Every year my family and friends ask me what I am going to do over the summer and my answer is always the same: “summer swim.” It is my favorite time of the year. The weather is warm, the sun is shining, and the smell of chlorine fills the air. For 14 years I have been a Mount Vernon Park gator. I have been able to compete in my favorite sport, with my best friends, while learning how to be a leader and passing on traditions to the younger swimmers.
Believe it or not when I
started at MVP at the age of five I absolutely despised swimming. I got so
nervous for practices and meets that I would cry my way out of the water. The
stories Kelli Makin could tell. Once I finally got up the courage to swim my parents
bribed me by offering me things like silly bands or Chick-fil-A sandwiches. My
older sister Rachel who first got me in the water would try to trick me into
races too. Now I enjoy every second of every event and I am able to help the
little gators who have similar anxieties that I had.
Every year I looked up
to the oldest swimmers and wished that I could be them, but now that I am in
their position, I don’t want to say goodbye. I am going to miss getting up
early in the morning and seeing my swim buddies' smiles and crazy bedheads. I
am going to miss going out to lunch after an away A meet and watching the
waiters be blown away by how much food our group can eat. I am going to miss
making crafts at the pep rallies after Friday morning practices. I am going to
miss dressing up for meets like a superhero or painting myself green. I am
going to miss teaching the little kids how to blow bubbles instead of holding
their breath. I am going to miss the caravan to meets and seeing other drivers
stare in confusion wondering where we were all going so early in the morning. I
could go on and on about all the incredible memories I have had at MVP. While
all these memories are small, altogether they have everything to do with what
this pool means to me. It’s more than just winning blue ribbons. It’s a family.
While I have helped set records, competed in individual all stars and all star relays many years, and gotten several medals and awards, none of that really matters. The memories of my friends and the time we spent together are what count and are enough to last a lifetime. I know that I will remember my amazing times at MVP forever. I don’t have enough words to describe the impact that this team has had on me.
I could not have been a part of MVP all these years without some help. I would like to thank my parents for always supporting me, always cheering me on, and of course driving me to swim practices and meets at all times of the day. Thanks to Coach Paul for tolerating me and my talkative personality, teaching me life lessons in and out of the pool, and for being the goofiest but best coach ever. I would also like to thank the various team reps over the years and everyone who has made my experience as a gator that much better.
Next year I will be
attending Montclair State University in New Jersey. I will be majoring in
fashion design and furthering my swim career on the MSU swim team. My future
goal is to expand on my fashion brand Out Of The Blu by creating a sustainable
fashion line that has low or zero environmental impact. As someone who spends a
lot of time in the water, reducing the amount of chemicals dumped into our
waterways from cheap clothing production is an important mission to me. An
important mission just like swimming each year with MVP. Some words of advice
never give up and just keep swimming gators! Last triple gator grunt on 3, 1…
2… 3…!
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