Three happy relay slayers (the fourth was wandering somewhere not in photographing range), Matt, Nik, and Mike. They swam a killer relay, Matt swimming anchor and getting them the big win at the end...nothing more exciting to end a meet.
Last Saturday, January 2nd, CHS played host to Homestead (Indiana) and St. Charles (Columbus, Ohio), some very stiff competition for our gals and guys. The girls won their meet while the guys tied with St. Charles. (I believe St. Charles guys won their state meet last year.)
Photo is Matt coming in at the finish for his 100 Freestyle, Mike's dad timing in that lane, and Mark timing in the next lane, concentrating on the swimmer in his lane, but wanting to know how Matt was doing in the lane next to him.
Matt won both his individual events, the 50 and 100 Freestyles, finally breaking his 100 Free time, which was beginning to haunt him by way of his coach repeatedly saying (even though Matt would win the event at meets), "That's about the hundredth time you have swam that at 47, Gerth." Interpretation: "Not impressed until you start getting that time down." As you can see by the scoreboard, the boy went a 46.29, which while making everyone happy, now sets the goal at "Let's get that under a 46." Goals, it's what keeps them all going.
Photo is Matt coming in at the finish for his 100 Freestyle, Mike's dad timing in that lane, and Mark timing in the next lane, concentrating on the swimmer in his lane, but wanting to know how Matt was doing in the lane next to him.
Since both visiting teams had a long drive home, our team fed everyone with a taco bar, which I thought was very nice and very classy.
The swimmers were all starving, and their parents were delighted to be included in the invitation as well. It was very nice seeing everyone gathered to eat together and chat after the meet. Matt enjoyed the opportunity to get to talk with some of the competitors about swimming, about upcoming meets, and reacquaint himself with some guys he had met in years gone by, especially Blake who went to the Brophy Sports Center with the Indiana kids the summer before last where they all swam as Team Indiana and not CSC and Homestead, giving them some fun memories of representing their state together and not just their individual teams. We parents had a nice time chatting with the parents of the other teams as well.
It's also very nice to see this familiar face floating around doing his coaching job, socializing, and being such a great role model for Matt...who knew we would all be wearing CHS attire this year?! Since we had Roch as Matt's coach for his first two years of high school swimming at Guerin, it means a lot to our whole family that Roch is now part of the swim coaching staff at CHS where Matt will complete his last two years of high school swimming. Swimming is a family thing, it's great to have Roch continuing on. Things are settling in. The next meet is today with eight teams participating, a huge amount of swimmers to be filling up the lanes and heats, etc. Looking forward to it actually, lots of swims, lots of swimmers, lots of fun!