21-year-old Dartmouth swimmer Tate Ramsden passed away over the weekend in a drowning incident at the YMCA pool in Sarasota, Florida.
Ramsden was on vacation with his family in Sarasota and was training in the outdoor pool at the Selby Aquatic Center on Saturday when he “suddenly started to struggle and drowned,” according to the local Fox affiliate.
Ramsden was a junior at Dartmouth, and originally hailed from Tennessee, where he was a captain of the Montgomery Bell High School swim team. Ramsden was part of the 4×100 free relay at Montgomery Bell that won four consecutive Tennessee state titles.
He also competed for the Nashville Aquatic Club.
Fox13 reports that Ramsden was about 4000 yards into his workout when the incident occurred. Investigators said Ramsden started working on an underwater set and may have been attempting 100 yards entirely underwater when he drowned.
His sister noticed that Ramsden wasn’t moving and alerted the pool’s lifeguards.
Fox13 still reports that the cause of the drowning is officially unexplained. An autopsy should shed more light on what went wrong to cause the 21-year-old’s death.
You can read more about the incident here, on the site of the local CBS station. Ramsden’s family will be holding a memorial service next weekend in Nashville.
Update: The Sarasota YMCA has released a statement on the incident. That statement is below:
Every year for the last seventy years, thousands have arrived at our YMCA and our expectations were that they would have a wonderful experience during their stay.
Unfortunately, there was an aquatic emergency Saturday at the Evalyn Sadlier Jones YMCA Branch Pool and a 21-year-old guest passed away after being extracted from the pool by our lifeguards.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to this man’s family at this time. This event is nearly impossible to comprehend, and he and his family are in our hearts.
It is important for all to know that, as is our custom, we are immediately launching an investigation into the incident and are cooperating with all local authorities in their investigations.
Out of respect for the family, we ask that you honor their privacy at this difficult time. Again, I’m sure you join us in offering your prayers to this man and his family.
I agree with ‘Tall N Wet’. I am led to believe that the coach in question regularly gave swimmers such underwater swims. It is dangerous.
The coach responsible should be fired and an investigation launched. Seriously, the NCAA knows this is dangerous and should ban it. This kid would still be alive if he wasnt made to do this. Fact.
Hopefully he wasn’t following a written workout from his coach at Dartmouth or from John Morse. I swam for Coach Morse way back in the day in Nashville and I do remember doing extended underwaters but it by no means was a usual occurrence. He was a classic good distance coach that doesn’t mess around – we simply put in better work than the other kids around. As for the Sarasota pool – its outside – but the water is well chilled usually – so I doubt water temp was an issue.
Our organization is here to help raise awareness of the dangers of shallow water blackout. We have assembled a team of aquatics experts to help answer questions and support the aquatics community to help prevent more senseless and tragic deaths such as Tate Ramsden’s. Our deepest sympathies to his loved ones and friends. Please visit our website for more information. http://www.shallowwaterblackoutprevention.org
Just wondering if he had done any snorkeling training before the attempt at underwater distance. O2 and CO2 exchange question concerning use of snorkel followed by hypoxic activity which would further disturb the O2 and CO2 exchange.
My input as someone with a unique perspective – I’ve been there.
I grew up with a pool in the backyard, swam competitively from age 6 through high school. Sophomore year, as a bet with friends, I was trying to swim laps underwater in my home pool. As clear as a bell, I still remember the last wall, the shadows of the leaves on the bottom of the pool, and the next stroke – then nothing. I awoke at the other end of the pool, on the deck, with no idea of how I got there.
I asked my friends how I got there and they said they pulled me out after I passed out. I figured that… Read more »
I have a good friend who is a swimmer on the Dartmouth team and he told me a few things. The coaches sent out practices for swimmers to do on their own while they were home before returning to school, but there were no sets like doing 100s underwater or anything like that so do not blame the coaches here. He always loved doing underwater sets and so he must’ve just taken it to the next level on his own. He was a real leader on the team, liked by everyone, and made a huge impact on the Dartmouth community as a whole. There may have been an underlying heart condition since he coughed up blood and water but that… Read more »
RC why do you say it means coach did not instruct?
Do you know if his clubs or school used this type training ?