Michael Phelps admits surprising childhood fear, one that could help parents struggling with scared kids
The Olympic champion shared his own nerves in the pool while helping Baltimore Ravens players learn swimming as a life skill.
Michael Phelps has 28 Olympic swimming medals, but even he once froze at the edge of the pool. Speaking to Today, the legend in the water was with the Baltimore Ravens players during a special swimming session. Phelps admitted: “When I first got into the water to swim, Miss Cathy was my teacher, and I didn’t want to put my face under. Yes, me, Michael Phelps, afraid to put my face into the water.”
That confession was part of a lesson the Ravens arranged to highlight swimming as more than sport. It was about survival.
Why are the Ravens learning to swim?
Safety is the key here, say teammates Kyle Hamilton and Ronnie Stanley. Hamilton put it simply: “We think it’s a life skill that everyone should have. We want our teammates to be able to have that skill, and maybe it’ll save someone’s life one day.”
For a group of NFL players better known for tackling opponents than tackling their fears, stepping into the pool with the most decorated Olympian in history carried extra weight. Phelps told them that confidence comes gradually, with repetition and trust in a teacher. “You overcome those fears based on your comfort level in the pool,” he said.
What others are saying about Phelps’ session
The video of the lesson, shared across social media, drew plenty of reactions. Some viewers wanted more detail on how this confidence builds. Others, including long-time swim instructors, praised Phelps and the Ravens for making swimming visible as an essential skill.
One comment stood out: “I love that he remembers his teacher’s name – my four kids all learned to swim from Miss Lorraine and we’d still recognize her today.”
Every confident swimmer likely started with someone patiently coaxing them past the same fear Phelps once had. And for all the Olympic records, the story of him hesitating to dip his face in the water may be his most relatable victory yet. A great story to tell any children in a similar situation.
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