[SwimTeamSpeedo]

“Jimmy, I am really impressed by how you swim,” Coach Lisa began, as the two sat privately in the coach‘s office. “You love the sport and it shows.”

“Thanks,” Jimmy replied. “Yeah, I swam every day all Summer, well except for one day when I went to see Greg’s swim meet.”

“Oh yeah, Coach told me about Greg and you. That is a great story.”

“Yeah, Greg is the best swimmer ever.” Jimmy replied. Coach Lisa smiled.

“So here is the deal. I think you deserve to be on the team and all the coaches agree. But you have some work to do to be ready for swimming on a swim team. I mean your really good, but we have to build on a few things.”

“I understand,” Jimmy replied. “Greg said I need to keep working real hard. I know I messed up my breast turn and Greg said I was not suppose to do a flip turn on my fly, that was stupid.”

“Well, not stupid, Jimmy. You are just new. I don’t like the word stupid.” Coach Lisa replied. “Kelly, one of the sophomore swimmers is moving away six weeks from now. So, what we want to do is put you on the team as an alternate until then. You get to practice with the team, you will go to all the meets, but you won’t be able to swim at meets until Kelly leaves the team. And, you have to show you are ready to swim at a meet. Six weeks to work on the skills you still need.”

“So, am I on the team now, or what?,” Jimmy relied. “I mean I really want to be a swimmer.”

“Yes, Jimmy, if you agree to this you are on the team. You can even suit up at meets and do warm up swims,” Coach Lisa replied. “I really want you on my team. I think you will be a great swimmer, Jimmy.”

What happened next shocked everyone. Jimmy jumped up and hugged the coach, breaking every school rule about socialization with teachers. He could not contain himself. His outburst of affection caught Coach Lisa by surprise. The next thing of surprise to Jimmy was he welled up with tears of joy. He had made the team and Jimmy did not realize how deep it would hit his emotions. “Thank you so much,” he said as his tears caused Lisa’s shoulder to get wet. She said nothing, holding Jimmy as he poured out his heart. School rules be damned, his emotion and his hug was genuine. It never went further than the room.

______

“I knew you could do it, Jimmy” said Greg. “I can’t even tell you in words how proud I am of you.”

“You are the best swim coach ever,” Jimmy replied. “And the best friend in all the world.”

“You know Jimmy, I don’t remember why I came over to help you that day in the pool, but from that day on I knew you were an awesome kid,” Greg confided. “I never had a little brother, but now I do. And you’re the best little brother I could ever want.”

The call went silent for a while. The two young men soaked in the success. Jimmy made his dream. He was, finally, a real swim team swimmer. It would change his life forever.