Yumiko 
6th Sept. 2001
 

          When I was in grade 8, I was on the swim team. We practiced a lot for the swim meets with the other schools. Each person on our team had to swim in at least one race. I was not a really good swimmer, so I chose to do one race of breaststroke. However, the coach told me to do butterfly and medley as well. First, I refused it because I couldn’t swim butterfly very well. I went to talk to the coach about it and my name was written in the form for butterfly, medley, and breaststroke. This means that I had to swim the butterfly and medley even though I asked not to.

           A few weeks later, we had a swim meet at a South African school. I was very nervous. When everyone was getting excited, the coach called my name and I swam the breaststroke. Breaststroke was my favorite, so that I finished it with a good time record. I went back to get a rest for a next race. A few minutes later, the coach suddenly called my name, again. I was ready to swim butterfly. However, he called my name for the crawl race. It was an unexpected race, so that I panicked and felt queer. I slowly headed to the starting point. When I realized that I finished the crawl race, the coach called my name again to swim the butterfly. This was my biggest problem. But because I was in a panic, I swam butterfly without feeling nervous. I was exhausted after the butterfly. I went back to sit and rest. For a few minutes, I forgot to root for my teammates and I was vacant. I didn’t know how much time had passed. I was called suddenly again. It was for the medley race. Immediately, I got nervous and my feet didn’t started moving. I tried to tell my heart that I can swim medley and finally my feet started moving. When I got to the starting point, I was still very nervous and trembled. When the coach whistled, people jumped into the pool, so that I jumped into the pool in a fluster, too. We prepared for the backstroke, and when we got ready to swim, the coach whistled again and the race started. After I swam backstroke for 25 meters, I turned quickly and swam well until the 20 meters point. However, I suddenly swallowed the water and I couldn’t swim, of course. I writhed and finally got to the 25 meters with a squirm. I was the last person to reach the goal but people clapped their hands and encouraged me. I was pleased with their kindness. 

           I can never forget this memory as a bad memory and also as a good memory. Since then, I haven’t join the swim team though, I still like to swim. However, I can’t swim butterfly, yet.