The Great Understanding
When I was almost 9, I was in a swimming class with girls that were quite a bit older and stronger than I was. They could swim much faster and better than I could.I began to feel like I didn't belong in the class.
Although I was a proficient swimmer, I wanted to be able to swim just like the other girls in my class. It was very difficult to perform at the speed of the other girls in my class.
I decided it was time to take action. I went to see my coach before swim class. I could not deal with the pressure of constantly feeling like I didn't belong. I was a little apprehensive about asking for help, but I knew that was the best thing to do.
My coach, T.J. decided that I needed some consistent practicing. She developed a routine that combined aerobics and diving with being able to swim faster. This routine was very difficult to follow, but I was persistent .
I continued working through the routine each week, and by the end of the six week period, my skills had improved by 85%. Although I felt more confident in myself, I still wasn't ready to compete with the other girls.