A new love

Riggs loves swimming on the swim team.

 He loves preparing for a race...the swim cap...the goggles....the focus...all of it....

 He loves the feel of the water...and giving all he has for his team...for himself...

 He loves that last touch of the wall..and popping up to see where he ended in the heat

 At qualifications he stayed...even after all the other swimmers had left....to see if he made it to championships...to see if Colin made it. He was so happy to see how well Colin had done and called him right away to tell him...and he was so pleased that he had made it as an alternate for the Championship meet. He really would have loved to have secured a spot of his own...but truly he was happy to help the team in any way.

 On the day of Championships we met at the pool at high noon to decorate our cars....

 Cheer and put on tatoos....

We traveled as a team in a caravan to Plainview for the Championship meet!

Riggs warmed up with the team.....

 Cheered his heart out as Scott led the Gator cheers....

He watched and cheered all day long...cheering Colin in his three events....

 Rooting for Julia in her events....

 and cheering on every Gator he could...

 As an alternate for the breast stroke he was called down with the team...he got on his cap...and I watched from the fence as he mentally prepared for his maybe race....

As they got the boys in line he was told he was not needed...I could see he was disappointed...he loves the breast stroke...but he just walked as fast as he could to get to the pool to cheer on his team.

It was almost 7...he had been waiting and cheering...and wanting to swim for 7 hours. A true team player and I was so proud of him...funny...I was proud of this swimmer who up to this point had not been in one event...but being on a team is so much more than the actualy doing of the sport...and Riggs gets that. We had a few swimmers who had to leave and so at event number 74 he was called to swim in the freestyle relay.

 I was sad some of our swimmers had to leave but said to myself....

Thank

 You

 So

 Much

 I was so thrilled he was going to get to swim...and he was too. While the other boys laughed and talked he got focused...so like Riggs.

 As a bonus he and Colin were on the same relay team....

 In he went....

 and he went as fast as he could....

Our amazing coach Scott was there to help him out of the pool and rub that Kentucky blue swim cap...

He waited for Colin...and they replayed the race...from start to finish just like they always do...

They came in 7th...but the wonderful news is the top 7 teams get a medal!

 He did not know one stroke 7 weeks ago...not one. After a summer of trying...learning....and giving it his whole heart....he found himself here. Having waited 7 hours to swim he held a medal that meant the world to him. As other swimmers left with bags of medals...he had one..but that was all he needed.

 He and I celebrated...just the two of us at Fazaoli's....and the second he got back in the car...he was gone...sound asleep...empty from effort and for all he gave this day to this new found love he has....but fully fulfilled with a deep contentment. I am so proud of this boy. He truly has the heart of a champion and I fall more in love with him every day.