This past weekend Cal had his first swim meet! He got a ribbon from the mock meet (for participation), which he thought was pretty cool.
We had to be at the pool at 7:45 Saturday morning. Yes. That's right. 7:45. It was early! We ran by Dunkin Donuts on the way there to fuel us both up a bit.
Warm ups for the 6 and unders started around 8 and they swam a TON of laps. I think they did around 6 laps this time. I might have to pull him out of the warm ups after 1 or 2 laps... that is a lot for a 4 year old to do!
Warming up and really perfecting that dive:
After warm ups, they kids all went to their holding zones. These two sharks were excited about the meet:
Cal swims the 6 and under boys freestyle. He was nervous this time around-- much like the mock meet. He had the coach in his lane, whom he adores, so that was encouraging! He got on the block and I realized he was in the furthest lane from me as possible. I ran as fast as I could around the pool deck to get to the other side of the pool to watch him swim. He swam hard and completed the lap- woohoo!
After the race, he was a little emotional, but not as bad as the mock meet. I hugged him, helped him find his towel and then left him in the holding zone with the rest of the boys. I was just hanging out waiting to see if he would be in a relay and someone came up to me saying Cal needed me. I went over to where he was waiting and found him crying. He couldn't find his goggles anywhere. He had given them to me to hold...no wonder he couldn't find them anywhere. The sweet chaperone was soooo kind to him, and I felt terrible for leaving him. I think he does much better when I am nearby-- so I have just resolved to spend most swim meets with the 6 and under boys...at least until he gets more comfortable with the whole thing.
He was asked to swim in a relay, and i don't think he really wanted to, but I didn't give him much of an option (judge away, people! How would he know if he liked it or not if he never tried it?!).
Here was his little relay team:
A wild bunch, I tell ya.
Cal panicked when it came time to start the relay- he was the 1st to go so I think he was a little nervous (okay, a lot nervous). The coach wasn't in the water with him (but he was nearby and ready to jump in if he needed it!
Right as he got on the block he spotted the coach standing on the side of the pool and continued to stare at him as he swam down the lane. He pulled his little head above water and said to the coach, "I think I need you!" and the coach told him to grab ahold of the lane line- ha! Cal did and then kept on swimming. He told me the lane lines make him go even faster...here's hoping he doesn't make a habit of that! ha!
He completed the relay and we watched a few more races and then we headed on to get some lunch and have some good rest time.
At practice yesterday, he collected his ribbons:
The white is for participating in the meet, the purple is 6th place for the relay (that he didn't want to do!) and the navy is for "best time." I think they get a ribbon every time they beat their best time...Cal knocked 5 seconds off of his time from the mock meet, so I am assuming that's why we got that...? Don't really know!
We have another meet this Thursday... I am hoping for even less tears this time! He is loving practice and is really having fun doing this sport-- and for that I am thankful!
