This summer we enrolled Madilyn on the City of Phoenix's swim team. Kids five years and older are able to join the swim team if they are able to swim one length (25 yards) of freestyle, which we knew Madilyn was more than capable swimming.
On the first day of swim team practice, Madi was very nervous and in tears before the practice even began. She clung on to me with a death grip and continued to tell me that she didn't want to do swim team. Josh and I continued to reassure her that everything was alright, that she was a good swimmer and that she loves swimming. After all of the kids warmed-up on the deck, the coaches wanted to test of all of the kids to make sure they were able to swim a full twenty-five yard lap. I told Madi that she needed to swim this lap and we walked over to the line that was forming. She was still in tears and didn't really want to participate. I continued to talk to her and showed her some of the smaller swimmers so she knew that she wasn't the only five year old. I told her if they could do it, so could she. Slowly, the line inched up and it was Madi's turn. She had finally calmed down and stopped crying. The coach talked to her a little and then told her to jump in and swim. Madi did great! She swam the entire lap with no problem.
However, when it came time to swim her first event at the meet, Madilyn broke out in tears. She didn't want anything to do with this new experience. Josh and I both tried to calm her down, but we were not much help. She was inconsolable. Eventually, Madi did swim her first race. There was another little girl who didn't want to swim either. This child's mom got in the pool and swam with both Madi and her daughter. Even at the end of her swim, Madi was still in tears, but she got her first race under her belt. We figured it could only get better from there, right?
And, actually, her second and third races, which were individual events, went very well. Madi even swam one of them without her coach being in the pool. But by the time we made it to the last event, Madi didn't want to swim the relay race. Luckily, one of her coach's jumped in the pool with her and instructed her to swim.
The meet didn't conclude until close to nine o'clock that evening. It was a really long night. We were all physically and emotionally tired from the whole thing, except Aiden who just happily watched "shows" on his tablet and munched on snacks all evening.
One of the coaches asked Madi if she would be a swim practice next week and Madi said, "Yes." So, I guess we will try this again next week. Hopefully, now that she knows what to expect, it will go much more smoothly next time.
On the first day of swim team practice, Madi was very nervous and in tears before the practice even began. She clung on to me with a death grip and continued to tell me that she didn't want to do swim team. Josh and I continued to reassure her that everything was alright, that she was a good swimmer and that she loves swimming. After all of the kids warmed-up on the deck, the coaches wanted to test of all of the kids to make sure they were able to swim a full twenty-five yard lap. I told Madi that she needed to swim this lap and we walked over to the line that was forming. She was still in tears and didn't really want to participate. I continued to talk to her and showed her some of the smaller swimmers so she knew that she wasn't the only five year old. I told her if they could do it, so could she. Slowly, the line inched up and it was Madi's turn. She had finally calmed down and stopped crying. The coach talked to her a little and then told her to jump in and swim. Madi did great! She swam the entire lap with no problem.
First day of swim team practice
Swimming a 25 yard lap
Immediately upon exiting the pool, the tears formed again until Emi, her primary coach, led the five and six year olds to grab noodles to use during their own separate practice in the deep end of the pool. After that moment, Madi was a happy little swimmer and was excited to go to swim team practice every morning. In fact, most mornings, she comes downstairs dressed in her swimming suit all ready to go. It has been a great learning experience for her. They have practiced the freestyle and breast strokes. And she has learned how to dive in at the beginning of a race.
The swim team meets are on Thursday evenings. Knowing that our child doesn't really like new surrounding and that she gets really nervous before something new, we tried to talk to her all week about the swim meet and what to expect. Her first meet was on Thursday, June 11th at their home pool, Mountain View. Madilyn seemed really calm and ready for her first swim meet to begin.
Before her 1st meet
Enjoying a Popsicle before the meet
However, when it came time to swim her first event at the meet, Madilyn broke out in tears. She didn't want anything to do with this new experience. Josh and I both tried to calm her down, but we were not much help. She was inconsolable. Eventually, Madi did swim her first race. There was another little girl who didn't want to swim either. This child's mom got in the pool and swam with both Madi and her daughter. Even at the end of her swim, Madi was still in tears, but she got her first race under her belt. We figured it could only get better from there, right?
And, actually, her second and third races, which were individual events, went very well. Madi even swam one of them without her coach being in the pool. But by the time we made it to the last event, Madi didn't want to swim the relay race. Luckily, one of her coach's jumped in the pool with her and instructed her to swim.
The meet didn't conclude until close to nine o'clock that evening. It was a really long night. We were all physically and emotionally tired from the whole thing, except Aiden who just happily watched "shows" on his tablet and munched on snacks all evening.
One of the coaches asked Madi if she would be a swim practice next week and Madi said, "Yes." So, I guess we will try this again next week. Hopefully, now that she knows what to expect, it will go much more smoothly next time.
Madi crying before her first race
Madi's first race on swim team
Madi's second race on swim team
Finally enjoying the evening a little
Madi and all of her 1st meet ribbons
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