In the swim

Last Friday, Missy attended her first swimming carnival for her mainstream school. Missy was very excited about the event waking at 4am. She choose to go in the backstroke which had only a 50m race for 8yr olds and she wore a neck float that has taken a couple of years for her to take a liking to. Since getting a blow up pool for Christmas she has soon realised the freedom the neck float gives her. It has allowed her to control her centre of balance which was challenging and very scary for her when first starting out.
As the pressure built up preceding her race, I was thinking this might get a bit much for her but with her heart racing she stepped up to the mark with her "have a go" attitude. Starting from the 35 metre mark she waited excitedly for the starters gun with Miss H in Lane 1. "Bang" and Missy took off with her own unique style of backstroke, she loved every minute of it and managed to smile thru her wild splashing. As her fellow competitors caught up to her, not only her mates but most of the school started the chant "Let's go Missy, Let's go". Missy left the pool with a 4th place, a time sheet, many high fives from fellow swimmers, emotional congrats from teachers and some wild photos taken my proud mum as I cheered.
Look out at next year's carnival, she has her eye on more than one event.