“If It’s Not Going to Kill Them”: Michael Phelps’ Coach Once Opened Up on Adorable Role as Grandpa to Legendary Swimmer’s Kids

Michael Phelps retired from competitive swimming twice, once in 2012, and then for good in 2016. The swimming legend felt he still had unfinished business in the pool after his initial decision to hang up the cap and goggles. But by the time the Rio Olympics came around, he had a compelling reason to make it his last competition.

What is that reason? His newborn son Boomer Robert Phelps came into the world a mere three months before Phelps’ last Olympic run. Now, Phelps is a father of three, living out his retired life with his family, pursuing passion projects, and filling philanthropic roles.

Michael Phelps’ son calls his coach grandpa

As a child of divorce, Michael Phelps grew up with his mother, who raised him and his two sisters single-handedly. His relationship with his dad remained estranged for a long time before they began reconnecting in 2014. In the meantime, the GOAT swimmer’s coach Bob Bowman became a father figure in his life.

The storied coach took Phelps under his wing when he was just 11. He stuck with Phelps through the good and bad despite their differences and clashes. So it only makes sense that as a pseudo-dad for Phelps, Bob Bowman takes on the role of grandfather to his children. In fact, Phelps chose Boomer’s middle name, Robert, in honor of his longtime coach.

Bowman has an interesting dynamic with the Phelps kids, as he told Sports Illustrated in an interview last year. “I’m the grandpa who lets them do what they want if it’s not going to kill them, and he’s the ‘No’ man,” Bowman said with a laugh. 

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

Bowman saw Phelps struggle with depression, ADHD, and his issues with his father. So when the most decorated Olympian devoted himself to his kids as soon as the first of them arrived, the coach saw a whole new person. He continued, “[Phelps is] really good with them. It is great to experience this side of him.”

But Bowman doesn’t want to be the kids’ swim coach

Michael Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman live barely two miles apart. It helps to give the coach plenty of bonding time with the Phelps family. “Every day after practice, I head over there and play with the kids for an hour and a half or so. Then we have dinner together and maybe take a walk as a family,” he told SwimSwam. “It’s actually really nice.”

His new relationship with the swimmer since his retirement proved to be much different from when Phelps competed. Back then, they’d only ever meet at practice and not talk about much outside of swimming. Surprisingly, Bowman claims he definitely won’t be coaching the next Phelps generation in the pool.

“I kind of have 100 percent decided that I could never coach his kids,” Bowman said through laughter. What he did say is that Boomer can do butterfly better than freestyle. He also claimed that in case the younglings chose to walk in their father’s footsteps, Phelps would be a great swim parent. “He would definitely have some ideas about their technique,” he concluded.

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