"Go on Beth..."
She looked so small. Stood at the end of the pool waiting for the whistle. Her blue swimsuit, blue swim hat, her pink goggles made her distinct - I could almost feel her nerves from 25m. Bethan was in her first competitive swimming race, swimming for her school. The whistle went and in she dived. "Go on Beth..." I whisper trying to remain calm.
There were some obvious swimmers in her heat and they thrashed to front. Mark a friend with me makes encouraging sounds about her having a perfectly measured stroke. It might be perfectly measured but it was just a little slow. The speed of the other swimmers begin to leave her behind in the same way that I leave my decorum behind and just become 100% father shouting Bethan on.
"Come on Bethan..." my encouragement becomes a little more intense!
It seems that her race is to avoid being last. She and another girl are head to head, the winners already finished.
"Come on Beth..." A third of the pool to go my 'football terraced' voice easily heard over the cacophony of school children's screams. People are looking up, I'm drawing stares. I don't care that's what Dad's do
She's in last place but is still trying really hard ...
"Go on Beth..." I'm hanging over the balcony !
The other girl is fading and has slipped behind. The race is finished - she is 5th. I relax - not last. Mark makes some sympathetic noises but I know Bethan will be really disappointed. I'm working up to cheer her up with a thumbs up and a smile. She takes off her goggles and hat and then I see that for the last 5 minutes I've been shouting for some random girl that I don't even know!
I make a mental note to make sure I take my glasses next time I go to watch Bethan swim!
I think back to other occassions I have cheered on, been partisan about what I think and do without looking closer. I'm grateful to all those in my life who have got me to think and look closer!
---
Incidentally Bethan came third in front crawl and second in the backstroke and I was immensely proud to see her enjoying herself and doing her best!
There were some obvious swimmers in her heat and they thrashed to front. Mark a friend with me makes encouraging sounds about her having a perfectly measured stroke. It might be perfectly measured but it was just a little slow. The speed of the other swimmers begin to leave her behind in the same way that I leave my decorum behind and just become 100% father shouting Bethan on.
"Come on Bethan..." my encouragement becomes a little more intense!
It seems that her race is to avoid being last. She and another girl are head to head, the winners already finished.
"Come on Beth..." A third of the pool to go my 'football terraced' voice easily heard over the cacophony of school children's screams. People are looking up, I'm drawing stares. I don't care that's what Dad's do
She's in last place but is still trying really hard ...
"Go on Beth..." I'm hanging over the balcony !
The other girl is fading and has slipped behind. The race is finished - she is 5th. I relax - not last. Mark makes some sympathetic noises but I know Bethan will be really disappointed. I'm working up to cheer her up with a thumbs up and a smile. She takes off her goggles and hat and then I see that for the last 5 minutes I've been shouting for some random girl that I don't even know!
I make a mental note to make sure I take my glasses next time I go to watch Bethan swim!
I think back to other occassions I have cheered on, been partisan about what I think and do without looking closer. I'm grateful to all those in my life who have got me to think and look closer!
---
Incidentally Bethan came third in front crawl and second in the backstroke and I was immensely proud to see her enjoying herself and doing her best!
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