OMG... maybe it is because it is 4:30am that Kate's message is striking me SO funny, but absolutely true!
Yesterday I was just talking to one of our "faster swimmers" about how Masters Swimming is for everyone. Fast - slow - young - old - past Olympian - current Olympian - never an athlete - triathlete - etc. But the 800 Free relays last year in Long Beach were probably the height of my coaching anxiety (at the time) because we thought the meet was very close. Many of our swimmers were no where to be found. Present swimmers kept telling me their relay team mates had left to go have a beer at the brewery! Kate's relay was one of the champions of the event. They stuck around and they swam with everything they had left after a long meet. By the way, Kaitlin had been traveling back and forth from a NOVA Kidz meet each of the 3 days and was able to swim the relay late on Sunday. I LOVED hearing that they won the gold medal - and a top time in the USA?? Can't buy that! As it turned out, Nova Masters was announced as SECOND PLACE when the team trophies were awarded! But the "swimmers" returned from the brewery - and demanded a recount!! A large point counting error was found. So we did end up winning by a good margin. This also explains my love-hate relationship with that brewery on the pier next to Belmont Plaza Pool! GO NOVA!
