Swimming State

Like salmon swimming upstream, my husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and I pressed into the crowd to find seating in the spectator's area of the Georgia State Swim Meet yesterday.  Along with hundreds of other parents and family members, we wanted to see our child swim.  John Robert didn't disappoint us.

In order to compete at the state level, athletes have to be in the top 50 in the state in their chosen event. 
John Robert qualified to swim in four events:
100m freestyle
100m butterfly
400m medley relay (swimming 100 freestyle)
400m freestyle relay

Always quiet, John Robert rarely lets his nervousness show.  He did mention that his stomach hurt and that he felt very cold as we pulled into the aquatic center at 7:15am yesterday morning.  I didn't know he would have diarrhea or vomiting.  It was only after his second event, the medley relay, that Coach Yarko sat down next to me to tell me what happened:

As the boys were lining up for the medley relay on the pool deck, John Robert vomited.  His team members panicked and ran to get Yarko, shouting, "John Robert threw up!  John Robert threw up!"

Yarko walked over to John-- who was still bent over-- and asked, "Did you get sick?"

John Robert pointed to the mess and said, "That's mine."  (Yarko smiled as he told me this).

Yarko stood beside him for a moment.  "Do you think you maybe ate too much breakfast or didn't drink enough water or that maybe you're feeling a little bit nervous?"

John nodded.  "A little bit of all that."

"Do you think you can swim?"

John Robert turned to face Yarko and calmly said, "Yes."

Much to the surprise of the officials and paramedics-- who expected an alternate to be called-- Yarko asked for some water and a towel for John.  When they hesitated, he said, "Okay, well I guess I can just have him jump in the pool to clean off."  They quickly found Yarko a towel and water, and Yarko helped John get cleaned up and back in line for the race.

The team placed 12th in the state in that relay.  They bested their personal best time by over two seconds.  They placed 10th in the state in the freestyle relay.  John Robert swam his fastest times in every event that day.  He placed 12th in the state for the 100m freestyle-- cutting his best time by over 7 seconds.

It was a tiring day for everyone.  Denver and Spencer spent over four hours playing in the adjacent water park and were happily exhausted.  Mimi and Paw Paw were unaccustomed to the long waits involved between events in a swim meet, but I think they enjoyed being there for John Robert.  John was thrilled to watch John Robert compete, but was tired of the huge crowds and little to no seating.


Denver and Spencer enjoy playing at the playground
outside the aquatic center in Gainesville.



I was happy when John Robert's events were done and his appetite suddenly returned with force.  Two hot dogs, an apple juice, two bottled waters and an ice cream cone later, we were in the car headed for home.  All the way to state . . . and now back home again . . . with our five foot ten inch first born baby boy riding in the passenger seat while I sat in the second row holding Denver's sleeping head on my shoulder and rubbing Spencer's feet as he told me all about the water park.

Good Weekend.