Fast - Powerful - Vicious

Fast- Powerful- Vicious, the description of a barracuda.

The last meet of the season was a complete success. All the swimmers did every stroke, and did them well I might add. Liv did backstroke her least favorite stroke, she conquered her fear it was an awesome sight. Bella killed in Butterfly and continues to glide across the pool in backstroke, she finishes so fast she literally watches half the race from the other side of the pool (what can I say I am a proud mama). Our little team cheered everyone on, its been cool to watch the various age groups unite; I can't think of another sport where ages vary that much and they interact regularly enough to be friends.

The absolute highlight of the final meet was when Holman my four year swam the freestyle race. I had given him a goal or an incentive ( a bribe is when you are in the heat of the moment and are trying at all costs to have your child behave on demand) of a Transformer if he raced in the meet. He kept saying he couldn't, Benjamin kept telling him to say you don't want to, not that you can't because we know you can. Saturday morning came and he was determined not to compete. When the meet started he was chilling in his camping chair and cheering for his sisters. After the first event butterfly he turned to Benjamin and said, "I think I should go get my swimsuit." With two sets of Grandparents that have pools and swim team everyday we always have swimsuits in the car. Benjamin got the suit and he waited for the freestyle event. We kept telling him that he could have the outside lane closest to the wall, that we would be right there. Well another little boy really wanted that lane and was camping out there before the girls even raced (girls always go first). He had to pick a new lane, he was shaken but resolute. He was worried because he doesn't know how to dive, but i told him he could jump. The buzzer sounded and he went for it. Benjamin and I were holding our breath. But that little boy didn't stop once to hang onto the lane lines, he just kept trucking. When he was almost at the end he started to swim to the other lane that had the latter to exit the pool, but luckily he could hear us screaming to touch the wall. When i grabbed him out of the pool the timer was asking me his name I could barely answer i was all choked up over his performance. Holman was awesome! On the video it is fun to note Benjamin yelling at me to get to the other side of the pool to greet Holman, of course I would be there to meet him, I guess we all had nervous energy :) On the ride home Bella turns to me and says mom I prayed twice for Holman today that he would have the courage to do it, and he did.



The next video is of Olivia and Bella swimming side by side in Butterfly. I would like to point out Olivia's form. Her arms came completely out of the water and stretched out in front of her, her legs were together without scissor kicking (not all 8 and unders get the form, this is where I become a PE nazi, I guess).




The next video is of Bella and Olivia doing backstroke, go barracudas!




The meet ended with the kids doing relay races with giant inter tubes, they had a blast, I was tempted to run to the car and grab my swimsuit to join them. The season is over so now we can sleep in.... yeah right not with my kids.















Parkin wants to join the team for next year, he's working out.