But where do swimming & skiing athletes go to hone their skills before making Olympic squads. I know that often the best swimmers may not even be college age when they make it to world/Olympic levels...

I was trying to set some parameters I would want to consider as an AD and not necessarily make the cuts. No way would I be qualified to really make the decision. But aside from just dollar to dollar (or head count to head count for Title IX) you do have to consider other things in regards to making your school attractive to athletes, spectators and boosters. Also hope for some notoriety to come your way like perhaps when an athlete makes the Olympic team and medals, etc.

Maybe not as significant for the team sports then like Water Polo as the team is honored more than the individual. But someone in Skiing or Swimming that is being competitive and maybe getting a medal in a few individual events in those sports could bring a lot of attention...publicity wise during the event but also possibly for future recruits in that sport...

At any rate on the men's side, the ideas I threw out were kinds of sports I'd focus on for elimination and why. Women's would be more of a balancing act with dollar/dollar and head count/head count in mind...