This is literaly my fist blog post since I believe April. Wow, I really need to catch up! I know that this may be overkill with posting about Cayris and swimming but…. I wanted to share my daughter’s story. A few years ago Cayris wanted to take swimming lessons. She started at the beginner level. She was progressing very well and ended up in the advanced or “Shark” class by the end of the year. Cayris was asked to try a meet at the YMCA where she had been taking lessons. She ended up doing a relay, breast stroke, butterfly and a medley which is all strokes once in one race. She did a wonderful job being one of about 150 participants. She placed 11th in breast stroke which was pretty good considering how many were participating. But, for Cayris she is a competitor. She loves to be right up there with the winners. This is not something that we push. We were so happy that she was 11th out of 150 swimmers. But, for her she wanted to be in the top three. So, this experience was not what she was wanting or expecting and ended up giving up swimming. I was frustrated for her knowing how much of a perfectionist she is along with being a competitive person. I felt bad that she felt she needed to be a winner. We tried to encourage her that it was about having FUN! But, she wanted to be a winner.
In the beginning of this Summer we asked Cayris if she would like to be apart of a sport. She had been in dance all through the school year. She said she would like to have private lessons with her swim coach, Kate Miller again. So, we started her out with 30 minute lessons. Due to how much each private lesson costs we thought 30 minutes was better than nothing. She had two lessons and Miss Kate felt it was time for 60 minute lessons. So, we went ahead and had her have a full hour lesson. She had two and was asked if she would like to be apart of a meet. Oh, boy, all of those past feelings started to flood her mind and at first she wasn’t sure. I told her to take 24 hours and pray about it. We needed to let her coach know by lunch on Friday. She took until 11:50 on Friday to make a decision. She gets that from me LOL.
Cayris decided to take on the meet and do Freestyle and Breast Stroke. She would be in a meet with those that have been training for four days a week for all Summer and some for years. Cayris had four lessons this Summer. She walked in and got signed in and assigned her strokes. She was also assigned a relay which she didn’t sign up to do. The relay was first. The race started out slow with the team mates that were with her. She was last to go on her team. They didn’t place but she sure did a wonderful job. Then, it was Freestyle time. Now in the past Freestyle was her least favorite and she honestly didn’t do as well with this stroke. This year she is doing much better with Freestyle. She didn’t place but for her personally, she did great!! Next came breast stroke. It was one of the last races. She started off strong and ended even stronger to be second in the race. Wow, she conquered her fears and took a leap of faith to try swimming in a meet again and I am sooo extremely proud of her.
All this to say, be encouraged to let something go and if it is meant to be it will come back to you and you will be able to be apart of it and feel the rewards of your courage and patience.
Here are a few photos of her meet:
This was during her Freestyle after she did her turn around..
Here she is waiting to start her Breast Stroke. Being that this pool, Moss Spring, is public they don’t use starting blocks.
Great job Cayris!! Your family is extremely proud of you! Keep it up!
