Water Logged

Thinking today about the swim team of my youth.  It was not an optional sport in the Funk household.  The six of us swam for Kino Krawdads every summer.  We'd do competitive swimming in the morning, then stay after for two sessions of swimming lessons, then get out and wait in the shade to re-enter through the turnstile for open swim in the afternoon.

And we did this every. day.

Most afternoons we walked home cloudy eyed and barefoot since we had been dropped off in the "cooler" morning hours without our thongs. (Thongs meant something different back then.) We had developed the talent of throwing our towels as far in front of us as we could, then running to them/patch of grass, so we wouldn't burn our feet on the scorching pavement.  And repeating this for the mile journey home.

Kino's team suits were racer back style and patterened with white white palm trees over a green background.  It didn't take too many days in the sun before those white palm trees had tattooed their outline all over our little bodies as our suntans grew darker and darker everyday.  And I can distinctly recall waking up some mornings having slept all night in that suit, with bedhead the shade and consistency of yellow hay.

Not sure if I ever owned a pair of goggles back then.  Or any other pool gear for that matter.  But we managed to nail down those strokes and develop a love of swimming that has lasted a lifetime.  I have shared that love with hundreds of kids for the last 25 years through swimming lessons.  And this year I have taught freestyle basics to more adults than in all 25 years put together.

More than ever, I'm remembering that swimming should be fun.  The pool should be somewhere you want to be with your family.  After a long hard workout -- play with your kids.  Save time for Sharks and Minnows and Marco Polo.  'Cause a blue ribbon or medal is one thing.  But Jump or Dive off the springy 10 meter board is something that you just can't duplicate anywhere else. And being thrown like a cannonball by your dad is simply unforgettable.

Tracy and Everett's Pool Time!