swim team

Pook is on the swim team this year. Since we live across the street from the pool, we've been suggesting this for a few years. Kids need to be able to swim a whole 25m lap, but can have a lifeguard/coach in the pool with them at swim meets if they need it. Since both boys learned to swim early, I think Pook could have handled it at five. (Bug is eager, but we're putting him off a year until he's five.) Pook could swim the distance, but swimming over the deep end worried him and held him back. He also needed the encouragement of seeing friends on the team, which he has this year.

The first swim team practice beat his butt. He was put in a group of experienced swimmers and did, at least (by my inaccurate count) fourteen laps. 25m x 14 laps = he was unable to even hold his toothbrush at home before crashing into bed. He didn't want to go the next day, knowing his two best buddies were both leaving for vacations, and knowing how hard it was. I told him he needed to be the one to talk to the coaches (teenagers) and let them know what he wanted or needed. I felt like he'd regret it if Mama got too involved on his behalf. He ended up with a group of six to eight kids his age and younger who are practicing strokes, dives and laps together on a lower level. He came home after the second day and told us he liked it more and was less tired. Since then, he's had a good time and is showing great progress.

The first swim meet is after only two weeks of practices, 3x week. They're a young group of kids with a young, inexperienced coach. Pook hasn't tried something like this before, but seems eager and excited.