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http://www.omegatiming.com/swimming/racearchives/2008/Omaha_b_2008/index.htm
Adam Ritter: All about the Team
(9/6/2007) BY MIKE WATKINS, Special Correspondent
Growing up playing basketball, soccer and baseball as a youth, Adam Ritter grew into the con summate team player.
So when it came time to decide between those sports and the glaring singularity of swimming, Ritter’s choice proved easier than you might think.
“I was constantly hurting myself in dryland sports, and the water is much softer than the ground, so it was a pretty easy decision,” said Ritter, a fifth-year engineering major at the University of Arizona. “I’m still passionate about team sports, and I’m able to remain a member of a team in swimming despite it being individual events. I love relays.”
Ritter got a strong taste of teamwork this summer as a member of the U.S. team at the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
It being his first time as a member of a USA Swimming team of any kind, Ritter approached the meet with a very serious attitude. In the process, he won three gold and two silver medals to lead the United States’ dominating performance.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love winning the medals, but this was my first meet representing the United States, and it meant a great deal to me just wearing the swim cap with the U.S. flag on it,” said Ritter, a 17-time All-American in four years at Arizona, despite never being named to a U.S. international team before this summer.
“I went to WUGs knowing I had a realistic shot at a medal or two, but to win five was amazing,” Ritter said. “The medals in the relays (gold in the 400 and 800 freestyle and silver in the 400 medley relay) meant the most because I did it as a member of a team.”
The product of a swimming family, Ritter was genetically destined to take the plunge. His father, James, swam at the University of Cincinnati, where his uncle Bob (Ritter) also swam and was an All-American. His uncle John (Ritter) was also a swimmer at the Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), and another uncle on his mom’s side, Ron (Flerlage) swam at Eastern Kentucky University. Adam’s younger brother, Kyle, also swam, as does his sister, Erin.
But having witnessed and read about kids getting burned out on the sport at a young age, Susan, Adam’s mom, wanted the kids to wait until they were older to start swimming.
James, however, had other ideas and signed Adam up at age eight without Susan knowing.
“My dad snuck out and signed me and Kyle up for summer league because he knew how much he loved swimming,” Ritter said. “I loved it right away, but I wasn’t what you’d call ‘good’ until much later.”
Ritter said he was recruited to swim at Arizona based on his potential, height and wing span (he’s 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-9 wing span), and was relatively ordinary until his junior year, when he became a multiple All-American.
 Earlier this year, he won his only NCAA title in the 200 individual medley and rode that momentum to his performance at WUGs.
Now that he’s done swimming collegiately, Ritter’s focus has shifted to the next phase of his swimming career – 2008 Olympic Trials.
He just missed qualifying for Trials in 2004, but he’s already swam fast enough to compete in the 100 and 200 freestyle and 200 IM events next summer in Omaha.
And based on his fast times at WUGs – all personal bests – he can taste earning a spot on the team heading to Beijing next year. He knows he’ll face considerable competition from names like Phelps, Crocker, Lochte and others, but he’s far from intimidated.
“God wired me to race, and I intend to see how far I can go in the sport,” said Ritter, a gold medalist in the 200 freestyle at WUGs. “I know the competition will be tough at Trials, but that’s what I want. I believe if you go in intimidated or expecting not to win, you’re already giving them the win before you ever swim. That’s not my style.”
http://usaswimming.org/USASWeb/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=1717&mid=3204
 August 2007 2007 World University Games
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Summary for Adam's Events: 3 Gold & 3 Games Records Gold Men's 400 freestyle relay Games-record time of 3:16.06
(48.52 anchor split) Gold Men's 800 freestyle relay Games-record time of 7:13.72
(1:47.40 relay split) Gold Men's 200 freestyle Games-record time of 1:48.49 (prelims)
New Games-record time of 1:47.42 (finals) 2 Silver Silver Men's 400 medley relay 3:37.74 (48.66 anchor split) Silver Men's 100 freestyle 49.44 (prelims) 49.70 (finals)
Men's 400 medley relay
The United States' foursome of Nicholas Thoman, Matt Lowe, Matt Grevers and Adam Ritter finished second in 3:37.42.
Men's 200 freestyle
The United States' Adam Ritter turned in a Universiade-record readout of 1:47.42 to jump into eighth in the world this year in the event.
Men's 200 freestyle
Rk Lane Name R.T. 50m 100m 150m 200m Tbh. Rec. Ind.
1 4 USA - RITTER Adam James 0.8 [2] 25.25 [3] 52.77 [2] 1:20.45 [1] 1:47.42 GR 25.25 27.52 27.68 26.97
Men's 800 freestyle relay
The United States' squad of Matt McGinnis (1:49.14), Adam Ritter (1:47.44), Doug Van Wie (1:48.46) and Michael Klueh (1:48.68) set a Universiade record with a time of 7:13.72.
Men's 100 freestyle
Russia's Andrey Grechin picked up the gold medal with a time of 49.29, while the United States' Adam Ritter claimed silver in 49.70. Brazil's Fernando Silva rounded out the top three with a bronze-winning 49.71.
Men's 400 freestyle relay
The United States' contingent of Matt McGinnis (49.61), Matt Grevers (48.45), Bryan Lundquist (49.48) and Adam Ritter (48.52) set a Games-record time of 3:16.06.  
Tucson, AZ
Updated Thursday, August 28, 2008 9:53 AM
Clear | 80°F | High: 94°F
Low: 74°F
Wind: 5 mph
Humidity: 60%
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