Watch Out For Whitesharks

Yesterday was the summer league divisionals meet. It's where all the teams that Kylie swam against as dual meets this summer came together in one big meet. There were over 1000 swimmers there. They were able to sit in an air-conditioned school until they swam while the parents sat out on the hot concrete parking lot! I wanted to get some work done before the meet, so Ky and Kev left at 6:00 AM. Kole and I didn't leave until 7:45. The meet began at 8:30. Ky swam her seed place in almost every event and dropped time just a little. Throughout the entire day the team leaders were going back and forth between Wortham and Coles Crossing. It was predicted that it would come down to the final relays to determine the winner. Ky's relay was the final relay and Ky led it off--she swam the best she had all day--you could tell she was determined! The girls finished first. When the anchor got out of the pool they all started screaming--whoever won the final relay won the meet. So not only did the girls win the meet, they also set a new record. What an amazing feeling after seeing them work so hard.

But, as I write this, I also realize there will be an emptiness in my heart as this was probably the last divisionals meet Kylie will ever swim since she hopes to be a counselor at camp next year. She's been swimming divisional meets since she was 4 years old, and now it's over. I wonder if Ky has realized that yet. Although it makes me sad, it also makes me so proud. The first meet she swam, she had to pull on the lane ropes to get to the other end of the pool. We really wondered if we were doing the right thing by putting her on a swim team. Then, 13 years later, she is on the winning relay team that sets a new team record and made sure the Whitesharks won the meet. I am so proud of all she's accomplished as a swimmer! I know swimming has caused her many heartaches at time, but in the end it has contributed to so many wonderful happenings--setting goals, doing something you didn't think you could do, being a leader and mentor to others, learning how to study while looking at lane lines, becoming a pro at multi-tasking, learning to do a lot on little sleep, being impacted by wonderful coaches, leading to a new love of water polo, and learning how to give it your all when the tank is empty! Ky has given it her all!