Nike on Friday announced that it is launching Swoosh TC, a revamped training network for its elite distance runners with Diljeet Taylor, Jerry Schumacher and Mike Smith tapped to lead three separate groups.
The club initially kicks off in three locations with Taylor in Utah, Schumacher in Oregon and Smith in Arizona as athletes have access to physical locations to train and use resources.
However, the introduction of the new club is essentially and answer to questions about the fate of the company’s Bowerman Track Club and Union Athletics Club, which have seen lineup and leadership changes in the past two years.
“Our aspiration is to be the most dynamic, collaborative and competitive professional run club,” Taylor said in a statement. “We’re doing that through working as a collective to fulfill athletes’ dreams, helping them unleash their potential and creating a community where they can be successful. Having increased access to all three hubs will help athletes to push the boundaries of performance, giving them opportunities to train both at altitude and sea level.”
A report by Runner’s World suggests that current Bowerman professional athletes will be absorbed by the new club system and the Bowerman Track Club name will live on as a group for youth and masters runners.
Meanwhile, Taylor, 47, will remain as women’s head coach at BYU and lead Swoosh’s roster based in Utah. Schumacher, 54 will coach the Oregon-based group with help from Shalane Flanagan, who is an assistant coach at the University or Oregon. Smith, 44, heads up the Arizona group and will be jointed by his wife, Rachel Smith. He will officially join Swoosh on July 1 after previously announcing that he is leaving as head coach at Northern Arizona University.
For Nike, the new pro distance model is a refocused commitment on a club model that lagged in recent years with speculation about roster changes, where its athletes would train and why Union Athletics Club was spun out from the existing Bowerman group. In recent years, smaller clubs and the efforts over rival brands have put serious tests on Nike’s dominance in the distance scene.
Taylor, however, seemed poised to help restore the company’s standing in the distance running landscape and is tasked with solidifying one of the three Swoosh outposts.
“What I love about the Swoosh TC model is that the athlete is at the center of all that we do,’ Taylor said. “The program’s commitment is centered around the athlete and their needs, and we’re committed to supporting them at every step, building a strong culture of community and giving them the best possible opportunity to succeed.”
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