Now that things are sort of setting down from summer, one of the projects on the to do list is to edit and blog about all the summer photos and work. There are some awesome sessions I can’t wait to share and there are new features and offerings coming soon! It’s an exciting time and as we head into the busy fall season I can’t wait to see what happens!
As much fun as it is to envision the future projects on the horizon, it is also fun to visit the past. Swim Team was an integral part of summer in my childhood and is something I’ve been excited to share with my kids. Visiting my hometown of Champaign and introducing them to Swim Team was definitely a high point of my summer.
From the early morning practices to the weekend meets to the green team suits and even to the last names on the swim meet roster, it is funny how little some things change. I know if I dug through my dad’s photos from my childhood, I could find similar shots to these.
A particularly exciting aspect to this summer’s swim experience was the (then) upcoming Olympics. The Olympics are always exciting, of course, but for this little team in central Illinois, things were really hopping, due to the fact that a young man, Tyler McGill – who started swimming in this pool – was about to head to London to compete. In fact on the day of this meet, CCC’s coach was at the USA swim trails to cheer him on.
There was an excitement and energy in the air, that even the littlest swimmers picked up on. Every day when we showed up at the pool, my six year old would stop me by the records wall and ask me to show him McGill’s club records. My 3 year old daughter jumped up and down on the couch cheering for him as he swam the 100 fly against Michael Phelps in the trials and came in a close second. Then for days, even weeks after, would ask, “Mom, remember that time when we cheered for our friend swimming on TV?”
When the Olympics finally came around, my kids were most excited to watch the swimming events, and mainly they wanted to see Tyler McGill swim. Clad in McGill fan T-shirts, they would circle the TV (or sometimes the computer) and yell and cheer for him as he qualified for the next round. In our house, Phelps and Lochte weren’t the stars, it was all about McGill.
As you all know, McGill didn’t win in the finals. After repeatedly coming in second he placed 7th overall. We were all having such a good time rooting and cheering for him that I’m not even sure my kids noticed what place he finished. To them, he won. To them, he is a champion. To all of us, he is a champion! He may not have been on that podium but Holy Cow! he swam in the Olympic Finals. He swam against the world’s best. And he swam against the most medaled Olympian ever. McGill is one of the world’s best butterfliers.
And he started in the same pool I, and now my children, started in.
I remember the Olympic heros of my youth… Mary Lou Retton, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz… for my kids their first hero is so much more inspiring. He is real, he is tangible and even though they have never met him, they call him their friend. I love that.
I am now on the hunt for a swim team in Austin as my older two are hooked on the sport. I don’t know how any experience will top this summer’s swim adventure. It will be something we all will remember… and we are looking forward to cheering for Tyler McGill in future endeavors.
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I know its 100 degrees outside and summer feels like it will never end… but guess what? School has started and now you’ve got homework, after-school activities, weekend soccer games, soon you’ll be making Halloween costumes, cooking Thanksgiving dinner and …boom… you need to send out your holiday cards.
What photo will you use?
Don’t get stuck trying to throw something together at the last minute! Shoot me an email. Let’s plan your creative, fun portrait session now! And you’ll have a holiday card that people will keep on their refrigerator all year!
gorgeous post and stunning photos. brought a tear to my eye. ; )