By: Skye Taylor
Coach Delicia Miller gives instructions to her swimmers before the warmups begin. She encourages them to stay focused and have fun in every race.
Coach Miller directs swimmers as warmups begin at the meet. She emphazizes the importance of each child knowing their lane and event before heading to the blocks.Georgian Frogs teammates Chloe Adams and Sophie Nguyen power through backstroke warmups ahead of their first events. The team took to the pool early to shake off some nerves.
Amelia Cox swimming during warmups, with the phrase "Eat my bubbles" written on her shoulder. Cox said, "I write it every race to show the other swimmers I’m ready!"
Parker Graham playfully shoots air and jumps around before the meet starts. Graham said, “I’m just getting pumped up to swim fast.”
Announcer Wendy Dover raises her hand and energizes the swimmers before the meet begins. "This is way more exciting than my 9-5 day job," Dover said.
Nguyen dives off the block to start the girls 200-yard medley relay. This event is where four swimmers cover 50 yards of their own respective stroke.
Coach Miller and Georgian Frogs cheer on their fellow swimmers. "I actually started coaching this year and I crack myself up with how much I get into it," Miller said.
Adams glides through the water doing backstroke. She says backstroke is her favorite event because “it feels like flying on the water.”
More Georgian frogs fighting their way to the finish during backstroke. This stroke is special because it’s the only one performed on the back, allowing swimmers to breathe the entire time.
Melea Wyatt, age 7, competes in her race during her first season on the swim team. She said she joined because “swimming is fun.”
Wyatt’s dad, Corey Wyatt, kneels at the edge of the pool, filming and cheering as she swims past. He said, “I love seeing her confidence grow when she swims.”
Wyatt cheers from the pool deck as her best friend swims her race. The two are next-door neighbors and first-year teammates who support each other at every meet.
Annalise Richards, age 5, getting ready for her event at the meet. She’s one of the youngest members of the Carrollton Bluefins and is already building confidence in the water.
Richards strikes her diving pose just before jumping into the water. She’s learning the basics of racing with focus and excitement.
Richards glides underwater through her race. Her mother said, “We have a pool at home so we wanted Annalise to learn to swim early because safety around water is really important to our family.”
In the last heat of the day, a pod of Georgian Frog swimmers powers through the water during the backstroke event. The team is focused on finishing strong after a full day of racing.
Coach Miller yells encouragement from the poolside, urging her team to finish first. Wyatt says,"Coach Miller’s passion really fires us up to swim our fastest even when we're like really tired."
Wyatt powers through the water on her backstroke. She says," I swim hard until the end for my dad and my best friend."
Adams hangs from the starting block, catching her breath after finishing her last race. Her effort marks the end of a challenging day of competition and personal achievement.
