Donnie is one of Walt Whitman High's champion swimmers. It has been his dream and his life thanks to the fact that his demanding father is also his coach. All of a sudden he (gasp!) up and quits during an important match and who does his father blame? Good old Pete of course for doing the unthinkable and daring his son to be his own man. Donnie tries everything to be "his own man" from joining the drama and radio club and eventually falling flat on his face due to stress. He is so torn between what his father wants him to be and what he wants to be. There is the traditional happy ending but this issue is still relevant today about how hard kids are pushed by well meaning but destructive parents.
2 Reviews
Swim Champ
Jimmy_the_Gent43 March 2021
Swimming champion Donnie suddenly quits in the middle of a meet.
A pretty good episode, interesting guest stars. Donnie's father is angry that his son quits and cannot understand the change in him. Gerald S. O'Loughlin plays the father (He would soon be Lt Ryker on "The Rookies"). Richard Hatch is Donnie and he also would guest star on 'The Rookies" a few years later. In this episode, Donnie tries out for camera club, a school radio show and Miss Johnson's drama club.
A pretty good episode, interesting guest stars. Donnie's father is angry that his son quits and cannot understand the change in him. Gerald S. O'Loughlin plays the father (He would soon be Lt Ryker on "The Rookies"). Richard Hatch is Donnie and he also would guest star on 'The Rookies" a few years later. In this episode, Donnie tries out for camera club, a school radio show and Miss Johnson's drama club.
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