Olympic Dreams

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

Jimmy was fast off the blocks, and like his breast event, he landed farther up the pool than anyone. He hit the water and immediately got into his rhythm. It took all his concentration to swim the fly, the timing of arms and kick, the physical demands on the body absorbing every ounce of his concentration. His arm strokes were powerful. His technique was not merely good, it was fantastic, and quickly noted by the coach who had been watching him.

“Hey, come watch this swimmer,” she called to the head coach. “He’s really strong at this.”

“I am not surprised,” said the head coach, a reference to his mentorship by Greg. They both watched as Jimmy finished the first 25. His flip this time was a bit off, but not horrible. He was slightly ahead heading into the turn, and despite the muddled turn, his strong off the wall push held his place. On the way back, Jimmy pulled out all the stops. He accelerated down the last 50, pushing an even greater lead. A power came over Jimmy like he had never felt before. He was one with the water, his arm strokes in exact timing, almost as graceful as a synchronized swimmer. His kicks were powerful, his feet molded together to create a thrust that was well above his experience level. Randy was two spots back, eating Jimmy’s wake. Aiden was behind Randy. No one was in front.

“Amazing fly,” wrote the coach with three lines under it. “Solid.”

Jimmy hit the wall and pushed backward. He floated on his back for about ten meters, breathless. He stood and watched as Randy, then Aiden finished. It had not hit Jimmy what he had just done. He won the heat!

Randy dunked under the lane line and grabbed Jimmy. “You kicked butt,” he said as he gave Jimmy a tight hug. Their bodies touched at all points, including the middle bulges. “You were amazing!” Jimmy was in total disbelief on what he had just swam He could not have dreamed he’d swim that well. The swimmers around him were shocked, some mad, some jealous. Everyone was amazed. Jimmy was too whipped to do his usual leap from the pool, instead opting for the two handed lift.

“What got into you?” Randy asked. “I mean you swam like a mad man.”

“I just felt good,” Jimmy replied. The guys sat again, side by side, watching the guys in heat two line up.

Randy put his hand on Jimmy’s knee. “I think you might have secured a spot on the team with that swim,” he added to the conversation. He looked at Jimmy, admiring his handsome face and smile. His eyes wandered to check out Jimmy’s swimsuit. “Wow, is he ever cute,” Randy thought to himself. If he wasn’t so tired from the swims, Randy’s body would long have responded to the interest. Randy was glad it didn’t.

When all of it was over, Jimmy ended up in third place. A solid finish and only half a second between the top finisher and him. What Jimmy did not see was the coach’s comments. It was clear that Jimmy had the best technique and the most promise. Had he not bungled to flip turn, he easily would have been the top swimmer of the fly. It was just the break Jimmy needed, if he had any hope of making the team.

[shaulis]

STS,

Another great chapter. Jimmys tryout wasn't going well until they got to the fly where he finished third overall in the fly portion. I hope the coach will choose Jimmy to be on the swim team. Please continue the story.

Shaulis

[shaulis]

STS,

Another great chapter. Jimmys tryout wasn't going well until they got to the fly where he finished third overall in the fly portion. I hope the coach will choose Jimmy to be on the swim team. Please continue the story.

Shaulis

[Dooley67]

STS,

I continue to be so impressed with your knack for normal adolescent dialogue and for your keeping the suspense of the races high like a play-by-play announcer would. You really were very explicit about Randy's boner but once again, without being graphic. And the fact that Jimmy had not idea what this meant to Randy was a pretty clear indication of Jimmy's naïveté (a good thing for Randy).A wonderful chapter. I sense that the next chapter will be the last.

[Swimmboy]

His excellent fly swim should certainly guarantee Jimmy a spot on the team. Fly is the most difficult stroke to master, and physically the most difficult to swim, so I think Jimmy will make the team. He has already made two new friends, so I think a few more chapters are in the works!

[50 Free]

Once Jimmy makes the team the coaches will work on his turns. Cuz meet officials don't see the humor in doing a flipturn during breaststroke and butterfly events, huh? Great story, quite realistic!

