Encore Swim Team

Callie joined a swim team this summer. She was so nervous, but she has loved it so far. This past Saturday, the team has swim trials. This gave the volunteers an opportunity be trained, the kids to get a baseline for their times, and the new kids (like Callie) to get a feel for what a swim meet will be like. Callie was excited, but very nervous. Very nervous. She decided to pass on the butterfly and backstroke. It was more intense than that really. 

I didn't realize I had signed her up for butterfly...and when her name was called because they were waiting on her, she was mortified and decided right then and there she wasn't getting in the water. Plus, she doesn't know how to do the butterfly.

When backstroke came around, she was lined up and ready to go, but she froze. She wouldn't go to the block. They called her name. See, once they call her name, she's done. Humiliation kicks in and she's done. I tried to talk to her, but her stress level was so high, so I asked if she wanted to pass. She said yes and we walked out to our chairs around the back. When she took her goggles off, tears poured out. It broke my heart. Then she whimpered through tears, "Mommy, I'll lose." 

Oh my goodness, I didn't realize how much pressure she was putting on herself to win...and we weren't even having a swim meet. There was no competition. Once she understood that, she felt a little better.

She swam the freestyle 50, breast stroke, and freestyle 25. She was the last one to finish every time but had a smile on her face that she tried to hide every time. She was so proud of herself. Her first swim, the Freestyle 50...I had tears in my eyes. I was so proud of her conquering her fear. Knowing she had scratched the 2 others, so many were cheering her on. I think swim team will be a really great thing for her this summer. I'm so excited (other than the fact that my Saturday mornings will now begin at 6am instead of me sleeping in. Oh well. It's worth it.)

Callie eating her breakfast (oatmeal) when we got there. I basically woke her up and we left.

I wrote her race numbers on her arm in sharpie. She kept looking at it throughout the day. I'm always telling the kids "Only write on paper!" and now, here I am, writing on her arm with black Sharpie.

While others were up jumping around waiting for their turn, Callie would frequently be squatting or sitting in her place.

Freestyle 50
First time up at the block. Lane 4. Tons of parents and teammates around. Her nerves were at an all time high and you an see it on her face. But she did great.