“Well, You Get Out”: Michael Phelps Was Once Kicked Out of the Pool, Forcing Him to Hide in the Locker Room for His Behavior

Winning 28 medals as an individual at the Olympics is no easy feat. While many nations have won lesser medals in their history, Michael Phelps won a staggering 23 gold medals during his appearances at the five games. It takes immense hard work and determination to boast of such an impressive record. Phelps worked hard all his life to become the undisputed GOAT of the swimming world. But he also had fun during his practice sessions while often being punished for ‘angling’ with his coach.

One of Michael’s constant pillars of support, his mother, Debbie Phelps, has often discussed how she took a stand for her son during tough times. But, during one of her interviews, Debbie revealed how Michael would cause trouble to his coach, which ended with him getting kicked out of the pool.

Michael Phelps would often be barred from the pool

As a child, Michael Phelps struggled with ADHD. While the condition often resulted in him feeling alienated, it also gave way to some hilarious incidents from his childhood. During one of her interviews, Debbie shed light on one such incident, which also involved Michael’s coach, Bob Bowman.

Debbie said Michael had little ways of “angling with the coach.” Phelps would pull on the lane lines, go underwater and sit at the bottom of the pool during practice, skip a set, and claim he had done five, amongst other troublesome activities. But Bob knew what Michael was up to and had his ways of handling Phelps.

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“But Bob always knew, and Bob said, you know, ‘you are not getting out of this pool until you get the 6-beat-kick,’ and Michael is like, ‘I don’t wanna do the 6-beat-kick.’ He said, ‘well, you get out.’ So he would go and hide in the locker room until I came to pick him up two hours later. ‘How was practice?’ ‘Oh, it was great,’ and Bob’s like, ‘really Michael?’ ‘Okay, Mama, I got kicked out again.'”

The conversation that followed

Funny as the incident may have been, it was equally bothersome for Debbie, who worried about her son’s future. As the mother-son duo left the training facility, she would talk to her son about his plans for the future.

Debbie would ask her son what he wanted to do and what he wanted to be. She asked him why he was doing things the way he was and why he wanted to be on the lower end of the spectrum. “You have high expectations. I have taught you to set goals and to work hard. He’s like, ‘Mom, sometimes I get tired.’ And I’m like, ‘I understand.'” Debbie helped Michael realize that coach Bob had set goals that would help him become a success.

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Sure enough, Michael realized the importance of a proper training regime. If it was not for the constant support of his mother at every step of the way and the patience of coach Bob Bowman, Michael might not have achieved the level of success he has.