Father-Son Reunion or Brief Respite? Michael Andrew Rejoins Father in Hawaii
Beautiful waves crash the shore every day in Oahu, Hawaii, from sunrise to sunset. The water surges toward its breaking point, only to gently slow to relaxation. Even after a hard effort, the wave finds peace for itself, a break from the heavy force.
The wave’s cycle is one that Michael Andrew likely understands. The 2020 Olympian has taken a break from training at Arizona State University to rejoin his father at his new club, practicing at the American Renaissance Academy in Oahu. The purpose? A return to form for the star, along with a return to a place he loves.
“I’m just here enjoying the start of the season,” said Andrew. “It’s an extension of a vacation, but also preparation.”
While the trip will provide much-needed rest, it also reunites father and son in training for the first time in two years. Andrew trained with his father, Peter, for most of his career, before leaving for Arizona State in 2024. It’s an opportunity Peter is excited to tackle.
“It’s been a very fun time having him here,” Peter Andrew said.
The Coach emphasized his goal to help Andrew succeed, after a disappointing performance at the World Championships in July. Can the father-son partnership return Andrew to his previous form? It’s a question the two want to answer, as they embark on a new journey.
A Slight Setback
While Michael Andrew is embracing the sense of calm that Oahu has brought him, the last few months have been anything but quiet. Andrew entered the World Championships with high expectations, having once been one of the world’s top sprinters. However, he missed the final in his two events, marking the first time he’d ever failed to do so at a World Championships.
It was Andrew’s first major meet after separating from his father the year prior to pursue training at Arizona State. The star chose to move on from USRPT, looking to find a way to get over a slump. Obviously, the results didn’t show at World Championships. But the swimmer remains confident in the program and its mission, citing other factors.
“I think there were a lot of different factors, besides the stomach bug, but also in my private life that I was going through,” Michael Andrew said. “And that’s never helpful toward performance.”
Andrew pointed to the transition to swimming at ASU as a difficult one, but something that eventually came along.
“It’s been mainly about learning how to communicate properly,” Michael said. “It was a season of learning.”
Riding the Waves
The struggles at the World Champs are a big reason for Andrew’s respite. He’s taken some time to rest for himself, before easing back into training with his father.
“I think right now I’m just extending the vacation, while preparing,” Michael Andrew said.
The biggest form of relief, per the athlete, has been a far cry from the dry deserts of Arizona: the ocean. Andrew ventures out every day with the athletes currently training with him in Oahu: Mikel Shrouders, Petra Senaszky, and Patrick Sammon.
“It gives us an opportunity to have a ton of fun, and do things we haven’t been able to do because we’ve been so busy (with training),” Michael Andrew said.
It’s an experience that seems playful on the surface. But according to Peter, it’s something that could be helpful in the pool. The coach pointed to surfing, specifically, as a great form of dryland for the swimmers, even with their decreased workload.
“You paddle for 10 seconds to catch the wave, then ride the wave for 15 seconds as a rest, then repeat,” Peter Andrew said. “It’s a lot like USRPT (structurally), and the motions are like freestyle.”
Michael Andrew agreed, explaining that the exercise added another dimension to training.
“It makes training a hell of a lot harder,” he said with a laugh. “At a certain point, you have to take a rest (from the surfing) and find balance, but it’s hard to because we’re having so much fun.”
Overall, the exercise is simply a source of escape, after a year that brought its challenges.
“It’s the very opposite of what we would call a traditional buildup (before a meet),” Michael Andrew said. “But we can enjoy the start of the season, and have an open door to (enjoy) the ocean.”
Presence Progresses the Program
To Michael Andrew, his trip offers a quick rest, and the chance to spend time with family. But to Peter, it has meant something more. To the kids of Oahu, Michael Andrew and the other athletes are heroes. Their presence has been beneficial by inspiring the coach’s upstart club and its swimmers.
“It’s fostered a lot of excitement with the young swimmers and the age groupers,” said Peter Andrew. “It creates a relationship for the kids to look up to.”
Peter Andrew pointed to his son and the athletes’ involvement in the community, despite only arriving a few weeks ago, as incredibly important.
“They’re doing such a great job interacting,” Peter Andrew said. “It really is great for the sport of swimming.”
Difficult Decisions Ahead
While father and son have benefitted in different ways from Michael’s respite, there’s one thing they agree upon: how great it’s been to be reunited.
“I haven’t gotten to see my family too much the past eight or nine months, being in Arizona,” Michael Andrew said. “It’s such a cool opportunity to do that and be in a fun place.”
In the pool, Peter Andrew expressed his joy to get to work with his son once again.
“He can be frustrating, constantly questioning what we’re doing (in the pool) and wanting proof,” he said. “But the pros are all so intelligent, it’s something I really appreciate.”
While Peter is enjoying the company, it seems unlikely to last for long. Michael said he plans to return to Arizona State and continue his development under coach Herbie Behm.
Andrew’s father, however, is holding out hope that the group of professionals might see an opportunity in Oahu. It’s a place he thinks could be incredibly beneficial to many swimmers, in the same way it has been for Michael.
“Emotions and problems can be very fatiguing (for professional swimmers),” said Peter Andrew. “Having a place where they can enjoy nature, and race to their very best, without thinking about what they have to do, is very freeing.”
The coach’s goal is to begin recruiting swimmers for a professional team in Oahu, utilizing this very sales pitch. In his heart, he seems to hope Michael will join him.
“I just want him to feel most comfortable in a pool that’s going to help him excel,” Peter Andrew said. “I’m biased, but I think he knows that’s with us.”
Time will tell if the two end up reunited. The focus now is a greater sense of happiness – in and out of the water.
“Being here so far, it’s recharged me,” Michael Andrew said. “I’m excited to see what’s to come.”
