Swim Team Season and Twin Challenge #8 - Competing With Your Twin

I think it's safe to say I'm a swim team nerd (not that swimmers are nerdy by any means!). I think what especially makes it so is that I was decent growing up but it wasn't even what I did in high school, other than summer league for the less serious folks. Instead, I was on the drill team. I thought about joining the swim team but I didn't think I'd enjoy a grueling early morning practice every day before school for 4 years. Yet I love summer league swim team.  Now having been a swim team parent for the first time, I can still say that I just love it! 

My kids enjoyed it, improved their skills, gave us something to do every day and something to get up for, and just had fun.  But I have to say it was a bit of a stretch for my girls.  It took many meets before they would quit hanging on the rope.  But it has to start somewhere. 

A few of the meets they didn't even want to swim.  I think Kaitlyn swam every meet though several times reluctantly.  Mackenzie had one where she flat out put her foot down and her last meet unfortunately she was sick. 

Here is a great picture of them holding the flag for the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of one of our home meets. It was great because they were not really into swimming that day and were able to still be involved.  If only you could see Mackenzie.

I love how the 6&Under kids "dive" into the water!  Even when I was coaching these kids as a teenager it has always put a smile on my face. 

Look, you can even see Kaitlyn's got a good breath already!

That a girl, Kaitlyn!  Stay off that rope!

A long time later, she's almost at the wall!

Now check out Mackenzie's dive!

Not bad after lots and lots of work. For many weeks it involved her being completely vertical, hands above her head, and stepping straight into the pool where she would quickly hit the bottom. Makes it really hard to get some momentum, but look at the improvement. Yea Mackenzie!

I don't think we got as many shots of her but this is during her warm up lap. Go Mackenzie go!

And lastly, the end of the year banquet.  I doubt there are many other sports teams anywhere that have a banquet as nice as this. I was so happy to see that the Sugar Creek Gators still do such a fantastic job with this!

Mackenzie with her trophy!

Now for the next one....

Does this picture say 1000 words or what?  So, (and I suspected this was going to happen) Kaitlyn won the Most Improved Award for her age group out of about 20 kids!  That is a huge deal!  I had a feeling she may get it since I knew what her times had been.  She cut over 50 seconds off her time!  But of course this meant winning an extra trophy!

Unfortunately as you can see it completely took away from Mackenzie's moment of getting her trophy.  I thought for a split second she was just being dramatic, but two more seconds later and the tears were flowing.  Broke my heart and I completely saw this whole thing coming, right down to the tears.  How hard to have to compete with your twin sister on everything!  But she too shaved a lot off her time. I know just in one week she dropped about 30 seconds! And then she didn't get to swim her last week which I'm sure she would have improved some more.

Anyway, I think as they get older they will largely do different things, but I'm sure there will always be some overlap. But still it is so so hard for them.  And they are both really great at different things.  One thing I have noticed is that if one is better at something, then the one who isn't as good tends to back off completely from whatever it is and not want to develop that talent.

For example, for the longest time Mackenzie would never draw because Kaitlyn's drawings were amazing.  But then teachers and other parents would see some of Mackenzie's drawings at school and were telling me what a great artist SHE was. And yet she doesn't do it because it's "Kaitlyn's thing."

Mackenzie is also an amazing reader! Going into 1st grade and probably reading at a 3rd grade level.  She loves reading.  Not only does Kaitlyn not love it but she decided that's what Mackenzie does so it took a lot of working with her to get her to finally start reading this year.

So this is something that will continue probably their whole lives. Everything is a competition and I hope as they grow they will have the maturity to see that BOTH of them can be good at the same things, regardless of who may be a tiny bit better.  And of course there's plenty to be said for a little practice!

So there you have it. But overall, it was great for all of us. Looking forward to it next year. And as for that wee moment of disappointment, fortunately it wasn't anything that a balloon and acting a little goofy couldn't fix.