[monster]

So we decided to/finally came to terms with the fact that we need to cough up the 225.

$225 for a 3oz piece of material that's virtually disposable is kinda hard to stomach. But if coach said "she needs to attend this weekend stroke clinic, it will cost $225", we'd've had far less problem commiting ...and yet time is also disposableand the results may be comparable..

Also... I was kinda hoping/dreaming she'd get the cut a the meet tomorrow (Thu), and it would make the decision (rqd by Friday) more crystal cut. But no, coach is resting her from the breaststroke this meet. Instead, she's swimming her worst stroke -backstroke. Because she's improved it so much. (IM -which involves all 4 strokes- is her second best event, so this is important) they want to see how well she can do. And they've put her in the 50 free. Also not her event, but she's come a long way, baby!

In other news, they're tapering (reducing practice to reserve energy for "the big one".). I'm all done with the 5am starts! Just as I was getting used to them. (Monday was the last 6am practice for most swimmers, but "State" swimmers taper later. Even though she doesn't yet have a cut, SG was included in the State group (which numbers about 10, out of the team of 45)

I joked with SG about the "shaved and tapered" thing (=readiness for a big meet). Swimmers shave all body hair before big meets, high school girls generally have a thing about not shaving their legs all season until the night before championships, so they get the "extra drag" at practice, and feel more aerodynamic at championships. She informed me she hasn't shave dthem all Season and Nov 3rd is shaving day. OMFG, my baby is not a baby any more.....

.....

So here's the thing.... There is a sophomore on the team who has times better that Senior River Rat who's going to Olympic trials (allegedly) did when she was a sophomore. i think this girl may also get invited to a trial when the time comes. but.... all of the swimmers who are serious competition for SG swim for he same powerhouse AA club (since they were 6sh, and off season now they're at high school) -the one Phelps swam for.... Costs a fortune. SG's coach is/was a coach for this team. They mean business. Swiming is not fun for them, it's business. The sophomore's mom is a coach there.

SG swims/swam with the nearest "rival" team. A fun team, with good, balanced workouts, but no olympic dreams. In her first season, she has dropped8 seconds on her best event. These other swimmers came in better, but only dropped two or three in their first season....