Summer always brings that welcomed relief from the every day insanity during the school year. But I’ve started thinking, I like the structure of the school year. You can almost always predict what is coming next. With three kids all involved in two different types of swimming, we always know what’s coming next……… swimming. Some sort of swimming. With the big kids being active on a USA Swim Team – year ’round swimming and competition – and the littlest of offspring still involved in local neighborhood swimming, I thought I could manage going back to coaching. Did I mention NO ONE CAN DRIVE THEMSELVES ANYWHERE WITHOUT ME GOING? We are close to Chase driving, but October is still a ways off. The schedule has been a bit brutal for me as I’m still trying to get work done for Bizopia, all while coaching the Tarpons and carting the FCST’ers to practice. Weekends have been full of swimming for the kids and fun for the adults (I think we’ve had about 5 going away parties for awesome neighbors). An uneventful summer so far. And that’s NICE!
The main part of both swim seasons are now over. Coaching was a BLAST – summer league kids are just the best. Not sure about the parents (wink wink), but for the most part, the kids are doing it because they like it. Some parents, just like other sports, are living vicariously through their kids and imposing their own “gotta go faster” mentality upon their young swimmers. JUST LET THEM HAVE FUN. If they like it, they’ll stick with it. Pressuring summer league swimmers is just nuts……buying a 5 year a $170 Fastkin II Recordbreaker (as illegal as it is) is even crazier………..right up there with the dads seen OILING their 8 and Unders down. Yes, you heard me. Oiling them down with baby oil – And I’m proud to say it was NOT my second favorite team in the league this year. More on this topic later – that can be it’s own post. The theme for the summer this summer is – Let it be BUMPLESS summer (referring to rubber bumps on girls’ swimsuits that are now deemed illegal in FINA swimming.)
“Back to the grind” is right around the corner, and it is probably welcomed by most. Even the kids. They get to see their friends; you would THINK it would cut down on the texting. I think probably not. I think it’s just going to add to the list of “have to text to’s”. Ha! Real swimming starts Monday and the constant carpooling with limited drivers. Oh well. It’s our chosen extracurricular activity……along with pee-wee football. But more on that note later! Adios!
