Swimming Trials to zones Part 1

                      Swimming Trials            02/03/2017

I have signed up for the swimming trials that you trial in to go to the zones. A few other friends of mine decided to come as well, so I have some company there which is nice! I came to school in sports mufti and was wearing my togs underneath my clothes so it would be easier to take them off at Jellie Park (which is where we went to do the trials).  I am very nervous at the same time which is a feeling I often do not enjoy when I go to event like this. I brought my bag to the hall and found my other friends there so we played around in the hall for a bit after the after year 7/8's had left for technology. We started playing a bit of volleyball which made me feel less nervous and more excited for what was to come. The teacher arrived and we called out the roll then sat in the hall foyer and had a little snack out of our lunchboxes for a while until the bus arrived at Oaklands School. 

We hopped on the bus after that and then when we got there we changed int our togs (which was easier for me) and then had a play around in the pool to practice a bit and get a feel for the water. I haven't practiced very much unfortunately because I came from Auckland not long ago and had to quit my swimming classes which was annoying but anyway, I felt I had a good enough chance that I could compete for something like this! :)

The teachers called out the roll again to make sure we were all here after the bus ride and then we started the races! First up was freestyle and I had entered in that so I gathered with the rest of the children doing freestyle and we got put into age-group lines so we could compete against each other fairly. I got lined up with my friends and some other competitors who were from my class back at school. In an instant it was our turn and we sectioned off into our lanes we would dive into (we didn't have to dive but I thought it would be better to do that because i'd get a bit of a head start).

We hear a whistle..... "get set"..... *a loud whistling sound* ..... And we're off! I dive in (i think i accidentally belly flopped), when i reach and take a breath to the surface I immediately start my freestyle and I kick hard and fast, my arms doing circles in the water... 

We do two lengths, there and back, when i get to the end of the lane i do a tumble-turn and push off again. I'm quite tired now and my arms are starting to ache... but I must finish i tell myself. Finally, i'm on the home stretch I feel pretty good I've done this and-    I touch the wall and surface to the top of the water. I came second to last... I beat someone, but that someone was one of my friends and I feel a bit bad for that. From a distance as I look at my friend it looks like she's choking... wait.... I think she is! She reaches the end wall and starts coughing loudly. I believe she in hailed water when diving in, whoops.

She's aright now though, which is good. I'm still not that happy I came only 4th in my race. I'll do better in breaststroke, I hope. (the care values i showed were: Community and excellence, I think).

(This blog here has got a bit too long so I will split it in two if that's okay for the readers reading this. :)