Swim Team

It was really important that I have this post finished sometime this morning, because something really cool is happening later this evening.  

Justice has his very first swim meet.

Why is that cool?  Because Justice is on the swim team.

T H E      S W I M     T E A M

I didn't want the post to be about how he performed at the swim meet.  It is about the fact that he's on the swim team, period.  I don't want his performance (whether good or bad) to overshadow the bumpy road he took to get here.

Justice has played every sport out there at least once, and has been on every team sport available to him in our area.  He works hard at it.  I've had people tell me on numerous occasions that he's "lucky" to be so athletic.  I politely say thank you, but wonder if they know he gets up at 0530 with his Dad to work out or run.  I wonder if they know how hard he practices.    I wonder if they know how much sleep he's lost over a bad game or a dropped pass, or a losing season.  I wonder if they know just how many tears he's shed before, during, or after a game.  I wonder if they know that he shakes before he gets in the pool, and that he still thinks there is something scary hiding on the black line in the bottom of the pool, waiting to attack him.  

I had this experience at swim tryouts.  Justice showed up to try out, and after three or four laps, they pulled him out of the pool and said "WOW.  Tryouts are over for you, go over and join the returning swimmers".  He didn't even have to finish trying out.  Four laps and he was done.  

I heard several parents in the background chatting...

"Wow, that kid is GOOD.  He's built for swimming."

"He's a natural swimmer isn't he?"

"I bet he's been swimming his entire life."

And then I heard

"MUST BE NICE to just be able to swim like that."

I felt my hands start to shake.  I seriously almost started to cry.  This lady had NO IDEA.  

I've posted about Justice and swimming before, in Two Great Swimmers.  I'm not going to revisit the anxiety and fear, and how hard he worked to overcome it.  Let it suffice to say that he was so scared that he couldn't even take swimming lessons.  I cannot tell you the number of hours I spent in the pool with him teaching him to swim.  One stroke at a time, one inch at a time into deeper water.  Lots of tears shed, lots of scratches to my neck from him freaking out and throwing himself around my neck in an effort to keep himself from thinking he was drowning.  

It was horrible.  He refused to quit.

I am SO PROUD of him for conquering the demons in his head.  I'm SO PROUD of him for making the swim team.  I couldn't possibly care less how he places in his first meet tonight.

He's already won as far as his Mama is concerned.