Sequel: Swimmers Story ›
My 3 Dedications And Me
Race Me Now!
She got in the back yard out of sight of everyone before he cracked his huge grin! I got something in the post today, I believe you will have something as well that you need to sign" "I'm not getting it" she admitted and he laughed grabbing her and pinning her to his body. "You my little graceful dolphin have been selected" "What? What in?" she asked "100 fly, 200 fly, 200 individual medley and 4x100 medley relay" he said quietly and she pushed away looking at him. "Don't fuck around Mikey" "I'm not! You got selected for 4 events!" he laughed and she looked at him watching for any sign he was being a dick and playing he cruelest joke known to man.
She gave in and hugged him laughing "I'm going to Rio!" she laughed and he nodded squeezing her tighter before they went back inside. He sat on the edge of the pool watching her go through lengths and he sighed dropping his head backwards to stare at the ceiling, this wasn't going right! "Take 5 Phoenix, I'll be right back!" he shouted before grabbing his phone and going in the changing rooms.
"Bob can you do me a favor, it's Michael by the way. Can you come down to the pool for me, there's something I want to ask you?" he asked and he agreed so he walked back out, it wasn't long before Bob walked in and Michael walked towards him. "What's up Michael?" "I'm having some problems, I want you to do some timing for me will you I've got something I need to work out" he replied and Bob nodded taking the stopwatch from him and sitting down.
"Right Phoenix I want you to do the 200m Fly, ready?" he asked and she nodded getting in position on the edge of the pool, "Go!" he shouted and she dived in getting to work and he waited until she was heading towards him on the 100m before he got in position pulling his goggles down and he dived in as she turned. His body moved through the water like he knew it had to but it didn't feel the same anymore, he knew he wasn't gliding through like he used to but he was still capable of decent times. His arms pushed the water away as he threw his all in to the remaining 100m knowing he had to do it for her.
She gained on him and he knew she was at his side, normally he'd slow down to let her win but he wasn't up for that today. If she was coming past him she was coming past him when he was trying! But with 25m to go she wasn't going to pass him and he knew it and he let himself ease off letting her kick past him and touch the wall first. He glared at her before pulling himself out the pool walking towards Bob who looked at him, "Your times are still decent enough Michael, that girl, it's not her times and you know that!" he said quietly and Michael sighed.
"She can break records, I've see her do it in this pool, you saw her do it against me. But you put her in a pool with other people and she doesn't perform. I had to nearly punish her everyday to get her to qualify and I cannot keep that up for Rio! I just don't get what else I'm meant to be doing with her and it's frustrating me beyond all realms of possibility!" he vented slamming himself down on the seat at his ex coaches side.
"You have that girl physically firing on every cylinder, she's the fittest she'll probably need to be to win her races. It's her mind that's not ready, it's not the pool, it's not the race, it's the confidence in her! She doesn't deal with the atmosphere of the meets, if you don't get on top of that for Rio; you might as well send your sister than her" Bob reasoned and Michael groaned. "I don't even get her anymore, she was the most confident kid going, she bounced off the walls at meets. I used to laugh at how she came bounding out and was laughing and joking around, not anymore" "She was a kid, as a kid you don't feel it. She's feeling it now, she's coming back in to something and she probably just doesn't feel safe there. As coach it's your job to make her feel safe in that pool, make her feel safe and comfortable in the meet atmosphere before it ruins what you're doing!" Bob warned and Michael nodded before grinning.
"I have a plan and I need you for it" he mumbled.
She gave in and hugged him laughing "I'm going to Rio!" she laughed and he nodded squeezing her tighter before they went back inside. He sat on the edge of the pool watching her go through lengths and he sighed dropping his head backwards to stare at the ceiling, this wasn't going right! "Take 5 Phoenix, I'll be right back!" he shouted before grabbing his phone and going in the changing rooms.
"Bob can you do me a favor, it's Michael by the way. Can you come down to the pool for me, there's something I want to ask you?" he asked and he agreed so he walked back out, it wasn't long before Bob walked in and Michael walked towards him. "What's up Michael?" "I'm having some problems, I want you to do some timing for me will you I've got something I need to work out" he replied and Bob nodded taking the stopwatch from him and sitting down.
"Right Phoenix I want you to do the 200m Fly, ready?" he asked and she nodded getting in position on the edge of the pool, "Go!" he shouted and she dived in getting to work and he waited until she was heading towards him on the 100m before he got in position pulling his goggles down and he dived in as she turned. His body moved through the water like he knew it had to but it didn't feel the same anymore, he knew he wasn't gliding through like he used to but he was still capable of decent times. His arms pushed the water away as he threw his all in to the remaining 100m knowing he had to do it for her.
She gained on him and he knew she was at his side, normally he'd slow down to let her win but he wasn't up for that today. If she was coming past him she was coming past him when he was trying! But with 25m to go she wasn't going to pass him and he knew it and he let himself ease off letting her kick past him and touch the wall first. He glared at her before pulling himself out the pool walking towards Bob who looked at him, "Your times are still decent enough Michael, that girl, it's not her times and you know that!" he said quietly and Michael sighed.
"She can break records, I've see her do it in this pool, you saw her do it against me. But you put her in a pool with other people and she doesn't perform. I had to nearly punish her everyday to get her to qualify and I cannot keep that up for Rio! I just don't get what else I'm meant to be doing with her and it's frustrating me beyond all realms of possibility!" he vented slamming himself down on the seat at his ex coaches side.
"You have that girl physically firing on every cylinder, she's the fittest she'll probably need to be to win her races. It's her mind that's not ready, it's not the pool, it's not the race, it's the confidence in her! She doesn't deal with the atmosphere of the meets, if you don't get on top of that for Rio; you might as well send your sister than her" Bob reasoned and Michael groaned. "I don't even get her anymore, she was the most confident kid going, she bounced off the walls at meets. I used to laugh at how she came bounding out and was laughing and joking around, not anymore" "She was a kid, as a kid you don't feel it. She's feeling it now, she's coming back in to something and she probably just doesn't feel safe there. As coach it's your job to make her feel safe in that pool, make her feel safe and comfortable in the meet atmosphere before it ruins what you're doing!" Bob warned and Michael nodded before grinning.
"I have a plan and I need you for it" he mumbled.