Not What You Expect

    This weekend was a very exciting time for me. I've been swimming and training with the Episcopal swim team since June of this year and have been extra pumped for the season since day one. Last year, I managed to qualify for the state championship as a middle schooler, which was a really awesome achievement for myself. Going into the season this year, the state cut in my best event ( 100 freestyle ) had dropped by eight seconds. Knowing this, I was training my butt off all season, but in the back of my mind I was losing faith about qualifying for state a second time. After four regular meets, I was stuck at the 1.06.85, a time I managed to get four meets in a row. The state cut for the year was 1.06.05 (i hope you can see my frustration). I worked super hard all season and went to every practice possible, but I was pretty much set on the fact that I wasn't going to state.

   So this Saturday and Sunday the City Championships were held at Crawfish Aquatics. We had lots of fans (thanks to everyone who came) and everyone on the team was filled with energy for what was to come. Only four people could be entered in each event, so the stakes were raised even higher for the both our girls and guys teams. I swam the 50 freestyle and placed 20th in the state with a 29.66, only 2 tenths of a second away from the state cut in that event. Talking to my coach after that race, he basically looked me in the eye and said, "You've done great this season and should be proud, even if you don't go to state". That translates to "sorry you didn't make it kid" in my mind. I was crushed to be honest. I was scheduled to compete the next day in a time trials after the finals. Anyone who wants to have an extra race just to try one last time for a state cut could compete in the time trials. Coach Alex entered me in the 100 free, giving me one last chance in my favorite event.

   All of my teammates stayed after the finals the next day to see me swim. It was incredible and I can't thank them enough. We had just received the news that both our girls and boys teams had won second place in the meet. I was super happy and ready to go! I was put in a heat against five boys, and another girl with the same goal as myself. I was scared to go up against boys, but once I dove in the pool I realized it was probably a benefit. I raced those boys to the finish and when I looked up from the water the time read 1.05.71 I was ecstatic! It was a PR for myself and I had finally made it to state. My friends all hugged me and screamed in my ears until I was deaf.

   I can't wait to go to state!