Following the Feet is an 8-week summer series on SwimSwam. Written by Stina Oakes, the series follows the eight weeks of summer club season at Silver Spring, Maryland’s Daleview Swim Club, whose team mascot is the “Feet.” In relaying stories from the Feet’s season, Oakes hopes to capture the beautiful and unique connection each swimmer has to his or her local pool and club.
Part 1 – Opening Day
Part 2 – It’s Worth It
Part 3 – Time Trials
Part 4 – First “A” Meet
Part 5 – Big Foot, Little Foot
Part 6 – Not Defeated
Part 7 – B Meets
Saying Goodbye
“AHHH!” scream the three seniors as they flail their arms and jump around. The rest of the team crouch on the pool deck, forming a circle around them. After a few seconds, the seniors drop to the ground.
Photo credit: Tim Male
The team jumps up, yells “F!” and fall back to the ground. The seniors pop back up and resume their frantic screaming and hopping. The yelling goes back and forth with the team spelling out “FEET!” in between the senior’s screams.
After the last senior yell, the three hug each other. As they do, the team stands, claps, and shouts, “The FEET cannot be beat!” again and again.
It’s halftime at the last ‘A’ meet of the summer. We are saying goodbye to our seniors, as our cheer goes, “the Daleview way.”
***
“This senior was destined to be a swimmer after he won the ‘Golden Dolphin’ award in kindergarten,” says the Daleview parent who writes the speeches for each senior every year. He continues to highlight this senior’s years running the pool snack bar, his success with his school’s crew team, and his achievements in science.
Photo credit: Tim Male
As the speech is read, the celebrated senior stands in front of the team, flanked by his parents. After all, we’re not only saying goodbye to the swimmer.
The next senior comes up and the routine starts again: “This next senior wants to start out by thanking her Big Feet who let her practice her race starts off the diving board.” He continues to talk about her many swim successes (earning several records in butterfly and free), her academic achievements, and her work training horses as she stands with her arms around her parents.
“This final swimmer’s career started when he anchored a graduated relay team at a B meet. It was the last race of the day; his team finished last that day, so he ended his first meet to fevered cheers just for him from every last member of the team.” The crowd laughs as he now regularly wins his races and several times won the individual high point award at the end of the season. The parent continues to praise him for his work with eradicating food waste and hunger, as well as his academic awards.
It’s clear that Daleview Seniors are not only dedicated swimmers, but extraordinary students and leaders.
***
Photo credit: Tim Male
After the seniors are honored and the requisite photos taken, the atmosphere is heavy. Many of us parents are imagining what it will be like once our kids age out and leave the team. We watch the current senior parents; their faces are a blend of joy and sadness. They are obviously proud of their kids, not just because of their achievements, but because of who these kids have become.
“I’m going to be a wreck next year when it’s our turn,” one mom tells me. “I’m not ready for it to be over.”
As if sensing the mood is becoming too somber with the hugs and tears – we do have half a meet to swim still – a few swimmers spontaneously break out into the Cotton Eyed Joe line dance. Before long, other swimmers join them until the deck becomes a dance floor with lines of swimmers stomping, bumping into one another, and giggling. Even the coaches join in. Some have the moves down, others stumble. Everyone is laughing.
***
At the end of the meet, everyone hangs around at the pool. We tell each other it’s because we’re waiting for the final score, which is true, but it’s really because no one wants to leave yet; just like the seniors, we’re not ready for the season to be over. While there are still some events coming up – Black, Gold, and Old relay races, Divisionals, All-Star races, and Awards Banquet – today marks the last meet of the season for the majority of the swimmers.
We busy ourselves with moving the picnic tables and lawn chairs back to their places. A few kids jump in the pool to help remove the lane ropes. Some people decide to have a final lunch at the Daleview Diner. But mostly we’re all just standing around, feeling a bit lost.
***
“And now, what we’ve all been waiting for. The final score,” the announcer says. We win by 54 points. That brings our season to two wins and three losses; not bad since we were seeded 5th place in the division.
“Woohoo!” shout the swimmers as they jump into the pool in celebration. Before too long the coaches join them in the water: one is dragged across the field, smiling and half protesting until he is pushed in by a group of boys; another sees an older swimmer headed towards her and jumps in to avoid being chucked into the water. The joy is infectious.
“Daleview swimmers: the pool is not yet open. Please get out of the pool,” the announcer says, surely prompted by the pool staff. Yet no one moves. It’s unclear whether they didn’t hear the announcement or if they are ignoring it. It’s clear no one is getting out.
Soon a lifeguard appears and takes his spot on the high chair. A nearby parent begins to mock him for wearing a rival pool’s t-shirt to the meet. He acquiesces, but then says he likes our pool better than his home pool; that we’re more fun. They continue to watch the full-team sharks and minnows game going on in the well, and he says, “I really should tell them to stop what they’re doing, but they’re having so much fun.”
Photo credit: Tim Male
A bright red silicone swim cap appears and a group of swimmers begin bobbing it in and out of the water, stretching it out each time. Two eight-and-under girls wedge themselves into it. One of the seniors decides to jump in. The cap pops, everyone shrieks in delight.
The seniors laugh and play with the rest of the team. While they may be leaving the team, they are still, and will always be, Feet.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stina Oakes is a member of Daleview Swim Club where she swims with the Masters group. She is new to swimming, having only learned how in the past year. She is the mother of two swimmers (ages 12 and 8) and one future swimmer (age 2). She is a Professorial Lecturer in the Writing Program at American University.