"WE ARE THE SHARKS, THE MIGHTY-MIGHTY SHAARKS...

O.K., I'm trying to have fun with this whole swim team thing. I know, we just signed up for the exercise. I know, he really wasn't into it from the beginning, he wants to be a professional baseball player. But is it too much to ask that one of those 19 year old coaches, take him aside and give him a little one-on-one advice about the modified dog paddle? For crying out loud, he's the only nine year old who won't dive in off the blocks, does that not call for a little extra attention? Would you not be "takin' one for the team" if you went over and gave him 10 minutes of your sage advice and skills? It's not for me, really it's not. I'm not that competitive. And yes, I worry about the giggling and finger pointing, but only for him! He can't handle it! At the meet, during warm-ups yesterday, I was trying to take pictures and a little video, but I couldn't do it. There he is flailing about in the last lane, working on his first lap when everyone else is working on their third. Two flails, stop and breathe, three flails and a kick, stop and adjust the goggles, two flails a kick, stop to push the hair out of his eyes. If I didn't know this kid, I'd think he didn't know how to swim. I stood there video camera by my side, mesmerized. It's like an accident you can't look away from. One of the coaches walked closer to me, wondering what I was doing, and I pointed and said "Don't you think that kid needs some help?" And he watched for a second and half-heartedly said "No, he's doing fine. Needs a cap to keep that hair out of his face though." I could've shoved him in the pool. I wanted to say "LOOK AT HIM MAN! IF YOU WERE NINE, YOU'D BE LAUGHING AT HIM! Don't think I don't know how kids are! Get your LAZY speedo wearing, college ass in that pool and teach him how to swim! If you can't do it for me, do it for him, do it for competitive swimmers everywhere!"



*sigh* I guess I'll break down and pay five bucks for a swim clinic next week. It's not in the budget, but I may even spend the twenty for a private lesson. I KNOW! THERE'S ONLY TWO MORE MEETS, BUT I CAN'T TURN A BLIND EYE TO THIS TRAVESTY! And yes, he has a cap, he just can't remember to wear it and BECAUSE I HAVE TO VOLUNTEER FOR SEVEN SHIFTS, I CAN'T BE THERE TO MAKE SURE HE HAS IT ON!