The Difficult Part of the Season

The swimming season is starting to wind to an end - slowly.  The swimmers will tell you that it lasts FOREVER.  Most of the parents will agree.  For those that swim for their local YMCAs, the season starts at the end of August and can run through March or April - depending on the quality of your swimmer.

Swimmer parents will all agree - January and the beginning of February are the seasons of burnout.  Swimmers don't want to go to practice or another meet.  Parents don't want to drive to another pool.  Mothers weep at the idea of doing another load of towels.  And the poor child that announces during this season that he has lost his goggles or ripped his cap is likely never to be heard from again.  These children of the broken goggles don't "quit," they simply vanish.  No one asks questions.

Chlorine has become so ingrained in the smell of my Heathens that I no longer notice it, and I find it rather insulting when strangers comment on my Heathen smelling like a pool.  Considering what A LOT of teenage boys smell like, the public should be THANKFUL that mine smell of chlorine!

But we have reached the end of another era - Heathen #1 is finished with home swim meets.  After years of being at the pool at UPJ for start practice, he won't be going there to compete any longer.  Last week, the team held Senior Day - and the Asst. Zookeeper and I were lucky enough to escort our Heathen #1 around the pool deck.  They even took nice photos of us (I haven't seen them).  I just find it funny that this process takes place in the middle of the meet so that the kids are all soaking wet, and their hair is sticking up in all directions from pulling off their cap.  Definitely, nice photos were taken.

It was a great meet for the Heathen.  He managed to drop more time from his events.  Although we could never tell him that he did well - he becomes complacent.  He always needs another push to get him over the next hurdle in front of him.  Maybe someday, we'll tell him that he swam a strong race - just not until after districts are over!

Heathen #1 is in Lane 3 with the red swim cap in all three videos.  Enjoy!