Every summer for the past 13 years, I have looked forward to
waking up early and going to Gator practice. To many of my friends this idea of
getting up early in the summer and
hopping into a cold pool was ridiculous, but to me Gator swim was so much more than
that. It was seeing friends that you missed for the last 9 months, annoying
Coach Paul into water polo, and coaching kids that you never thought would make
such a huge impact on your life.
I put off writing my memories of a Gator
because that meant that this part of my life ending is real. The Gators aren’t
just a team to me and Mount Vernon Park isn’t just a pool; they’re family and
MVP is home; it always has been and always will be.
I have loved every second of being on this team. From the
dreaded Waynewood B-meets, winning All Star Relays as an 8 and under, to going
4-1 in my final season. One of my favorite memories of the team was when I was
a much younger Gator and all the teen coaches had this ghost story that they
would tell. A couple of them would get us together and walk us around the pond
telling the same story every year. Every year I would go and tell them that it
was the dumbest story and no one believed them. One year, they decided to mix
it up a bit, one of the coaches actually hid in the pond while the other
signaled him to get rise up from the water and scare the daylights out of us. I
remember the water moving and the noise coming from his mouth, I was so freaked
out that I took off sprinting in the other direction back to my parents. When I
looked back, they were rolling on the ground laughing. I went back to ask them
why they did it and they looked back at me and said “because it’s fun.” Even
though my heart leapt out of my chest that night, that campout remains one of
my favorites.
I could go on and on about all the memories I have made from
this team, but instead I want to take the time to thank everyone who has made
my time on this team the best. To all my other Gator seniors, it’s been such a
pleasure to swim with you all over the years. To the coaches, keep the spirit
up and don’t let the dance parties on deck stop. To Coach Emily, you have
really made this last season great between all your dance moves to your amazing
coaching skills. To Coach Paul, these last 10 years have really been amazing.
You have had such an impact in the way I look at swimming and leadership. You have
taught me so much and I will always remember that. I will miss you all so much
next summer! (Insert triple Gator grunt).
Remember, once a Gator, always a Gator.
Thanks Tori. The epic water battles will go on, but will not be the same without a Bolger in the water. You made us all proud by showing all the little gators that you were about the team first and foremost, as demonstrated by your new love of breaststroke. Cheers to you as you go on to do many amazing things. Let's do an alumni water polo match next year.
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