Swim One for Coach Susan...

The Havasu Stingray Swim Team swam their Swim-a-thon on Saturday... 99 miles in all! It probably would have came out to an even 100 if you included Leslie, Aubrie and my laps!

When I showed up at the pool, I noticed a lot of people were wearing pink....hmmm, then I saw little Gracie with her pretty pink bandanna on, okay, now I know something is up. And the clincher? Well Coach Mike, did anybody ever tell you you look lovely in pink? Oh, and Wayne walking around with a bunch of pink balloons... all I could do was smile and go along with it. So, Mike tells me that him and I are having a pre-swim meeting with the parents and timers, and Coach Lauren is taking the swimmers to talk to them. Alright, I will play along, but you can't make me stop smiling! We get done with our "meeting" and I look up and here come the swimmers all wearing bright pink caps.... now I really didn't expect that. I resisted the urge to turn around and run before I started crying, mostly since the only way to get out was behind me and that would have been the pool. (I did have my suit on)

Sherry came up and said something... I don't really remember much, I was still in the fight or flight mode, but basically it was, "when you feel that you just can't do any more laps, swim one for Coach Susan", okay, now I thought I was really going to lose it. Wayne had painted a huge sign (very nice by the way..) that said "Swim one for Coach Susan". They hung it up at the end of the pool, I guess it worked, because the team did an awesome job!

I have to say that I am overwhelmed by the support of the team and parents. I am sure it is hard for the younger kids to understand that I am "sick".... I am sure their thoughts are..."Coach Susan is just as cranky and mean as she was before, how can she be sick?" It is true, I expect just as much from them now, and I will continue to expect them to perform to the best of their abilities at practice and during the meets.

I will just have to remind myself as I go through treatment....

.........."Swim one for the Team!"