Coaching

I am coaching very part time.  I have mainly 6-7 year old boys.  Scott is in the group.  It is a smaller group so we really get to work on stroke technique.  I love it!  They are eager to learn and we are having fun and hopefully going to help these kids get proper technique down.  They are 4 days a week for 45 minutes.

My next group is a pre-team and they are so dang cute.  They are mostly 4-5 year olds who can swim a lap but need to work on gaining more confidence and learning straight legs, side breathing, etc.  They are 3 days a week for 30 minutes.  It started out as a really small group but has really grown this week.

Tyler did the group yesterday and had fun. He was a good listener and eager to swim.  After about 20 minutes his classroom friend who is also his swim buddy came over to play with him so he was off to play which is just fine.  I am still unsure how he will fit into the swimming mix.  He loves to play with his friends at the pool and is at the point that he can swim fine with them in the water.  Yeah for him.  It allows him to be independent and social.  In the beginning of the year he would play in the shallow end and as soon as they went to the deeper pool he would get stranded and just wait for their return.  It didn't seem to bother him but I always felt a little bad.  Sometimes he would have me bring him on my back.

Tyler likes to stay close to the edge and jump in and out which is easier for him than laps of swimming or treading. In a swim lesson, I want him to feel he can swim as much as he wants and enjoy the social aspect, but know he might not be able to do the physical laps the other kids do.  I am hoping he will self monitor just like he does with other things.  We shall see how it all unfolds.  For now I am grateful he has friends to play with and is water safe which is  a needed life skill.

It is so great being back to coaching very part time.  I needed the break last year and needed all my energy to focus on Tyler and Danny's surgeries and recoveries.  I couldn't do anything more.  I chose to coach at this pool that has a play center for Blake and Kira and the kids.  It is perfect.  I don't need to stress about finding a babysitter, they love going.  Well, at least Kira loves going.  They do crafts, play-doh and set up little things in the gym.  She says she plays with her friends.  Lovin it!  Grateful I get to do something I love and as a bonus I even get paid a little.

It probably pays for gas that week (which I am grateful for).  We also get a membership and my kids swim dues so I am grateful for the perks.  I am there anyway and enjoy coaching.  I realize how blessed I am that I can do what I want because Danny is able to provide for our family right now.  So many are not in the situation and have to be away from their kids or take a certain job because they need to.  Very blessed that I get to be with my kids right now and do this on the side.  Perfect!