[monster]

Well it's over. For her. She swam well (another time well within the state cut) but didn't make the last 16 so won't be swimming tomorrow. But three of the 5 breaststrokers did -they are seeds 1, =4 and =4 for tomorrow so it will be exciting. I won't be there (thankfully) but SG will.

So...... now I have to rant... and I was very restrained and reserved but several of the other team parents weren't.....

There are three teams new to Division one this year -Division is based on school size. (Well three good teams. There may be more who don't make much of a mark) We are one. Farmington Hills Mercy is another. They may well be the new division champions.

It's a private catholic girls school.......

OMFG those people are so obnoxious it's untrue! parents and kids. But especially the parents. I know a couple of FHM swimmers and families, they are nice, so this totally took me by surprise. Seating is limited, reserving seats is not allowed, but they tried to do it anyway -by the block, not just the odd seat or two -40 schools at least and they were reserving about 1/8th of the bleachers ....and were extremely unpleasant to anyone who pointed out it was not allowed ....and played the 'catholic card'....... "well we know it's not allowed but these people have to get siblings to school so can't come until later, and it's especially important they get them to school because it's Friday and so they can't miss mass....."! wtf? We all had siblings to get to school. titarses.

And then they were loud in a really trashy way, deliberately chanting over the cheers from the other swim teams (not the parents' cheers, the teams on deck.... even the swimmers tend to let the groups near them finish rather than trying to chant over them). And no, most parent groups do not have cheers/chants.

SG said the Mercy girls were deliberately delaying races by elaborately crossing themselves before stepping on to the blocks. I didn't see that, but SG is not one to bitch or overexaggerate. it's generally an advantage to be last up onto the block.

The Marion girls (another catholic girls only school) had apparently brought the rest of the team to support them. Which is nice. Standing at the back with their t-shirts scrunched up into bralettes, sagging PJ shorts and having the school name spelled out in paint on their midriffs, however..... not quite so nice... oh and the shouting down heat wins by other teams..... not classy at all.

My eyes were opened to a whole new level of swimmerdom today. And it wasn't terribly pretty. yes, I'm an atheist, but I really really did not expect the two catholic schools' supporters to be the ones exhibiting the worst behaviour. The parents of our team were nice to be with, though. We chatted in the breaks with some other parent groups who were also very nice. And the team looked great on deck with their chairs and jackets.