I survived the first summer meet of the season. Ask me later about the drive there and back.
Scotia swam one main event and won! She hates swim team and on an average day won't swim more than 5 feet without putting her feet down or grabbing the side, but on race day she dives off the block and swims like a Brown all the way to the rope (15 yards).
Jaxon swam three main events (free, back, fly) and won them all. He's great!
And Taye...
In his defense --- he ended up at Silver practice for year around swim that morning and swam 3.5 exhausting miles at the pace of a high schooler. He was in no condition to race that night. Another summer team mate swims year around too although Taye always beats him - but this night he out touched Taye in the 50 free. And Taye... he hopped out with a big smile. Gave his friend a pat on the back and a big cheerful congratulations. I was so pleased. I don't remember the last time Taye lost a summer swim race but the fact that he was not grumpy, or angry, or pouting or full of excuses made me so happy. Being happy for the success of a teammate is a much more important life skill than swimming fast. He upped his game for his last two races and won both.
(FYI if you are confused. All the kids swim in the summer league. Lots of subdivisions in the city have summer swim teams and compete against each other for 8 weeks during summer break. It's all about fun. Taye also swims on a competitive year around team that is part of USA Swimming and has professional coaching etc. It is serious!)
Scotia swam one main event and won! She hates swim team and on an average day won't swim more than 5 feet without putting her feet down or grabbing the side, but on race day she dives off the block and swims like a Brown all the way to the rope (15 yards).
Jaxon swam three main events (free, back, fly) and won them all. He's great!
And Taye...
In his defense --- he ended up at Silver practice for year around swim that morning and swam 3.5 exhausting miles at the pace of a high schooler. He was in no condition to race that night. Another summer team mate swims year around too although Taye always beats him - but this night he out touched Taye in the 50 free. And Taye... he hopped out with a big smile. Gave his friend a pat on the back and a big cheerful congratulations. I was so pleased. I don't remember the last time Taye lost a summer swim race but the fact that he was not grumpy, or angry, or pouting or full of excuses made me so happy. Being happy for the success of a teammate is a much more important life skill than swimming fast. He upped his game for his last two races and won both.
(FYI if you are confused. All the kids swim in the summer league. Lots of subdivisions in the city have summer swim teams and compete against each other for 8 weeks during summer break. It's all about fun. Taye also swims on a competitive year around team that is part of USA Swimming and has professional coaching etc. It is serious!)
How do you sit through all those swim practices and meets, you are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThe drive there and back? I was pregnant and nauseous. I yelled pull over on the way there, opened my door and threw up a few times on the side of the road. I sat in the parking lot for a few minutes when we got there to pull myself together again and then made it through the whole meet. Then on the way home - same thing. Pull over and I lean out the door to throw up multiple times. (At least it was dark by then) I was pretty certain after that fun series of events that I would never end up with any grandkids. This summer we headed there for a meet and Taye remembered.... we are all so much happier with such a cute baby and no more sick mom.
ReplyDelete