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[Image]just keep swimming, just keep swimming
Dory from Finding Nemo

Well, what a day! Annie Kate had to be at the pool by 6:20 am to warm up for the Divisional meet. Luckily it was at our home pool down the street.
She was set up to swim Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly.[Image]look how dirty my door is

She woke up this morning and saw that the Kingfish Fairy had stopped by her home to give her the Divisional Flag. (these High School coaches are so cute and do such fun things for the kids)

I think she felt the intensity of the day. There were only 2 kids from each age group there so it felt small compared to the normal 50 kids there cheering.[Image]

She did well in Backstroke and was able to "knock a second off her time" (it was funny hearing her say that to one of the boys on her team) She came in 8th.
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Breast Stroke if by far her best stroke and we knew she had a chance to win this. Jeff and I were nervous wrecks. Our hearts were pounding. She was in the first heat of two. The electronic start went off and she almost froze and waited a second to dive in. You could tell she was thrown off a bit. Then she started swimming FREESTYLE. An instant disqualification. She then stopped in the pool, and then started swimming breast stroke. I gasped and started to cry. Jeff and I looked at each other - oh no this is not good. She ended up pushing it so hard to win the heat. We ran to the end of the pool thinking we would find a sad little fish. She jumped out of the pool. She said, "Did you see me I totally messed up and swam freestyle, but swam my best time ever" She had no idea she was going to be disqualified. It only took a few minutes when she realized she had the DQ. It was amazing she didn't even care. She ended up getting the second best time and had she not had a bad start or stopped in the pool she could have won first. Jeff and I were sick. We felt so bad for her. Then we realized she was fine - so why were we such a wreck. This anxiety only built up for the next race - Butterfly.
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I now was so nervous that she again would forget her stroke. This was only her second time swimming this event an "A" meet for the season, but she was seeded 2nd in the division. We were afraid her inexperience would get the best of her. She swam like a champ. It was easy to see who had first place but 2nd and 3rd was too close to call. It was either her or the other girl on her team. We waited for the score - and 2nd place it was. We were thrilled and I think she was surprised.

The great thing about swimming is the whole time it feels so individual but at the end of the day it is a team sport. Before they announced the winner the team knew there was a 2 point difference between 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Jeff had figured that if Annie Kate had won breast stroke she would have taken 10 points for the team. They dragged it to the end then announced First place was to the KINGFISH. WE WON! I had gone home to get the little girls but Jeff said everyone was going crazy! Annie Kate had the day and season of her life. She made it to divisionals, she learned about being disappointed, trying her hardest and even felt the taste of victory. We feel so blessed to have had this experience this summer and can't wait to see what she can do next year.[Image]During half time they did this awesome tradition for all the seniors. They each get a handmade crown and bath robe and do the ceremonial walk around the pool. It made me never want to move from this neighborhood.
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Tonight was the awards banquet where they gave away the trophy's for the year and got to watch the end of the year slide show. The maker of the summer DVD does this for a living so it was INCREDIBLE. [Image]
We had no idea how the awards worked which added to a fun surprise for the night. Turns our Annie Kate was the 2nd top scorer for the season in her age group and got a special trophy for that. She was also given the most improved in her age group and received a special plaque.[Image]
Her coach this year was awesome and with their undefeated season the team is begging for him to come back next year. It was his first year as the coach and we are all thrilled he will be back!