Swim Season

 Tanner and Ashton joined our neighborhood swim team this summer. Ashton had a blast last year so we were ready for another season.

Ashton had her physical goal set as: Improving her butterfly stroke. Last year, she disqualified every time with her butterfly. It is a pretty technical stroke. I think I would DQ every time too. 

 Not only did Ashton never DQ in it this season, she actually qualified for the Champ meet. That meet is by invitation only based on times. You have to swim under a set time in that specific event to qualify. She was beyond excited. Right until the moment we found out the meet was on a Sunday. Through a petition process, we got permission for her to swim the event in the "Reserve" meet on Saturday instead. This meant she had to forfeit her chance to win the event across 15+ teams competing. But she could at least race. She also qualified for the reserve meet in her backstroke. She swam both events at the reserve meet and improved her time even more in the butterfly. She really likes that stroke now.

Ashton DQ'd some in the breast stroke so we're working on that one still. Overall, she improved her times and definitely finished the season as a much stronger swimmer. Next year, she will move up an age bracket and be required to swim 50 yard races rather than 25 yards. That will be an adjustment.

Tanner struggled with swim team, as I expected. He always wants to be first place. And when he is in a race, he focused more on where everyone else was than his actual swimming. Every race, he'd pop his head up to keep an eye on the competition. He swam in the 6 and under age bracket. At most meets, he also got pulled up in the 7 and 8 category for many relays. Tanner had a difficult time with relays. He felt discouraged when he would swim his hardest and his team would still lose. Overall, swim team was a good experience to help him learn how he does his best and lets the team do their best.

We'll be back for next season and our hope is Gemma can make the team. We are working hard to get her to swim across the pool with no help yet this summer. We shall see.