Dear Starfish,

From November through February, we have spent many hours together, whether we liked it or not. We have undergone hardships (practice) and triumphs (state cuts and ILC wins) together. We have hid in the locker room and tried to delay getting into the pool as much as possible. We have eaten together until we couldn’t eat anymore.

And I have loved every minute of it.

Even when I didn’t want to get into the pool or I complained about how annoying practice was, I pushed on because of you guys. I think about all the memories we have made in the past season, the good ones and the not so good ones.

I see us hanging out on the pool deck before practice, trying to avoid getting into the water and trying to sneak a look at the practice. I see us sitting on the bleachers after practice, listening to Coach Wilcox talk to us about upcoming events.

I see us all crammed together as we watched movies at Jacqueline’s and Lauren’s at our team sleepovers. I see us sitting in the hallway of our hotel in Springfield eating pasta and answering hypothetical questions.

I see us cheering each other on at meets, yelling at each other at both ends of the lanes. I see us running to congratulate Jane and Katie when they made their state cuts last week, screaming at the top of our lungs because we were so excited. I see us cheering on our teammates and hugging them after their races that didn’t go as well as they wanted.

I see us laughing at our hilarious inside jokes that no one else would understand.

“I love swimming.”

“I love my hairy legs.”

“I’m gonna be the first one in the pool.”

“I see London, I see France,…”

After 4 short months, it’s weird to think another season is over. It’s weird to think that next year, I wouldn’t be starting another season with the starfish. As much as I tell myself I am happy about finishing, next November is going to come around and I know I will wish I was swimming. I know I will have to go to a meet when I am home for Christmas break, that I won’t be able to stay away.

Our team has changed so much in the past 4 years. Every year, our team not only got better, it also got closer. Not many people would understand how hard swimming is, but a swim team. Our team understands. Our team knows how much supporting each other means to be successful.

This Friday and Saturday at the State meet, our team will show how much we truly support each other. We will all wear our “Peace, love, Wilcox” tank tops with pride. We will cheer for Rose, Jane, Haley, Katie, and the relays until we have no voices left.

No matter what happens on Friday and Saturday, I am so proud of our team and the great season we have had. Though it hasn’t always been easy being a starfish, I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

“Swimming, best choice I ever made.”