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

Hey 50Free, not sure if others picked up on the two botched turns, but good catch. The error was intentional. It will become clearer in the next chapter... can't expect Jimmy to remember everything with such short experience and under pressure.

STS

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

Jimmy’s last event of the tryout was the optional 500 free. It was the event that Greg thought Jimmy had the greatest chance at, given his endurance. The 500 free was a race of strategy, Greg had explained to Jimmy. Start out too fast and you will burn up, too slow and you will never catch up. “Always know where you are in the distance,” Greg had explained. “Hold some in reserve for the final 100, that is where the power moves take place,” Greg also explained to Jimmy during their practice sessions. It turned out to be sage advice.

Five swimmers entered the 500 free, neither Aiden or Randy included. Jimmy was in lane 2, lane one was empty, as were lanes seven and eight. The odds on favorite was a tall and lean swimmer in lane 3. His actual name was Ralph, but he went by the nickname “Bo.” No one was sure why or where he got that name, but it was the name he was known by. He wore a tight and sleek yellow and red Agon swimsuit that had his AAU team logo on it. He looked every bit the swimmer he was, tight abs, broad shoulders, amazing pecs, and muscular legs. He also looked hot in his colorful swimsuit, which when wet was not transparent, but at close observation did show through his frontal parts ever so slightly. Randy zeroed right in on all of that.

“Other than Bo, the rest of the field is pretty much wide open,” Randy advised Jimmy. Randy was done for the night, having finished up the optional IM set. Randy did well, second out of ten. Aiden also swam IM, coming in one spot behind Randy. “Go get them, hot stuff,” said Randy. He smiled at Jimmy’s tight butt as he walked away.

“Stay solid, keep pace, and watch for the big move,” Jimmy repeated in his mind. Greg’s long distance mantra. “Swim your race,” also rang through his mind. Greg wished Greg was there to watch, to coach him. Once again, Jimmy was nervous. Not sure why, but he was even shaking a little. Part of him just wanted to step off the block and go home. The coward part. Jimmy quickly pushed those thoughts from his mind.

Two hundred meters in, Jimmy was in third place. Bo was out front, as expected. Jimmy was a body behind the guy in lane four. The swimmer in lane two was behind Jimmy, the tips of his hands almost lined up with Jimmy’s peripheral sight. Jimmy flipped at the 250 mark and pushed strong off the wall. “Stay under as long as you can,” raced through his mind, just as it had every other turn. “You go faster under water,” Greg had pounded into his mind. His push was strong, he was now solidly ahead of the fourth place swimmer and nipping the knees of the second place guy, who seemed to be slowing. Jimmy felt his surge rise up, he wanted to take the guy. He could feel himself getting a rush of adrenalin. “Too early,” he told himself. “Easy until 150,” Jimmy strategized in his mind. “Get close, tease him,” his thoughts expanded. Jimmy pushed hard until he was a mere should behind him.

Flip! Two hundred to go. A solid turn and the two swimmers, Jimmy in two and the guy in lane four were now neck and neck. The lane four swimmer was wearing a really colorful Tyr swimsuit with a wild print. It was a new swimsuit, one of the emerging bolder, more colorful briefs coming on the market. Out of the water, the swimsuit looked hot on him. In the water, it was a bright beacon that Jimmy could now see clearly as they swam in a dead lock for second. Bo was so far out front, the race for second was the real race. The coaches watched closely, eyeing the strategy being played out in lanes two and four.

At the final 100, Jimmy had a slight lead, so slight Jimmy actually thought he was behind. He pushed hard off the wall. He had energy to burn left in reserve. One turn left, two lengths to go in the 50 meter pool. The swimmer in four saw Jimmy, too. He was swimming as hard as he could, hoping Jimmy was also at his breaking point. “Reach,” Jimmy told himself as he powered through his strokes. His body was slicing through the water.

“His technique is really good,” said the lady assistant coach.

“Good arm reach, nice rotation,” replied the lead coach. They were both watching Jimmy.

