I did not think this summer would go this way. In the first place, I was not planning to have Piper do summer swim team this year. I figured we'd wait and try it out next summer once we had all her strokes together and her starts perfected. But my dear friend, Erin, convinced me we needed to join Springboard Pool and if we were joining we may as well do the swim team too. The first week of swim practice I was a nervous wreck. Panic attacks every afternoon while my one and only little girl swam back and forth up and down the lane. I was convinced with all the waves she'd barely make it there, let alone back!! Thank you Beth O'Connor Baker for the calm voice over the phone and my swim coach, Dominic Lattela via text telling me I am not totally crazy. Hmm now that I think about it they both said I wasn't 'totally' crazy, maybe they thought I was a little crazy?
Yet, here she is behind her lane getting ready to race and acting just like me. I am a total believer that it is genetic. As Brad says it is only a matter of time and she will spit in someones lane to psych a competitor out. (just like Amy Van Dyken baby!)
Once summer was in full swing and the practices moved to the morning it was a lot quieter and calmer. It was great seeing Coach Dale, Megan and Addie in the pool working with the kids and seeing so much improvement every week. Piper loved her coaches and also got to spend time with some old friends like Michaela and new ones like Jacob.
I have to say it was a really fun experience for Brad and me too. We timed at meets and helped set up for some of the home meets as well. We have really enjoyed being members at Springboard and all the new friends we've made. I think the Friday night socials are going to become a staple of our summer's just like the Friday night pasta dinners with the team. We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary with the swim team watching a great lip sync show put on by the swimmers and coaches. (the coaches rocked an original rap song).
Piper was lucky enough to be asked to fill in for another 8 year old swimmer in an A meet this summer. She did the 25 meter breaststroke and she did it really well, til the 1 handed touch at the end. Not to worry we've got that fixed now, believe me. It was kind of exciting for me to see her swim in an A meet even if she was last in the heat. I was so proud of her and when she was done with her race she came over to us, and that is when I knew she was my girl. She was so angry she'd been last!! I love her!
At the end of the season Piper told me she loved the racing and that is great. All I can ask is for her to have fun. That and hopefully she will never realize what a complete stress case I was at the beginning of the season and also how nervous I was every time she competed. I am also secretly pleased she wears her ears out of her cap like me, and my swim friends, Kim (Kilgore Kimborowicz) and Piper (Hastings Mercer), used to do and still do. Brad doesn't get it but Piper tells him it is so she can hear, ha ha ha smart girl!! You know her starts got better and better and she is now starting to work on her butterfly. So, I guess it all worked out, even better than I thought it would!
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