Ali's first 200........

Ali swam her first 200 this weekend...let me just say...she HATED it! She was so mad that her coach signed her up for a 200! It takes a lot of endurance to make it 200 (and she doesn't have a lot of that). But you know what, she finished it and we were proud of her...ok, so she was the last one in her heat...but SHE FINISHED IT! It was quite funny...on her last lap her coach finally started yelling "Ali, just finish." Ha!!! Me, now I would have sunk to the bottom after the first 25...ha!! However, she did well in the other events. Between today and yesterday, she swam in a total of 9 events. Her backstroke really improved today compared to yesterday (yesterday it was another one of those...she was just glad to finish sort of things). This was her first "REAL" swim meet. The summer league meets were much more relaxed...this was the real deal. It is all about your swim time at this point. In the end, your time gets compared to all the other kids in your age group. It is interesting to see where she lines up. She was pretty much right in the middle...so not too bad for her first real meet. But let me tell you....there are some majorly overzealous sideline parents. UGH! We would just stand around and listen to all the yelling and screaming...that was something else. One mother yesterday completely tore into her little girl (maybe about 8 years old) saying how "she had wasted her whole day at that swim meet and she didn't swim like she should have"..the poor little girl just kept telling her mom she was sorry. I thought it was quite sad. The mother just packed up their things and left the kid standing in the hall (because she was still trying to get her clothes on). Anyway, I don't think Ali has another meet until after the new year. One of the coaches is already asking us why Clark wasn't swimming yet. She wants me to bring him for a trial lesson soon...she doesn't know what she is getting into!! Heehee...he has no fear.

swim meet