I have learned a lot more about the whole swim team thing this year because I was finally able to start volunteering at the meets. Tom watches Jonathan for the first half, and I have been taking the first half ribbon writing slot.
As it turns out, this is an awesome job. All the things that used to be a total mystery to me are starting to get cleared up since I have been camped out at the scoring table where all the action is. I'm still a little fuzzy on the actual scoring because the sheets don't come to me with scores on them, just times and "the sweep" (I just learned that term last night), which is the order in which the lanes placed.
I've learned that kids DQ a lot less than I thought they did, so I finally understand why Ben got ribbons last year when I could have sworn he DQed every time. Turns out, he didn't!
I've also learned what is a competitive time in the various strokes and age groups, which has helped a LOT in motivating Ben.
He was DETERMINED to win at least a second place ribbon last night. DETERMINED. (He has only ever won as high as third.... so the elusive red ribbon is his big goal right now)
He was put in heat 3 for freestyle last night (which kind of surprised me? I thought at least heat 2? But whatever....), so he had no shot at second for that because 1-4 go to the first heat swimmers. After that, places up to 10th are given. He had the 6th fastest time out of 12, out-swimming three out of four kids who were in heat 2! He won his heat handedly and was over the moon when he got out of the pool... came running over to the scoring table to confirm that he won. Then he ran over and told Tom and his parents that he felt like he had had six cups of coffee he was so excited. LOL!
Then he found out he doesn't get a blue ribbon for winning his heat.... he was SO deflated. I had looked at all the times though and the winner swam it in 48 seconds and change.... 2nd-4th swam it in 50 and change.... 5th was 52 seconds and Ben swam it in 52:87! So he was not that far of and he improved his last freestyle time by almost 8 seconds... so really, he should be CRAZY proud of himself.
His next event was his usual butterfly, which he has now completely embraced and is determined to take a higher that third ribbon in since he always swims the first heat. He swam it BEAUTIFULLY, probably the best I have ever seen him do it. He beat our team's other swimmer, but lost to the two swimmers from the other team. He swam it in 33:37, which is good, but not his best time. To have a chance to win, he needs to get it down to something like 28 or 29 seconds. Maybe by the end of the season! :) He was pretty happy with himself for getting third on this one, though I know he really wanted second...
Then there was Simon. Sweet Simon. He has made GREAT strides. He now holds his own in his freestyle heat (usually the last one... they have to work their way up). Last night was the first time he swam it without taking a break in the middle. He did really well! He still does not quite grasp (or care?) though that it's a race. No urgency whatsoever. LOL. At the start, when the buzzer went off, instead of jumping in, he slowly sat down on the side and slid in and then started swimming.
He also swam backstroke, in which he simply refuses to use his arms. I do wish the coach would just stop putting him in this event for now, but he does it for the learning experience... so maybe he'll get it soon. As it was, I'm sure he'll come away with a couple of 9th and 10th place ribbons, so he'll be ecstatic on Friday. ;)
Truly. I am a total swim evangelist now.... swim team is SUCH an amazing experience for every kid involved. Last night, I watched a mom of a six-year-old (one of the kindergarteners from our school who I know... so cute...) stand at the end of the lane making wild freestyle arm movements and shouting "Swim!! Swim!!! Swim, baby girl, SWIM!!!" and it was seriously the cutest and funniest moment ever. I wish someone had taken a photo. The little girl finished dead last by about thirty seconds but everyone cheered when she got out of the pool. I seriously don't think a single kid leaves a swim meet NOT feeling proud of themselves, which is kind of awesome in the world of kid sports these days.
Anyway... so... onward to the away meets, which will be a new experience for us. We are braving them this year! Ben is hesitant, but I pointed out that no meets = no ribbons, so I think he'll come around. ;)
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