[monster]

Well the end of season rocked. We did even better at the second meet, several of the teachers turned up in their own time to watch and the swimmers did great.

The female swimmer with the problem was really sad not to swim, so we made her assistant coach and she was all happy again. The boys didn't know not to ask why (too young), but she handled it well and with dignity.

The swimmers rocked, the end of season pizza party and paper plate awards went down well yesterday, but the best thing was hearing from a parent at another school who I know from other swim teams (and who is generally a real bitch) that she was sat in the stand commenting on the fact that we have a team for the first time and (I'm interpreting here) what a shame that parents have to coach it..... and then a mother in front of her turned round and said to her "that's the team my daughter's on and this has been the best thing ever. Those parents decided we need a swim team and stepped up to coach it and did a great job. that's what our school is all about and we're so proud to be part of it".

I felt a fraud at the start, but now I don't. I may not be the next olympic swim coach, but I know enough to help some middle school kids who've never competed before become better swimmers, and I care enough to make something happen that was missing before. That's pretty cool, even though i say so myslef. we're gonna do it all over again -only bigger- next year.