnerships with universities to share resources, programming, and advocacy. Philanthropic and alumni networks should be mobilized around Olympic sports, especially with LA 2028 ahead. The sport community at large, including those of us in leadership roles, must raise our voices—loudly and often—to ensure these sports are not forgotten.At the U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association, we are actively working to protect and promote diving at all levels. We are launching new education initiatives, certification pathways, and national advocacy efforts. But we cannot do this alone. No single sport can. We must come together—coaches, athletes, administrators, alumni, and fans—to protect the future of Olympic sport in the United States.
This isn’t just a sports issue. It’s a values issue. Are we a country that only supports what’s profitable? Or are we a country that invests in excellence, passion, and purpose—even when it doesn’t come with a dollar sign attached?
Let’s build a collegiate sports system that values all athletes. Let’s create pathways that uplift, not eliminate. Let’s ensure that when the world turns its eyes to Los Angeles in 2028, they see not just greatness—but a country that stood up and fought to protect it.
Now is the time. Let’s save collegiate Olympic sports—before it’s too late.
ABOUT DR. CHELSEA ALE
Dr. Chelsea Ale is the President of the U.S. Professional Diving Coaches Association and a professor of Sport Management at the University of Alabama. A former Division I diving coach and athlete, she advocates for the preservation of Olympic and non-revenue sports through strategic leadership, athlete-centered policy, and sustainable funding models.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Now Is the Time: A Call to Protect Collegiate Olympic Sports
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