Visitors and residents of the Indoor Athletic building do not find swimming coach Hal Ulen at home these days during the afternoon. For that matter, they won't find the swimming team in the pool where they belong, either. Coach and candidates, about 70 of them, are spending their afternoon practice time in the third floor boxing room; but instead of tossing punches they throw medicine balls at each other.

Actually, the nearest many swimming candidates get to the water in preseason practice is the shower room, although some have been known to take a dip now and then on the sly. But this is unofficial and recreational--if pushing a kickboard for forty laps is your conception of a good time.

It is natural that in the midst of calisthenics contortions on hard mats Ulen's aquatic stars fondly recall how enjoyable it is to swim a race. The psychological aim of the landlocked workouts is to make the prospect of racing 20 laps or so an attractive alternative. After more than a month in the boxing room, the boys are always straining at the starter's whistle.

Sole consolation during these preliminary sessions is the recollection of former aquatic triumphs, and, fortunately, there is more to think about than last year's varsity loss to Yale. This summer several of Ulen's men did not pause to let the barnacles grow under their feet, writing their names on national and Canadian record books.

Most distinguished personal achievement was that of Ted Norris, who reported to practice this fall as the unofficial National AAU long distance champion, as a result of his summer performance at Williams Lake, Rosendale, New York. In a field of almost thirty competitors, cream of the country's long distance aces, Norris never relinquished the lead in the eight-lap four-mile grind.

Jerry Gorman, highest point winner last winter, invaded Canada in August to snatch the Ontario mile championship of the National Athletic Amateur Association. Coach Ulen himself was doing waterfront chores at Camp Wallula, N. H., this summer and Norm Watkins and Tom Woods were assisting him.

Maybe they were keeping in trim with the coach and the Wallula campers, because they took a short leave of absence to register some runner-up points at the State meet at Manchester. Last year's captain Watkins took second in the 100-yard freestyle, and Woods, who broke two records when the Freshmen topped Yale, followed in Dave Murray, former Crimson backstroke, in the 150-yard backstroke. In the same meet Chuck Hoeizer, in repitition of many an occasion last winter, led the breast-strokers to the tape.

Among the divers, Tom Drohan carried the Ulen name as far as the Caribbees. The board artist who used to exchange first and second place with Bob Asron in every meet last year dove several exhibitions in Bermuda with a New York Athletic Club team.