Today was a first for us - first swimming sports. Because our school don't have its own swimming sports, it was straight to the interschool competition, Jaimees name on the list purely because I happened to mention to her teacher that she does swimming lessons the week before. Poor jaimee did NOT want to do this, she hates the unknown and new and was the ONLY year 4 kid on the list (the youngest year group allowed).
But we encouraged, gave pep talks and prayed (ok and bribed - she gets to pick pudding tonight), and so off we set on the bus to take part with 15 others from st Matthews.
When we got there I had a laugh with jaimee - she only had to swim one tiny width! At lessons she swims whole lengths over and over so no worries.
But of course She burst into tears when it was time to get going, being new and unknown of course, and I was quickly called on to meet her at the other end while her teacher gave her a wee pep talk.
To her credit, once the gun blew she was off to me beautifully and came in 4th, not bad for a nervous crying girl swimming against 20 others!
She was much happier once it was over and by the time the backstroke came around she was ready and settled. I tried to get her to do the competition level (double the distance, recorded for interschool) as this was her best stroke. But nope, maybe next year when she knows the system better.
And her growing confidence showed, this time she came in SECOND! Would have been first if she hadn't gone all wonky at the end!
That's my girl, we keep telling her she is a great swimmer, definitly the best in her weekly lesson class. She wants to give up lessons but her swim coach, her school teacher and us are trying to encourage her to stick with it as she's doing so well.
I was so proud of her too, she was asked last minute to make numbers up for a year 6 boys team who were short one more. She cried of course, She had no idea what to do and was already nervous. In the end it wasn't the pep talk or the prayers or the explanation that got her to agree - it was the promise she could have chewing gum (a normal no no!). The team was entered with the year 6 boys to keep to the rules, but actually had two year 5 boys and jaimee in it! So although (unsuprisingly) they didn't win, jaimee was much more confident and actually swam the strongest.
How did she feel at the end of it? Well, she said to me "mum, maybe next year I will actually do the competition level after all (2 widths)". And Kate can't wait to join her :)
Awesome stuff darling!
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