The Phelps Effect

Tameka, age 9, and Kayarah, age 8, love to watch the Olympic swim team so much they have picnics around the television and watch the competitions ? even in Spanish! They are two members of a new generation of young swimmers being inspired by Michael Phelps at the Beijing Summer Olympics. Swim coach Offitt Porter is having trouble getting his swim team to practice; all they want to do is rush home to watch the U.S. Olympic swim team. This is ?The Phelps Effect,? with which one athlete has inspired children around the country.