“I Was Super Bratty”: Michael Phelps Once Denied Ambitions to Become Coach Based on His Own Past Experiences

Michael Phelps retired from swimming in 2016 after he broke an over 2000-year-old record of most individual medals won at the Olympics. He established himself as the greatest swimmer of all time, his 400-meter individual medley record still standing after 14 years.

Where many athletes tend to become a coach after their competitive careers are over, Phelps claimed a long time ago that will probably never be the case for him. Since his retirement, the swimming legend has taken a philanthropic and entrepreneurial role instead.

Michael Phelps on becoming a coach

In 2012, Michael Phelps appeared on 60 minutes to talk in-depth about his life and career. Here, Anderson Cooper asked him if he would consider becoming a coach in the future. Immediately, Phelps responded with “No.” The reason was pretty simple.

“Because I know how I was as a kid. I was super bratty. [An] annoying little kid. And I just don’t see myself being able to, I guess, deal with that,” he elaborated. Knowing his personality as a swimming prodigy, Phelps has an insight into what it takes to be able to guide a young and talented swimmer.

But the 23-time Olympic champion doesn’t think he’s equipped to take on that role. He has no interest in molding the next Michael Phelps. Especially if his students turn out to be anything like him. He continued, “No, not if he was like I was when I was a kid. No shot.”

Phelps was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at nine. His parents got divorced, and his mother raised him and his two sisters by herself. When he was 11, storied coach Bob Bowman took him under his wing, and Phelps stuck with him throughout his career.

READ MORE: “He Thought I Was Too Mean”- Michael Phelps’ Coach Once Opened Up About His Initial Relationship With the Swimmer

Phelps’ relationship with his coach

Though Michael Phelps’ bond with coach Bowman is strong, they often butted heads. In the absence of his dad, Bowman became somewhat of a father figure for the young swimmer. So he would often experience Phelps’ frustration with his father taken out on him.

According to a feature by ESPN, Bob Bowman and Michael Phelps clashed repeatedly, their fights escalating in intensity. Dented door frames, cracked stopwatches, and screaming matches in parking lots and airports are a common part of their infamous tales. 

“Whenever he felt threatened or frustrated or whatever, he’d turn me into Fred and yell at me,” Bowman said. Notably, it took a long time and a lot of therapy for Phelps to work through his issues with his father. And he understood how it affected his relationship with his coach.

Phelps knows how big of a role his coach played in his life, and how his misplaced anger complicated their relationship. With his personal experience in mind, Phelps has spent his days since retirement focusing on his family and raising his three sons.

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