Steve and I continue to be impressed with what the school has to offer the students beyond the classroom. For the last 2 months, Tristan has been apart of the elementary B Swim Team. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, about 100 kids on the B Team would hit the water and practice their strokes under the tutelage of a high school student. The 8 and unders would practice from 3:15-4:15 and the 9 and 10s would practice from 4:15-5:15. On Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the A team, with the same number of kids, would also practice. Saturdays were reserved for swim meets, with team B getting 3 competitions under their belts, and the A team 4. We were not only impressed by the ONE coach's dedication, but the dedication of the high school students who were deck managers, lifeguards, and swim coaches. The sense of community is really strong and it is so great to see the older students being role models for the younger students. Now that elementary swim is over, the middle and high school swim team now begins.
Tristan had a great experience being apart of a team. He was not too sure about wearing the swim cap and swimming jammers, but realized he had no choice, as this what the coach expected. He became very conscious of eating well before and during a meet, and felt a sense of belonging to something bigger than himself. By the end of the season he had improved his freestyle by 4 seconds. At the team baquet, his high school coach gave a little speech about each participant. I had to laugh at what she said about Tristan- he won the "Mr. Smiles award" and she said that "even though he struggled at times, he never gave up and did his best". What more could a parent ask for!
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