SCR Swim Team {Riley}

So, Riley did a thing this year. He joined the SCR Swim Team.

Once students reach 4th grade, they become eligible to participate in school athletics. Kenny and I have always told the boys that they have to be a part of a team at some point during their adolescent years. They can choose what team they want to join, but so far neither of them has elected to do so. We highly encouraged Riley to join the swim team this year, since he loves to swim and since it's more of an individual competition and since the season was only 7 weeks long. He reluctantly agreed.

Practices were held after school every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5-6pm at Lakeside Country Club. Riley was one of 33 students on the team, including 5 other 4th graders (all girls, including Claire!). He was nervous starting out, but we kept encouraging him and reminding him that it was only for 7 weeks.

Riley is not the most efficient swimmer, but he impressed me during his first few practices.  They focused solely on the freestyle stroke at first, added in the backstroke after a couple of weeks, and then did the breaststroke near the end. Riley moved through the water much better than I anticipated. Plus, he looked super cute in his official swim team bathing suit and goggles.

Their first meet was on Saturday, September 7 at Green Acres Country Club. This was Kenny's and my initial experience, and we were astounded at the number of people that were there. It was insane! Nopsi, Diana, Jamey, and Alcee even came out to watch. And we saw Mrs. Marie, an old friend of Nola's, working the concession stand. She gave Riley a free Airhead in honor of his first official meet.

Riley swam in two events at his first meet: individual 50m freestyle and individual 50m backstroke. He finished with a time of 56:25 in the free and 1:31:65 in the back. We were so proud of him!

Their second meet was on September 14 at Lakeside Country Club. Again, Riley swam the 50m free and the 50m back. He finished with times of 56:85 and 1:24:84. Great improvement in his backstroke!

Their third and fourth meets were over the next two weekends back at Green Acres. Riley swam 50m free (1:06:75) and 50m breaststroke (1:29:56) in the third meet and 50m free (59:68) and 50m back (1:24:06) in the fourth meet. The hardest part about all of these meets was the waiting. SO. MUCH. WAITING. His events took about a minute each, but he had to wait so long in between them!

Their very last meet of the season was the Meet of Champs at the UNO Aquatic Center on October 5. This one had a more professional feel to it, with a much bigger pool and electronic timing and results. Riley swam the 50m free and, for the first time, the freestyle relay, with three 5th grade boys. He posted a time of 59:09 for his individual free, and his relay team won their heat with a time of 3:22:33.

He celebrated with Dippin' Dots after his last race and then we headed home.

Riley-bean, we are so very proud of you for making this commitment and sticking with it all season long. You only missed one practice, you worked to improve your swim times, and you cheered on your teammates. You definitely earned your special swim team jacket!

We love you and already can't wait to see what you can do next season. Go Romans!

SCR City Park Night

Oh, City Park Night. How I both love and despise you.

We first met up with friends for a picnic dinner near a playground by the entrance to Carousel Gardens. We figured we needed substantial sustenance before going in and getting our cardio in for the day by chasing after our children for three hours straight.

Once inside the amusement area, we didn't stop. I mostly stayed with Rory, who ran from the Ladybug to the funhouse to the slide to Storyland to the carousel to the train to the Ladybug to the funhouse to the slide to the airplanes. And more. He and his friend Kyle hung out a lot; Kyle was student of the week and brought the class pet, Goldie, with him to join the fun.

Riley ran off with his friends; we didn't see him for much of the night. Kinda nice that he's old enough to be able to do that! We did tell him to inform a familiar adult whenever he was moving on to something else, which he did, some of the time. And I did manage to sneak one ride on the Musical Express with him right before we left.

It was a fun night but man is it tiring. And hot! What are the chances we can do this event in December next year??