Getting Official in the Swim World - February 4, 2016

Jack getting ready for his 50 meter Freestyle

     It has been two and a half  years since I began the older three boys on the swim team at the Fairmont Aquatic Center in Salt Lake City. I am so proud of how far they have come! They can all do kick turns, a legal breastrke and the butterfly--all way beyond what I can do. 

     Talmage has come the furthest. It used to be that he could not swim the full length of the pool without stopping to play with the rope, hang on the side of the pool, swim to the bottom to blow bubbles or mess with fellow teammates. Because of his noncompliance he was generally the only teenager in a lane of five to seven-year olds. I told him that if he could swim 1000 lengths without stopping I would buy him an Xbox. I kept a tally from the side of the pool and many days he only did three or five legitimate lengths, but by the end of the first year he was usually doing about 20 or 25 lengths and he earned his Xbox (in conjunction with Cole and Jack completing a year of piano lessons). 

     When we moved to Farmington it took six months before all three boys were on the South Davis Aquatic Team--the Tsunamis. Cole tried out and made it on the team right away.  Spaces opened up for Jack's age group in November and he tried out with 16 other kids and was among the eight who made it. They did not have space in Talmage's age group, so he practiced on his own in the play pool, swimming butterfly strokes in between basketball players and Marco Polo-ers. The coach was very impressed that he would work out on his own and I think that came into play when she decided to let him on the team ahead of the rest of the waiting list in January.

     This team is a step up from the Fairmont Penguins because it is an official USA Swimming team. That means their times are recorded at the meets and carry their PR's into every meet they go to. It is also more work! Talmage and Cole now practice four days a week for an hour and a half. Their next step will be attending the twice a week dry land practices.

      This past week the boys attended an invitational in Provo. The day before, I finally bought the boys some competition swimsuits that look like biker shorts. It must've helped because Jack reduced his time on the 50 m backstroke by 10 seconds--25%!  Jack got first in his 50m freestyle heat (fifth overall), second in the 50m backstroke (sixth overall), and second in the 100m freestyle. It was the first time he had raced a 100m and he was really nervous so instead of using the blocks he just dove in from the side. He was a full body length behind everyone in the first lap, but he saved it for the last lap and passed all the swimmers except one and took second place. He was pretty stoked.

Jack launching off for his 50m Back stroke

     Cole and Talmage were in the first heat for the 50m freestyle as neither of them had a recorded time on the books yet. It was a very tight race and Cole came in fifth but it was within one second of the first place finisher. Talmage came in about five seconds later- respectable considering he is now in the same league as his age group peers.

Talmage getting ready to launch for his 100 meter Breastroke

Below is Talmage finishing the first 50m of his 100m breastroke. Not bad! He was right on their tail for the first 50, but tired in the second lap.

Tal keeping a tight third in the 100 meter Breastroke

     Cole must be recognized for always working his hardest in every practice. He is in the pool the entire time and does everything his coaches ask of him. He also has great endurance. In addition to the 50m free he did with Talmage, Cole did a 200m freestyle and he came in fourth in a very tight group-- awesome! Four laps is a lot when you are racing!