1st Fall Swim Meet

We had our first fall swim meet today.  It was a beautiful high 80's day at Acalanes.  I saw a bunch of otters which was so fun.  It is amazing how much I have grown to love these little swimmers and their families in just 2 seasons.  They do so much for our team and my family to help me coach.  I am full of gratitude and so proud of how hard these swimmers work.

I have reflected on what athletic success really is.  So often I see parents and kids view success as the end product or a time which I don't totally agree with.  I think success is measured in the journey.  The journey of working hard, balancing life, life lessons and growth along the way that inevitably will lead to the end product.  We put too much emphasis on the end product that it takes away from the things the athlete actually controls.  They might not be able to go the goal, but they can make it to workouts, work hard, improve skills and become better people and athletes along the way. Focusing on the journey inevitably results in an amazing end product.  

I told Scott that a great goal he could have this season was to try new events.  He is an 11-12 which means that he gets to do 200 strokes this year.  Not sure if they are offered as a 9-10 but there is NO way he would have done that last season.  The 200 free gave him great anxiety for about 2 weeks prior to racing it last season.  That is a rec swimmer problem that only this area truly understands.  I saw how hard it was for him last year.  He did amazing the 2 times he swam it but really wanted him toovercome his anxiety about trying new, longer distances.

So I decided I would try to help him overcome some of that fear.  I decided I would give him $5 for every new event he tried.  I told the other coaches today that I have resorted to bribing my child to swim new events.  One coach said I was just motivating him. Well, it motivated him and I don't feel too bad about it.  

So Scott did the 100 breast, 200 IM and 200 back for the first time today.  He was nervous but not as nervous as last year.  I was so proud of him.  He didn't totally know how to swim the events but he did great and did his best!  I was so proud of him for going out of his comfort zone and growing as an athlete. 

His attitude this morning prior to swimming was that he was never going to do those events again.  And the best part of the day was when he was going to bed he said he hoped he had another chance to swim the events this season because he knows he can do better.  That is SUCCESS!  Not the times or how well he swam the race but the attitude and confidence of wanting to swim distances that he was once afraid of. He said he wasn't afraid of them anymore.  YEAH!

So proud of him.  So grateful for Steve and Russel who are positive, great coaches.  We are blessed!

Kira also swam. She did the 50 breast and 100 IM as well as 25 free and back.  She wasn't nervous and I was so proud of her.  I think back to last year when she wouldn't even swim and would definitely not do swim meets.  She has come such a long way.  So proud of her!

It was a fun day.  Hanna came with us and was such a good girl.  I am grateful for a job that my kids to be a part of.  That is why I do it.  I feel like I get to do something that I love and am good at that is a part of my kids lives.

I am grateful for sports and what they are teaching my kids about life.  It is a great journey!