props?

so, day four has come to a close. lots of fun stuff today. my club team kids represented quite well in the camp springs today. we had the top 11-and-under, and one of the top 4 12-and-overs. and the 12-and-over happens to be newly thirteen. i was proud.

the dining hall food has been, well, pretty boring. basically pasta for every meal. if this continues, i think i'll be sick of pasta by the middle of next week.

my group has been tons of fun so far this week. lots of great questions that have really gotten me to think. and i have learned a LOT from the lectures. listening to some of the coaches on staff speak, for me, is really cool. we're talking about top level athletes and coaches that are telling me stuff that will really help me make a difference with my little guys back home. well, if i can get them to listen.

but easily the coolest part of today, and maybe of my whole life (well, at least coaching career...)... i was coaching my group of older (11-16) developmental swimmers. i'm talking kids that swim just summer, or swim year round who are, to put it in the words of my head coach at home, trifling athletes. anyway, i'm coaching them in the two lanes next to the coach who has coached 3 gold medalists, all-americans, world university games, olympic teams, and all that good stuff. he walks over to me and says, "you know what son?" me: "what's that, coach?" him: "you're one helluva coach." quite simply, i was floored. i can't even come up with an analogy for it. i got flustered, and all i could muster was, "well, thank you coach. that means a lot." him: "i mean it, i know talent when i see it, and you've got it." i'll take his word for hit. thank you, coach.