Our Other Champion

Celia had mini-championships this evening.  This is a child that was very certain that she was not going to participate in ANY meets this swim season.  I was so okay with that as the swim season is short but tiring.  Her coaches convinced her to try a meet and then it continued until she ended up at mini-championships.

She swam freestyle, backstroke, and was on a relay.  I just wanted to have fun watching her, I had little expectation of her getting to the podium.  In true Celia form she surprised me!

I loved this picture because one of her coaches was patting her head.

I love that on our team, no matter what speed you are, the coaches treat you the same.

At least that is what I have seen so far!

Here she is, in her jump/dive for freestyle

There she is in the circle in freestyle

She swam next to her best buddy, the sweetest little girl.

Here is the cutest little nearly 7 year old swimmer

So here was backstroke.

I had no expectation for this stroke.

In practice she bounces off of the lane line, never traveling a straight line.

They put her in the slowest heat (1 of 3 for the event)

Guess who was on the straight and narrow and did an awesome backstroke?

She placed in the top six and made it to the podium.  

She is the peanut standing in front of the number 6.

Here she is in the same spot for her relay.

They had a coed relay team.  She just learned how to do a relay today at practice!

So to say that I am proud of my little swimmer is an understatement.

I am proud though not that she made it in the top 6 (and the top 8 in freestyle) but because 

she gained a lot of confidence.  She worked past her fear and conquered it!!