4 from my upper boys group have now taken the 'blue test' required to get them into the deeper part of the dock. I'm proud to say 3 passed the test, all of whom are really ecstatic about this - and I must say, I'm rather ecstatic too! The ability to swim in the deep end really matters to them, as it shows just how far they progressed with their swimming ability. It means that much to them, 2 boys even prayed they'd pass the test. As much as I'm not religious, I rather admire them for that.
Unfortunately, 1 didn't pass. To pass, each swimmer must complete 2 lengths of front crawl (about 30-40m) then tread water for a minute. About three quarters of the way through, he got cramp in his leg, and had to stop. Whether he actually got cramp is another thing, as he didn't seem to be in much pain (the boss said that boys in particular use this 'cramp' excuse year after year). It's a shame, but I made it clear to him he had still progressed far, and to stay positive about that fact.
To get them to this stage is both an achievement for them, and for me. I'm on this camp to keep the kids safe, help them grow as people and have fun. Achieving this level of swimming ability fills all those criterion. They will now be safer in the water, have gained a highly important skill for life and have hopefully had fun in the process (I hope they didn't find my lessons boring. They seemed to enjoy them, and I hope they weren't just being polite by saying they did...). This is just another Heather Small moment on camp, and hopefully there will be plenty more to come!
