Swim Clinics

The girls are attending a 2-day Fitter and Faster swim clinic this weekend, run by former Olympic swimmer Clark Burckle.  Yesterday's clinic was in Boston and today's happens to be at our town's YMCA.

The girls in Boston, with Olympian Burckle in the background.

Yesterday's clinic focused on breast stroke, which happens to be Burckle's signature stroke.  Much of the clinic worked on technique, so the swimmers spent a lot of time isolating elements of the stroke; for example, just the frog kick.  However, at the end of the day, each swimmer got a chance to race Burckle in a 25 meter breast stroke, with him giving the swimmers a head start.

No one beat Burckle, unsurprisingly.  Julia was proud of her effort, though: "I *almost* beat him!" she boasted.

Madeleine, on the other hand, was not so charitable.  I watched her swim her little heart out, then glance over to check who had won upon touching the wall.  I figured she would not find it that hard to fathom that a male, adult Olympic swimmer beat an 8-year-old, even with a head start.  But NUH.  UH.  Madeleine was NOT having it.  She decided that the appropriate reaction to his win was to start making hissing animal sounds at him, then scowling while extending only one finger when he congratulated her on her effort and reached out to shake hands. 

Sportswoman of the year over here, folks.

When yesterday's clinic had ended, the swimmers got a chance to get an autograph from Burckle.  Julia was eager to get in line and begged me to buy her one of the advertised Fitter & Faster tee-shirts so she could have him sign it.  I bought a shirt for both kids, and went into the lobby to find Julia in line with Madeleine standing in the sidelines.

ME: Madeleine, I got you a shirt, so you can have Clark Burckle sign it.
MADELEINE: Um, I want the shirt, but I don't want an autograph.
ME: Why not?? 
MADELEINE: Because he BEAT us.
ME: Honey, don't you think an Olympic swimmer SHOULD be able to beat a bunch of kids?
MADELEINE: No.  He didn't even give us enough of a head start!  He should have-
ME: Why don't you just get in line and get an autograph with your sister?
MADELEINE: (glowering and shaking her head no.)

I decided to walk away and let her make her own choice, and fortunately, Madeleine did decide to get an autograph.  Let me tell you, though; upon reading the autograph, Madeleine was NOT.  IMPRESSED.

MADELEINE: (scathingly) Mommy, an Olympic swimmer doesn't even know what YEAR it is?!?!?

Man, what a dope.  Come on, Clark Burckle, you're five years off!


Today's clinic will focus on race starts and Madeleine has had several stern reminders about being a good sport, so hopefully she will be less of a pill to her generous clinic leader.  Julia, meanwhile, is treasuring her signed swag, planning to wear her autographed shirt to school tomorrow, because she pretty much never wears swimming shirts to school.  Oh.  Wait.  By never wears, I mean always wears.  Not to mention she obsessively reads heat sheets from previous meets and looks up stats on swimmers from other teams all the time.  Yeah.  Julia is not obsessed with swimming at all.