RACE league championships

She really hates the IM.

Look at that dive! (shes the one all stretched out)

Hayden winning her heat.

Getting ready to seal the deal in the Mixed relay.

The girls did great at Race league championships. Here are the results:

Ally

4th in 25 meter free out of 59 swimmers

6th in 25 meter backstroke out of 52 swimmers

6th in 25 meter butterfly out of 21 swimmers

1st in 8 & U Mixed Medley Relay(set a new record)

1st in 8 & U Free Relay

Hayden

9th in 50 meter free out of 66 swimmers

9th in the 110 meter IM out of 16 swimmers(2nd time to ever swim this event)

10th in 25 meter backstroke out of 59 swimmers

They both swam really well. My proudest moment didn't come while they were in the water. The 9-10 age group for Athens is loaded with very fast girls. There are about 8 or 10 of them that have been swimming well all summer.

Typically, you pick your 4 fastest for the "A" relay and then the next 4 for the "B" and so on. Hayden has been on the B for both medley and free. She has been really working to get on the "A" relay. At one of the meets, she swam the 2nd fastest 50 free time which put her having the 5th fastest time overall.

One of the girls on the "A" relay wasn't going to be at State this year, so the coach "gave" Hayden her spot. Hayden swam with the relay at District and was slated to swim with them at this meet. Right before the relay was to swim, the coach asked Hayden if she would give up her spot to another girl that had swam a good meet and wouldn't get to go to state. Hayden agreed.

The coach talked to Ben about it and he made sure Hayden was ok with it. We knew she had made the right decision, but we also knew what she had asked Hayden to give up. The relay ended up setting a new record, one that hadn't been broken in 8 years, and everybody went nuts. Pictures, celebrating, cheering . . . and there stood my baby.

Of course there were tears in the car and lots of remorse from all of us, but I am so proud of her sacrifice.

However, if this little girl(that swam in Hayden's spot) acts like a brat at the swim party, I will, however, go nuts. And not in a "make your Momma proud" kind of way.

It might be his sport, but it's my stroke!

Ben's influence over "our" activities is certainly evident - basketball and swimming. However, few know that I too was a competitive swimmer. I was all over backstroke. And the girls? Yep, they've got skills from their Momma too.

Sometimes it takes 2 coaches "behind" Ally.

Hey Dad, could we just get this IM over with already?

She is big time in the lead!

(she dropped 3 seconds off her 50 free time here)

Here it is - numero uno in backstroke!

And don't forget the lollipop for winning her heat. It's all about the food!

Not really impressed.

Ditto!

What happens when Nina's in charge of concession stand purchases.

I guess I can give her a break . . . it was their "real" birthday!

No wonder he likes to stay on the other side of the fence!

What do you and the boys do at swim practice for 2 hours?

A little of this:

and that :

I need to practice my snack and entertainment packing

Tonight was our practice swim meet in Athens.  The girls did great and the boys, well, they stayed out of trouble for the most part and only had to go potty 5 times.  I guess I should just be happy they actually went to the bathroom.  Hayden swam free, back, breast and fly.  Ally swam free and back.  Ben, of course, had to get in on the action as a Stroke/Turn Judge, so I just hung on the other side of the fence with Nina and the boys.  I was able to get some pretty good pictures if I do say so myself.  I thought it was kind of funny when Ally asked if we were done with swimming.  I mean, she's done practice and she's done a swim meet.  What else is there?  I was also informed that my snacks were no good and I didn't provide them any entertainment.  I guess I'll need to "practice" that.  However, I did notice a little girl and 3 friends running around entertaining themselves with the cold packs from the snacks.  A nine year old almost missed breast stroke because her sister's entertainment was so good.