Sympathy Pain

“I don’t know dad. I’m just really nervous.”

“Jack, it’s just a time trail. You’re not even racing. Just swimming. Once you’re in the water, you have 2 choices…swim or drowned. So choose the right one, and don’t think about the timer.”

“But, I’m really nervous.”

“You swim all the time. You are really good. You wanted to do the swim team again this year. You did great last year. It’ll be ok.”

“What if they tell me to do the butterfly stroke? I don’t know how to do that.”

“Well, tell them…I don’t know how to do that. Don’t just jump in and try, tell them you don’t know how. Try it…’I don’t know how to do that.’”

“Okay…”

We get there 30 minutes before the swimming time trial…to warm up. The coaches’ orders. Of course, they didn’t warm up until 6:15. Jack sat with his team mates for 45 minutes getting more and more freaked out about the time trails. I could tell this was not going to end well.

His mom shows up to watch. I have Tony, who is grumpy because it’s hot, he has drunk all his juice, he can’t just run around the pool, and it’s his bed time. Awesomeness.

They finally get to Jack’s age group. About 20 kids in just that one group. Jack let’s everyone else go first. Finally he gets on the platform to dive in. He starts…swimming like an extra in Piranha 3.

“Why is he swimming so hard…and why are his goggles on his head and not over his eyes?” his mom asked.

Tony smacks me in the nose. “Cause he’s not very smart sometimes.”

About halfway back on his first lap, he starts holding onto the rope, struggling.

“Crap” I think.

“Is he crying?” his grandmother asked.

Sure enough, he has psyched himself out. He gets out, crying and holding his stomach.

I head over, and he’s talking to another coach. She’s trying to calm him down and talk about anything else. Favorite color…favorite made up swimming stroke. Anything.

Mom comes over and starts asking a lot of “whys?” He gets spooled up again.

“I want to go home.”

“But why don’t you just stay and watch.”

“I don’t care. I want to go home.”

Well, in the water, having a panic attack is not a good place to be, so we head out.

I need advice. His mom thinks this sets a “quitter’s” attitude. Now he will feel he can get away with it at any sign of a hard task. I think swimming is not a team sport, and this is a localized reaction. I really don’t think this will set him in the “easy way out” frame of mind.

The plan is to get him to a meet and let him watch before he decides. I’m going to take him to the Y and get some swimming in for fun before that.

What do you think?