Last year Kaitlyn was already doing backstroke by the end of the season so she at least had that down. She's got a pretty decent backstroke!
I paid for her and Mackenzie to take extra lessons this year so they could get more instruction for learning the strokes. About midway through, Kaitlyn started swimming breaststroke in the meet. She did pretty good at first but I think after a few weeks her kick started looking funny.
About that time they switched her to trying butterfly and we were all amazed at what a great butterflier she is! Much faster than any of us expected. And definitely wasn't MY stroke. Didn't think butterfly was in the genes but she did a great job.
She does need to work on keeping her knees and ankles together. Here she is coming up for a breath and you can see they split apart. She lucked out and didn't get disqualified but overall her stroke looked terrific. Mine looked pretty pathetic until I was about 13 because I have no upper body strength. I am always amazed when I see kids who can do a really decent-looking butterfly.
Overall Kaitlyn had a great season, learned all the strokes, and dropped her times in all strokes. In fact, the A and B Heat girls are taking notice because Kaitlyn's times are coming up on their heels and she's beaten a few here and there. Next year it will be interesting to see what she does.
Mackenzie also had a great season. Here she is in what was the "swimsuit of the summer" as about 1 out of every 3 girls had this swimsuit this summer. She liked it that she had the popular suit! (Apparently a lot of people like to shop at Target!)
Mackenzie had a trying season. It was a year for not only physical improvement but personal growth. She had a hard time often getting 5th or 6th place in her events and only got to swim one relay the whole summer. Unless there's a perfect number of girls, sometimes there's not enough to form another relay. That being said, her personal improvement soared!
Still haven't quite mastered the dive. Neither of them have really. I guess it will just come with time.
But...she started off only being able to swim freestyle. Her freestyle this year looked like a different kid. Her form has really improved and we noticed it right off the bat. Though she hadn't completed any other strokes yet, her coach put her in backstroke anyway (to give her another stroke). She had always struggled with backstroke and never went farther than a few feet. I thought "how is she going to do this?" I knew it could go one of two ways - either she could give up in the middle of the pool and quit and be traumatized from embarrassment, or she could show us what she's made of. It's amazing what people can do when they know all eyes are on them. We talked about it before and I said all that matters is that she gets to the other side, even if she taps the bottom a few times and gets disqualified. I told her to finish the race and stay on her back and that nothing else mattered. Well, I wish I had my camera out that day. She did a 25 meter VERTICAL backstroke, but her head was back and arms kept going the whole time, and she had the most adorable smile on her face I'd ever seen. Her time was 1:30. That gave her so much confidence that the next week she dropped to 1:03 just in one week. She ultimately finished the season swimming backstroke in the low 50-second range, with legs up and kicking the whole time.
She went on to do breaststroke toward the end of the season and also did not get disqualified (DQ's are VERY common in breaststroke and butterfly).
Another job well-done - she was so pleased that she swam the stroke successfully and earned a 4th place ribbon!
The last week consists of prelim trials and then going on to finals and all-stars, all difficult to qualify for. In spite of it being a really rainy week, and in spite of the fact that they were a LONG shot this year, both girls wanted to try. So we attended practice in the rain...
and prelims in the rain...
In spite of Kaitlyn making her best freestyle time of the season, overall it was not her best day. A few blunders on some of the other strokes. That's okay.
Mackenzie did not have her best times that day as well, but she CHOSE to swim butterfly for the first time against some of the best. I was nervous for her but guess what? She did it! A clean butterfly - no disqualifications. Prelims concluded our season but both girls did such a fabulous job and continue to improve greatly ever year.
Then it was onto the annual banquet! So fun. All the kids get to sit at their own tables with their age groups and there's a big slideshow and then it's onto the awards!
Kaitlyn and her trophy....
And Mackenzie. First she got her regular trophy, and, unlike the other 20 girls standing there, she was jumping up and down holding hers in the air. THEN they announced Most Improved for her age group and for the second year in a row, she won! And then there were TWO trophies waving through the air! I'd say that extra trophy certainly makes up for what was a tough season for her.
Both girls ended on a good note. Of course in spite of the fact that Kaitlyn swam in relays and had a variety of ribbons for the season, Mackenzie then has to point out that she now has one more trophy than Kaitlyn. I was happy for her to gloat for a second after a season of many disappointments (and triumphs as well), but just like I had to motion to her to put her arms down (you know, to be gracious and all), I also had to make it clear that we also don't need to now rub in that she has more trophies than Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn, by the way, won that same award her first year. I guess you can't make twin sisters not be competitive when they have to compete against each other.
It was a great year and now I don't know what we're going to do with the rest of the summer. I love having that to fill the time, not to mention the activity and exercise it provides. Next year the big girls will be at the top of their age group, and the LITTLE girls will be on the team!
Will really turned a corner in his swimming this summer. He is now swimming quite well! I have been going back and forth about joining a swim club next summer so he can be on a swim team. This post may have pushed me over the edge!
ReplyDeleteI love that while you do swim for a team, it is an individual sport and the challenge that comes along with working for your personal best. It is also great exercise that people can continue their whole life.
I'm glad your girls had a good summer on the swim team!