(43-310) The Longest Swim Meet EVER!

Tonight we participated in the longest swim meet EVER and thus, this just may be my shortest blog EVER!

I had spoken with our new coach last week and agreed to resume my position as place recorder for our home meets.  Our coach asked if I would be the announcer, but I told him that I preferred not to.  I asked him to try to find someone else for that job; but assured him that if he couldn't;  I would do it. 

We arrived at our team pool at 415, and the girls starting warming up at 440.  Our coach explained that his brother (who had A LOT of experience), would begin announcing the race, but one of the dad's had volunteered so he would take over after a while.  The dad introduced himself to me, and I in turn introduced him to Luis, and my friend Kailene, as I had enlisted their help in calling the meet.  I explained the process that we use, and what he'd have to do.  He was receptive and observed (somewhat) quietly, until it was time for him to give announcing a try.

Because it was the first meet of the season, I suppose that it was inevitable that we'd get a bit of a late start.  In addition to that, the visiting team had 240 swimmers,  which increased the duration of the meet, and having a newbie on the mic, just made us run even later.  I have to give our new volunteer credit.  It's a big job if you've never done it before.  I was telling him what to say, and sometimes he'd listen and sometimes he wouldn't but I had to laugh when he referred to me as (yup) The Queen...  And yes, he said it in a nice way.

OK, I said I was gonna keep this short, and I've already blown that; so let me tell you what I liked best about the longest swim meet EVER.  My kids didn't come home with as many high scoring ribbons as they have in the past, but I have to say that we could see how very hard they were trying, and how much effort they put in; and that's more meaningful to us than how they placed.    Lyndzi did a great freestyle and came in third; but her crowning moment was when she swam anchor in her freestyle relay.  Her lane was not particularly fast, and when we saw the swimmer that went before her, we thought for sure her lane would finish last.  But Lyndzi dove in and swam her heart out, and her lane wound up placing 4th.out of 8.   Kelsie started out strong in her freestyle and back stroke, but quickly lost momentum.  Her lane placed third in their freestyle relay, and we definitely noticed more effort on her part; and that's what we really appreciated.  Nicky would be my candidate for most improved.  He really tried to swim faster than he has before and he had an absolutely, beautiful flip turn, which impressed us all. 

The funniest award of the night, hands down goes to Luis.  We were waiting to start the next race, and I asked what time it was, and Luis (in the most laid back voice) said " I don't know... like 11."  It was 8:50; and just the way he said it, connoted that it was a long ass meet and he was ready for it to be over.  But trooper that he is; that we all were - we carried on, and finally finished the LONGEST swim meet ever at 10pm. 

I am so glad that summer is here and that swim team is underway.  As always, I was very proud of my kids, and extremely thankful for Luis' help.  Kailene's too!   I joke about it being long, but it also was fun; and that's what's most important.
Till next time...
Queen of  EVERYTHING