If you look at all the pictures and times from our first year of swim team, you’d notice a drastic change to this years. Barely any pictures and no times. (I’m noticing a trend this year…)
Swim team was a little rough this year. Not for the kids, but for me. Henry would try and get in the pool on a daily basis at practice and just trying to keep track of his wanderings was hard. He only escaped the fenced area a few times, but I was constantly on the look-out. Then there were meets. There were a couple where I was on my own – one half way through and another completely. With 4 swimmers, 18-19 events, and 2 littles running around it was a bit much. Thankfully, we have helpful swim families and they were both home meets so it was easier being on our own turf, but still, I wouldn’t recommend it. Enough about me though.
It was a great season for the kids. Everyone worked really hard. It was very interesting to see the different competitive levels from the kids. Lucy didn’t care about competing and sometimes even had to be bribed to participate – especially those relays. She did it, though, and we’re proud of her. We didn’t learn for a few weeks that she has a very impressive breaststroke kick. It must be in their blood because all of them can do it phenomenally well. Of all the strokes kids can get disqualified the most in, breaststroke is it. It’s such a carefully coordinated stroke, I’m really impressed with our kids. Only one DQ this season.
Lucy and her friends. Their favorite part of the meets.
Kaycee was very diligent in practice and we could always count on her to swim. She didn’t see the meets so much as competition, but certainly a lot more fun than practice. She placed several times for her breast, and did really well swimming the 50 free(style) – flip turns and all! This year at preliminaries, she swam the butterfly for the first time and smoked everyone in her heat. It was really cool to watch. She helped her medley relay team qualify for League Championships!
Clay took it a little easier this year and made swimming more of a social event. We’ll see if he does it next year. He’s such a great swimmer that it’s hard not to push him that way into keep doing it. He rocked his 100 free and even participated in a 100 IM (individual medley – butterfly, back, breast, free). It was impressive.
Rylee was also a very diligent participator. It wasn’t long after the season started that she recognized that if she worked really hard, especially with her breaststroke, she could place 1st overall at these meets. And, she did! Twice in a row. You couldn’t wipe that grin from her face for a good week. We were also thrilled when her free relay team broke a pool record! Her medley team – which she swam breast for also made it to Championships. She was only 2 spots away from qualifying for breaststroke at prelims. With over 120 swimmers, she placed 18th! Some tough competition.
Rylee’s free relays team right before they broke the record.
At the year-end team party, our most wonderful coaches gave out the trophies. Three trophies: MVP, Most Improved and Most Dedicated were awarded to each age group. Miss Rylee and Miss Kaycee both received the Most Dedicated award. I wish I had recorded what Coach Andy said about Rylee. It was so kind. Some of the Coaches tried to say little blips about the kids, but Rylee’s Coach said something along the lines of “as Coaches, we try and teach the kids things that they can use in their lives in and out of the water. If anyone wants to be a great swimmer and a great person, and know how to work really hard, they need to be like Rylee Hunt.” So sweet.
A treat after winning one of the meets
Little did I know that Ryan could be a tatoo artist. Nor did I know that half the team would come to be tatoo’d. Coaches included!
We’ll have a tip jar next year!
Tired Henry chilling out. Those were long Saturdays for him!
Rylee and Clay at 7/11 on 7/11 after prelims.
Insanity after a meet. You’d think all those kids would be done with swimming!
Rylee with head Coach, Andy. We sure are going to miss him!
It was a great season and we look forward to next year – with 5 swimmers!!
(A hearty high-five to anyone that finished reading this post!)
Last Thursday as an ‘exciting’ day for Clay.
The following Monday – still doing really well. He hasn’t complained about pain/irritation at all!
We’ve already noticed quite a bit of movement.
And, so it begins. Let’s see who’s next!
This little guy is two! I knew it would come up quickly and now that it’s happened, it’s bittersweet. Like Lucy, he’s one of the few of our children that has turned two without a younger sibling. What’s even crazier is that I’m not pregnant either! That’s a first.
While I look forward to many firsts with Henry, I’m also reminded that we’ll also see many lasts as well. I guess that’s what happens with the baby of the family, right? There’s a sense of freedom, I think, growing inside both Henry and I and we both just might like it. Perhaps freedom is the wrong word, but certainly a sense of change; a sense of progression.
Either way, this boy had a fun day!
(and let’s just pretend that the rest of the pics are supposed to have a vintage-y look instead of blurry pics from my phone, okay? Okay.)
Happy Happy Birthday, Henry!
