Time Trials

I have been waiting to find something at Nido de Aguilas that we can get the kids involved after school that we are really excited about.  Joe and I were talking about the activities we should look into, and we figured we would try to find similar ones that they were participating in back home, so when we come back, they can slide right back into them.

I heard that the school had just opened a new aquatic center last year.  I figured I'd do a little research and find out how their swim team worked.  I got a nice email from the head of the center saying that the swim team is year round and they had time trials back in August, but he'd be happy to have her come down and do an individual time trial.  We arranged for this past Friday right after school.  Kate wasn't too thrilled.  She's freaked out that everyone will only be able to teach her anything in Spanish.  I explained that the coaches had to speak English to be at the school, but she still resisted.  When Friday came, we picked her up and of course it was cold and rainy-- the first one like it in weeks.  She resisted, but walked with us up to the pool anyway.

 Yes, that is a frog prince head, gold crown and all, on Jake's head.  He was adament that he bring it and when I suggested we leave it in the car to "keep it safe" when we went to pick Kate up at school, he gave me this shocked look and said, "No!  It's protecting my ears!"  From the wind, rain and cold?  Maybe... but I have a feeling he had some story going on in his head that day.  

Anyway, by the time Kate finally got in the pool, she was smiling from ear to ear and so was I.  "This pool is WAY warmer than the one back at home, Mom!"  It was beautiful!  I knew we had found something we'd be excited to get involved in.  Spencer, the head of the center, explained to me how the program worked.  It sounded intense.  They have a junior and senior team.  Each one is divided up into the A, B, C, and rest of the alphabet teams :)  The A team is the fastest and always competes in the meets.  The B and C teams are encouraged to swim in the meets and the other teams do not--they swim solely during the week.  

Kate did her 4 laps for the time trial and I thought that would be it.  But he decided to throw her into one of the practices that was going on to see how she'd do.  When the 1 1/2 hours (wow!!!) was over, she hopped out of the pool and walked over to me and said, "Did I make the team?!"  I think she was pumped.  

It was pouring when we got outside.  Of course I didn't bring an umbrella.  Jake kept saying, "Good thing I have my frog hat!" And Kate was happy to put anything over her head (although I didn't think it'd be a big deal, seeing as she was wet anyway!).  

We were 5 minutes from home when my phone "dinged."  I looked at it and found an email from Spencer telling us congratulations, that Kate had made the B team!  Yahoo!  We were so excited!  She'll be practicing on Tuesdays, Thursdays and certain Saturdays, for an hour and a half each time.  That is a long time for those little arms and legs.  I can't wait to see how it goes.  Way to go, Katie Pie!  We are so proud of you!

I had put Jake in a little swim class last week, purely to meet other 4 year olds.  One of the moms told me about it and I thought it'd be a fun thing for him, even though he already knows how to swim.  I took him once, and I didn't realize the instruction was all in Spanish.  The other kids didn't know how to swim yet, but Jake went for it.  He was so excited to be in the water, he was all over the place.  The poor instructor kept telling him patiently, "Venga!  Venga!!"  Come here, come here!  But Jake, knowing no Spanish, was jumping off the side, swimming in the opposite direction and over the lane lines...totally oblivious... oh boy.  I decided after one lesson, this wasn't for him.  I think this Frog needs to be swimming at Nido too, with a little English.  A class opens up right after Christmas :)