The Swimmer

When the boys were around three we started them in sports through the YMCA in Pensacola. They played soccer and T-Ball, at three and four it was like herding cats to get all those kids to run in the same direction. Then when they got to be five they began playing football and soccer. We also tried T-ball at this age. Tyler liked football, the boys both did okay at soccer and actually James was pretty good but, his personality did not mesh with the other players. In football he was actually on the field and when they said ready, set, hut he got ran over because he was busy staring at the pretty cheerleaders. His coach carried him off the field and that was the end of football. T-ball they both hated with their ADHD there was not enough action to keep them interested. Tyler continued in football and then we tried them both in Basketball. Tyler took to basketball and loved it. James hated it and was so out of place. So then we thought okay maybe sports are not for him lets try music so he picked guitar. We paid for lessons he didn't practice and that was the end of that. At our wits end I told Kyle maybe swimming will be the key. I swam in high school and one year of college and I thought maybe this will be it. We had no idea the journey that would ensue.

In the traditional team sport arena James just could not mesh with his team mates. He would get so angry when someone messed up or did not pass him the ball when they should. He is very outspoken and when he sees an injustice he will call attention to it. My thought process was in the pool he is racing a clock and other swimmers. It is a team sport but also an individual sport it is the best of both worlds. He literally took to it like a fish. He went from lessons to green group within a few months. GPAC (Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club) has been the absolute best part of James life.

Swimming has taught James so many life lessons such as time management, hard work, perseverance, the agony of defeat and nutrition. He has learned that you get back exactly what you put in. It has taught him that if you have drive and ambition it can take you anywhere. He is still learning daily about himself and the sport of swim.

This past year has been tremendous for James. He has found his rhythm and has improved tremendously. Since last August he has made it to the state championships where he actually swam so well that he made it back to finals and moved his ranking up. He also broke a Pace High school swim record while at state. In club swimming he placed third in the 500 free and the mile at the short course South Eastern Swim Championship. He also nabbed a Junior National cut. At Junior Nationals he dropped even more time and qualified to swim at the Open Water Junior Nationals in Tempe Arizona. He will compete at this event on May 6th. James received his AAAA time award today at the GPAC banquet for his swim at Junior Nationals in the mile. It is his first AAAA time but I am positive it will not be his last.

JT has goals and every day he sets his sights on those goals. He never complains about getting up at 3:45 to go swim. He loves to swim and it is literally who he is. He has told me he feels the most calm and focused when he is swimming. Some have said to me he needs to be more social, he works too hard, he is pushing himself too much. When he would attend the high school practices one of the moms would say to me he needs to slow down and not hit the seniors feet. After all they have seniority. My response was they either need to let him lead the lane or swim faster. I looked at her like she was crazy. Simply because someone is older doesn't mean they are more worthy. He is one of the most driven teenagers I have ever known. Kyle and I are excited to see what goal he tackles next. By the way, do you think anyone asked Michael Phelps to slow down? or Caleb Dressel?