Swim Team

Since November I’ve been coaching the school’s swim team and our season just wrapped up at the end of January. The other coach and I decided to host an invitational swim meet to cap off our revival of the team. We invited all the local schools in Quito that have swim teams and three of the schools accepted our invite. The invitational meet ran over a Friday afternoon and Saturday morning and including the 23 swimmers from our own team, the pool hosted over 90 athletes! It was definitely a complicated event to organize, but I’m proud to say we pulled it off quite well. 

We scored the meet based on points for each event. So, 1^st place would earn 6 points, 2^nd place would earn 5 points, etc. This way, even a swimmer coming in last in their event could earn a point for their team. Relays were worth double the points. I asked Justin to serve as scorekeeper, entering times into the meet manager as they were delivered to him on slips of wet paper from student volunteer runner. And I am pleased to report our team came in first place! (Editor's Note: I did not in any way shade the scoring to favor our school or Shannon's team) I underestimated how significant this win would be for our team – until I saw the faces of joy and heard the jubilant screams in the gym when the winner was announced. Our kids were ecstatic. And this was just an incredible ending to a really fun, positive, and personally rewarding coaching season. After the award ceremony I was embraced by happy parents, and posed for pictures with my athletes. One appreciative mom even gave me a watch as a thank-you gift. Wow! (Hello, private school!). Then, the other coach and I took ourselves out to a celebratory lunch of Mexican food and margaritas. It’s been a few years since I’ve coached a team and I really did enjoy getting back into it. This experience allowed me to bond with kids on another level that isn’t always attainable in a classroom setting and I am grateful to have been able to connect with a lot of the older kids that I don’t get to see in my current role at school.

Look at that trophy!

And in a few weeks, I’ll receive my stipend. A whopping $500! I’m not exactly sure on the calculation, but I think that averages out to roughly $4/hour?? It’s better not to do the math on these things…

But unfair labor practices aside, Justin and I have decided that this year, we will put both of our coaching stipends (my swimming and his basketball) toward our wedding fund! So not only did I have a fun season, meet some great kids, and another wonderful swim coach, but this coaching season will also be our first step towards planning for our wedding. And that’s adorable.