Our community pool has a great swim team program and I finally talked the kids into joining this summer. A few of their friends have been on the team for a year or two and I just have the most fond memories of when I was on swim team as a kid that I had to 'make' them try it.
During my efforts to get them excited about starting the team, I negotiated that they didn't have to do the "meets". Competition scares CJ and Alex was cool with not having to be tested on skill. With this deal agreed upon, we start at 9 am every weekday for practice ever since the Monday after school let out.
As expected, they love it. Seeing their friends, getting to swim in the morning before the pool opens, and getting to wear the swim team suits are all part of the draw. My game plan was to get them comfortable with the practices and then start selling them on a meet. Perhaps, we would just go and watch a meet and not compete. But, we missed the first three meets when we were at the Bay. Once we returned I realized that I was going to have to go into a hard-sell tactic since there were only 4 meets remaining with the upcoming 2 the only home-meets left.
Alex was an easier sell than expected. A quick comparison to soccer was all he needed. Would soccer be as much fun if you only did practice and never played a game? Nope. Certainly not. Good - Alex was in.
Would it surprise you that CJ was a tougher nut to crack? I went about it at first as I did with Alex. No dice. She wasn't buying the soccer analogy. Next it was that her friends would be there. Yeah, doesn't really sway her. Then my friends, the mom's to CJ's friends, start encouraging her to come and try because it is WAY more FUN than practice. Nope. CJ dug her heels in more and refused. Then my friend says, "There is a lot of yummy food at a meet's concession stand! Do you like cookies? I'll make whatever cookie you want."
CJ: Nuh-uh. Don't want to do it.
Friend: There are ring pops too!
CJ: No, thank you.
Friend: Hot dogs?
CJ: No.
Friend: There is even Mac and Cheese!
CJ: Okay, I'll do it!!
With much apprehension, we went to the first meet. Simply put, they loved it. So much so that they didn't even realize that they came in last in every race, got disqualified in one of them, or that the mac 'n cheese was absolutely awful. Smiles were abundant and after the last relay race of the night, they both begged to do the next one. Gotcha - You're hooked!
Two meets are under our belt and they are gearing up for another on Thursday. Hopefully, it stays fun and they start getting a little better... perhaps to come in second to last!
Here are some fun pictures from the first and second meet. The videos at the end are from the first meet and are sort of hard to see. Try if you like.
Pre-meet dinner of dogs and cookie dough. Food of Champions!
This pose that comes so naturally to CJ is a sign of future teenage trouble. Right?
Alex waiting for his race.
CJ waiting for her first race!
This is from the second meet. She insisted on getting a team swimcap. She just finished her backstroke race. Notice the care she is giving to her index finger with bandage. She got that earlier in the day because she noticed a small scratch. HA!
Alex competing in his self-described "best event", breaststroke.
Finished!
CJ already changed and Alex just finished his last event. I just love this photo!
CJ is in lane one. When the video starts, she is in the lane farthest to the left.
Alex is in lane one. At the start, it is the farthest to the left.
1 comment:
What fun! I remember watching you race too Jean! And I'm pretty sure you had a similar pose to CJ's.
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