Gilbert Tigersharks!

Last Fall, I decided that it would be good for Emma to do a city swim team this summer, to keep her active and improve her swimming skills. So in October, I started her at EVO Swim School where they taught her AMAZING things. I can not say enough good about her swim school. They do such a great job of teaching strokes correctly and by the time summer hit, she was all ready for swim team.

Her team name is the Gilbert Tigersharks and she is LOVING this experience!  I am thrilled that she has so much fun because it is an excellent exercise for her little growing body and teaches her invaluable skills.

Much like her first violin recital, her first swim meet was a little rough.  There were HUNDRED of people at the first swim meet and she was VERY nervous.  She cried for a solid 30 minutes and I wasn't sure if she was actually going to swim.  But, Tom and Laura were there and I knew she would be sad if she chickened out.  We kept talking it up and finally when the time came she muscled the courage and got in line with the rest of the swimmers.  Her very first race was a 25 yard freestyle and she did AWESOME.  She came in 7th place out of 8 swimmers, but I was proud of her for finishing and being brave enough to try it.  Besides... there are a lot of adults out there who can't swim 25 yards!!

She was SO proud of herself and I kept thinking, "this is so great, even though she didn't get a good ribbon, she is still excited".  Then I heard her telling someone about all the swimmers she beat, because she got 7th place, "which is a really high number, so I am really good".  Uh oh.  I had to break it to her that the LOWER numbers were the better numbers.  She was devastated.  I mean, really, truly devastated.  She was somber the rest of the day and when Greg put her to bed that night, she cried and told him that she thought she was a better swimmer.  Hard knock life, right?  Poor little Emsy!  It is so hard as a parent to know when to protect and when to let the kids suffer disappointment.  I think in the end, it has been a good lesson for her.  And she has been working hard and getting higher ribbons.  In fact, just last Thursday, she got a 4th place ribbon.  Granted, only 5 swimmers were competing, but that is one detail I choose not to divulge.  She can relish in her 4th place and be proud of her hard work.

Practice is M-TH for 30 minutes.  She is exhausted and HUNGRY when she gets home, but she is having a WONDERFUL time.

"Diving" off the starting block.  She is so cute when she gets in the "ready" position with her hands down on the edge of the block.  What a great swimmer!!

Telling the time judge her name and team name.

The results of the first few meets.  I was really proud because she took of almost 2 seconds from her time between the first meet and the second meet.  Michael Phelps would kill to take 2 seconds off his time!  Of course, it doesn't take him 44 seconds to swim 25 yards either... :)

And all because of EVO.  I will definitely be putting her back into EVO in the Fall.  I'd like her to swim on their year-round team.  Here is her teacher Ben from EVO and Emma on her last day of class with them before the summer started.

Camping out for the swim meets is one of the TRUE tests of parenthood.  Wow.  It is really hot and I sweat like crazy!!  We bought a shade umbrella, which helps, but it does not mask the heat and we have to bring gallons of water with us to spray and drink!

Uncle Glen happened to make it in town for her 4th meet of the summer!!  In this one she swam a breast stroke and got 6th place and a 4th place (out of 5 swimmers) for the 50 yard freestyle (which is a LONG way for a 5-year-old)!!!

So proud of Emma and her diligence and hard work!!!  She is a FIRST PLACE swimmer in my book!!