“Let’s see if he makes a move,” the lady coach added.

Jimmy was now a quarter of the way off the wall for his last turn. To his left he could see he was locked with the lane four swimmer, both had stayed in the exact position, both swimming hard. Bo, the lead swimmer had just flipped and was on his way back. Bo was easily three or four seconds ahead, maybe more. The swimmer behind Jimmy and the Tyr guy was two seconds back and not a threat. “This is it,” Jimmy thought. He opted to make his break heading into the turn, he was sure that the other swimmer was planning a break after the turn, Jimmy wanted an edge. Jimmy’s brain sent a signal out to open all reserves. Jimmy felt the surge as he turned on the speed. Suddenly, Jimmy was pulling ahead, catching his competitor by surprise. Jimmy hit the wall a half second ahead, not much of a lead, but enough to push out of the turn in front.

“We have out move,” the coaches said to each other. “Let’s see how they respond to each other,”

“F---,” the Tyr guy thought to himself. He had little left to give. He pushed as hard as he could off the wall. His form started to collapse as he tried to burst speed into his tired body. Jimmy was pulling away. Aiden and Randy watched from the bleacher. It was quite a race. They could see the interest of the coaches. It was clear Jimmy was making a solid winning move.

At 25 meters to go, Jimmy had increased his lead. He was now three quarters of a body ahead and gaining. Jimmy was in a zone. He saw nothing, heard nothing, he was one with the water. His form had suffered a little, but nothing a good coach couldn’t fix. Jimmy had endurance, and he was proving it right now.

Bo hit the wall first, as expected. Jimmy was four seconds back when his outstretched arm made contact. Jeffrey, the guy in the Tyr swimsuit hit the wall slightly less than a second after Jimmy. The rest of the field came in behind. Bo did not respond to Jimmy’s congratulations, as a swimmer he was a bit arrogant and not like the rest. Jimmy reached across to lane four, shaking hands with Jeff. “Nice swim,” Jimmy said.

“Hey, you too. You out kicked me in the end,” Jeff replied. Jimmy had seen Jeff in school, but they never really knew each other. “I didn’t know you swam,” Jeff added.
“Lot’s of potential!” the coach had written next to Jimmy’s name. “Great end move.” she added.

The guys got out of the pool. Jimmy pulled his clinging suit from the front of him. Randy came right over and put his arm around Jimmy. “You kicked butt!” Randy said.

“Thanks,” Jimmy replied. The guys lined up along the bleachers as the coaches finished their notes. They were not sure what was going to happen next or whether they would find out right there.

“Okay guys, great session today. You are all good swimmers, so our job is going to be tough.” The head coach started off. Jimmy had seen him many times at the pool over the Summer. For the first time, Jimmy was part of a post swim team meeting. Jimmy listened intently. “A few bad starts, and a few wrong turns for the strokes you were swimming, but overall a great display of swimming talent.” Coach added. Coach Lisa will go over the next steps. Thanks for coming out and I hope to see you at practice next week.”

“We look at three things when we decide,” Coach Lisa explained. Jimmy thought she was cute. Lisa was the only female swim coach for a guys team in the whole state, a rising star swimmer who just missed the Olympic trials. She was young, not much older than the guys themselves. She was married to her high school sweetheart, who was also a pretty good swimmer himself. “We look at your speed, of course, but that is only part of it. We also look at your technique, how well you do your strokes, and how much potential you have for improvement. Finally, we try to see how much heart you have for the sport. You won’t swim on my team if you don’t love the sport.”

“Well, one out of three isn’t bad,” Jimmy thought to himself.

“We will post the final list on Friday at lunch period. It will be on the coach’s office door. Good luck.”

As the guys all headed to the locker room, Jimmy broke away. He walked over to the coaches and extended his hand. “Thank you for letting me try out,” Jimmy told each of them. “I hope I make the team.” Coach Lisa smiled back at him.

“Thank you , Jimmy, nice job today,” Coach Lisa replied.