Around the Senior State Pool: Day 1 - 50 Free

       Welcome to the 2008 Indiana Long Course State Swimming Championships which began yesterday and continues through Sunday. 

       The finals session begins, traditionally, with the Lucky Duck Toss.  The hosting team rep stands atop the highest diving board in the diving well section and tosses out little Lucky Ducks to the finalists below.  Swimmers all grab a Lucky Duck (Matt got number 23) and if your duck's number is called, you win a prize...usually some nifty sporting stuff.  The interesting catch this year was that the heater in the diving well was on the fritz, so the water was something like 65 degrees in there...the swimmers were all debating whether or not it was worth a Lucky Duck to get in and try at all.  I know I would have taken a pass...our pool at home we keep at around 85 and that is just perfect in my book. 

       Yesterday's swimming news:  Matt swam the 50 Freestyle, went in with a time of 25.73, swam a 25.20 in prelims, barely squeezed in (24/24) for finals where he swam a 25.27, and finished the night in 21st place at state for the 50 Free.  Not bad at all, considering he was the youngest to qualify for the finals, so he was quite happy with it since he dropped time also.   (Photos show coming into the wall for the finish, Matt in the closest lane in the photo and Alex B. from the Arizona camp group next to him winning this heat, exiting the pool, before turning around to see his time, and a big smile knowing he did a fairly good job of the swim.)

       Yesterday's meet swims were just the 50 Free and the 1500.  It was really strange going into finals last night as Matt was the only CSC swimmer to qualify, so there weren't any other CSC parents or families there, unlike usual where the place is loaded with CSC swimmers and families.   Coach Chris with just one swimmer...you know, sorta like our high school season, with one swimmer and all, just sitting on the bench all by himself.  All the rest of the days, Chris and Matt will have plenty of company on that bench as Carmel is well represented and will do well at the meet. 

 

        And, just a couple other shots as I was apparently in the picture taking frame of mind last night.    (And this pun goes out to Jessica at Horned Froggy as she is so the punster.  Enjoy, Jessica!) 

 

        Matt swims the 100 Free on Friday; 100 Back on Saturday; 200 Free on Sunday.   Thanks for all the cheering emails...much appreciated!