LAST swim team post! (maybe)

Summer Swim League is OVER! We had a fantastic season that wrapped up this past weekend at Champs (the championship swim meet).  We were the host team, and let me tell you, it was a LOT of work! 8 teams of over 100 swimmers each-- and it went flawlessly.  Shockingly enough. 

The end of the season was pretty much all-consuming.  I am NOT complaining about it at all because I actually had a lot of fun with all of the activities and the people who are participating in everything are all really fun-- helps make mundane things even more fun.  And so- here is my last post about swim team (for a while, I hope! ha!)

There were three sessions for champs: Friday night, Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon.  I was a total over poster on instagram- not even sorry.  Friday morning, I loaded up the car with a bunch of the donations I had collected to stock the hospitality suite.  Packed up!

We went to morning practice where I parked next to another parent rep, who also happened to have her car loaded to the gills. 

After practice, we headed to Koury Natatorium to get things set up.  We had some helpers, getting drinks iced:

And Cal and Andy were MORE than happy to help put in the lane lines.  This is where UNC swims, so it was pretty special for the kids to get to do this. 

The rest of Friday is a blur.  We got set up, ran home to shower and get more stuff, and then came back again to get it all set up and ready.  This was the hospitality room, and people were constantly streaming through here....usually it was completely full. 

Your hospitality girls! Don't we look like we've got this under control?!

There might have been some wine in that cup.  If we are working our rumps off on a Friday night, wine is allowed. 

I got home Friday night and was exhausted from running around like a little tornado all day.  I got the boys' bags and suits ready to go-- the alarm was going off Saturday morning at 5!

We got there nice and early and worked like crazy getting the room set up.  I pretty much handed the boys their stuff and ran into the room to begin serving breakfast. 

Andy came back to check on me-- zero nerves from this kid!

Hospitality: session two!

This meet called for all hands on deck (literally).  All the dads stepped up and volunteered too-- and we were so so grateful!

The meet started and right off the bat was Andy's free relay.  Funny story: Andy was the second leg of the relay... he got up on the block and his coach pulled his goggles on right as the first leg dove in.  The goggles broke in half.  One of the parent chaperones freaked out and grabbed the goggles off of the kid behind Andy (swimming leg 4) and threw them on Andy, just as the first leg touched the wall.  Andy dove in and swam his little heart out.  Thankfully, swimmer 4 had another pair of goggles easily accessible.  I was over on the side screaming like crazy.  It was terrifying and exhilarating and omg. 

His relay team won first place-- in the whole city, this team won it all! Pretty amazing seeing as Cal's relay team won it last year.  Totally made it special. 
And, not to sound like a crazy mom, but I am going to.  Going into this meet, Andy's fastest time was something like 31 seconds.  He swam 25 free in this meet at something like 29 seconds.  I timed his leg of this relay: 21 seconds.  Seriously.  Where was that speed all summer long, Nug?!?! Still- so proud of him. 

I was able to pop out of the hospitality room each time my boys were to swim; thankfully there were chaperones who were SO sweet to make sure I knew it was time each time.  I caught this cutie in clerk, ready to swim free.

And then these two, side by side....

 Look at this one my friend got from the stands of these two!!!!


Next up was backstroke-- I can't even believe someone got this picture of Cal, just before he took off!!

Andy swam breast stroke and did so great! He wasn't the actual heat winner, but the heat winner was supposed to be in another heat, so Andy got a ribbon too (thanks to his chaperone!).  He was thrilled!

After morning session, we had to do a massive switch up in the hospitality suite and my kids were hanging around.  Caught Nug up on Coach Ted's shoulders. 

Love this one:

Once again, the dads were the BEST!

Right as the third and final session was starting: we got this....maybe?!?!?!

 This coach came in and PASSED out in the room.  Obvs I had to take a picture of him.  Right before I shrieked as loudly as I could.  Just because.  We were there for a million hours and I needed some entertainment.  He jumped a mile and drool poured out of his mouth.  It was worth it. 

Going in to the final session, we were down by 300 points.  Here is the final score: pretty daggon amazing.  And the farm always wins it.  Usually by a lot.  The fact that we were that close to them is ridiculously amazing.  

We cleaned up and went home and showered and that night, a bunch of parents went out to celebrate pulling off the meet.  

 Your parent reps!!!!

 Sunday was the banquet! It was so much fun and I love celebrating the end of the season this way. 

Each parent rep received an award-- I kind of love mine.  

 And the trophy says "the heart of the shark".  Of course I love this.  And of course it's a cheerleader. 

The six and under crew up receiving their trophies.  

 Sweet Coach Julia.

Momma Shark and her sweet swimmers.  I am SO proud of them this season.  They weren't the fastest; they didn't win the most ribbons.  But good gracious, they swam hard and had so much fun in the process.  

wooooohoooooooo!