SUNDAY MARCH 5TH
ZACK KNUDSEN MAKES STATE!
And several other swimmers also made state times, but every once in a great while one swimmers quest for success and their achievement of their goal becomes a defining moment for an entire team. Zack's 200 breast was our team's Defining Moment.
To give a little background, Zack has been swimming competitively for five years and never made a state time. This fall he made high school state cuts and swam well in the state championship but did not score. Along the way he made a 13-14 state time in the 100 and 200 breast, but aged up to 15 the week after. So he essentially had to strive for a faster cut off time. Zack's best event is the 200 breast and although he developed his other strokes and skills to get within striking distance of state, the 200 breast was his best chance of going to state. Throughout the season, he went to every meet possible to get the cut, BTAC at Christmas, CCSC at Christmas, Monroe in January, Crawfish in January, CCSC in February and Gulf Shores, Ala in February. Each meet he would get agonizingly closer to making the time, but still miss by a few tenths of a second.
Throughout this difficult process, Zack was a model of patience, grace and above all, good sportsmanship regarding his efforts and his setbacks. He persevered when others might have quit. He maintained a positive attitude towards practice and performance, when others would be discouraged. And over time, he earned the respect and admiration of his teammates, coaches and other parents on the team for his leadership by example.
Finally it came down to his LAST CHANCE. He was entered in both the 15 & over and last chance 200 breast - as a possible double shot at the cut. While at the meet on Sunday, Zack and Coach Emmett decided that it would be best to put it all on one swim and they felt the last chance would be the best shot. As the race approaches, there is a building aura of anticipation among BLAST swimmers and parents. Several families made a special trip across the lake just to watch this race and cheer Zack on, others who were at the morning session stayed to see the race and cheer a swimmer who has meant so much to the team.
The race begins, Zack has a good start but is in third at the 50 with a 33.82, the crowd is screaming, there are six swimmers from different teams who are trying to make state times, all are close, all have their team's support, but the BLAST cheering section is deafening. Zack stays close in third through the 100, he's getting beat on the turns, but powerstrokes back into contention with each lap. He touches at 1:12.14 still in third, but on pace for a state time. The inside of the building is shaking from BLAST cheering. Zack pulls into second at the 150 and his split is 150.46. The lead swimmer is tightening up, his turns aren't as explosive as they were earlier, Zack and the leader, Jeffery Ganucheau go into the last turn almost dead even.. This time Zack blasts off the wall and breaks out simultaneously with Ganucheau. The house is rocking', everyone screaming and cheering. With every stroke, Zack pulls away from the pack, his stroke rate is accelerating while the others are battling lactic acidosis and tightening up. Zack's final dive and touch for the wall is perfect. His time is 2:28+, a best time and state time by over a second! The crowd eruption was incredible. Everyone was on their feet cheering. "Tears of joy" were flowing. For the BLAST, it was a moment like LSU's Warren Morris hitting a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the college world series against Miami.
It was an entire team rallying around one of it's most respected swimmers to get him over the hump. It was Zack triumph, and it was a special moment for all of us.
One parent sent me this email and I wanted to share it with all BLAST members:
Great Meet....I'm worn out, and can only imagine how you feel. The Highs of the meets were out of this world, and "the togetherness" of the Blast is incredible. I don't think I need to explain myself, I think you know exactly where I'm coming from. It not only makes it fun, but it makes parents proud to have their children in such a wonderful environment. I heard stories all day long that brought me to tears.... of joy. 1) Sam Jones went to Griffin for the 50 fly, and said "if you just hang and keep up with me you'll get it." Griffin did keep up with Sam, and he did get it....The whole Zack Knudsen thing had people cheering for him who didn't even know him....Totally AWESOME. I can't wait for State....And from the looks and sounds of the kids I think they are ready too.
I've had several calls tonight from parents who wanted to talk about what an amazing experience they had today. It was like we all had a Cosmic Close Encounter with Team Unity and Team Togetherness that was soul shaking and the afterglow of the experience is still very warm inside all who were there. If one measure of a great team is it's ability to create moments that excite, unify and overjoy it's members, then BLAST is well on
it 's way to becoming a great team.
The reference to Sam Jones and Griffin is also a great story, Sam swam his heart out trying to make state times this meet, but kept missing by small margins. Yet, he also maintained a very positive attitude through the disappointments and was very focused on making state in the last chance 50 fly, Griffin Guzan was also trying to make state in his age group. Sam was in the lane next to Griffin in the race and had the consummate class and good sportsmanship to encourage and help another teammate to make state. Griffin hung with Sam and not only qualified for state, but swam a time that will seed him in the top eight in the state meet. Sam didn't make state in that race, but to those who coach and train with him, he is a true champion.
Kudos to all who did make it today! We came alive during the last chance events. Here's a list of today's new qualifiers: Emily Prieto - 50 fly, Katie Fearn - 50 fly, Griffin Guzan- 50 fly, Caroline Gallaspy - 50 breast,
Zack Knudsen - 200 breast,
Zack Boudreaux - 100 free.
We picked up four new qualifiers and 12 new events. With the BB bonus policy we have 24 extra events to swim at state, plus we added about eight new age group relays if we can get the relay swimmers to Lake Charles.
One of the most frustrating and heart breaking aspects of this meet is swimmers drop incredible amounts of time but just miss making state by a few hundreds of a second. We want to commend the following swimmers who swam extremely well but just missed making state times:
Sarah Keating - 100 free, Allison Warwick - 50 - 100 free, Alissa Winkler - 50 - 100 free, Sam Jones - 50 free, 50 fly, 50 breast, Zack Knudsen - 100 breast, Alex Knudsen - 50 free, 100 free, 100 IM, 500 free, Zack Boudreaux - 50 back, 50 fly, 200 free, 500 free, Katie Fearn - 50 breast, 100 IM, Grant Gallaspy 200 IM, Griffin Guzan 200 IM, Harrison Prieto - 50 fly. Matt Snitzer - 50 breast, Lauren Salles - 100 breast, 200 free. I'm forgetting a few, but you will be mentioned after the meet results come in .
Also a tip of the hat to the seven swimmers who raced the 400 IM at the end of the meet. I know everyone was tired and a few really balked about doing it. But we were very proud of all of you! They were: Zack Knudsen [pr], Gavin Breaux [pr], Sarah Keating, Lauren Salles, Alissa Winkler, Beth Winkler and Alllison Warwick. - Who says swimmers aren't tough? Swims like that will make you tougher at the end of meets like state!
SATURDAY MARCH 4TH
BLAST DISTRICT SWIMMERS!
We now have 23 swimmers qualified to go to the state meet!
GREAT MEET SO FAR! We had three new swimmers qualify for state and overall six swimmers made new state times! Katie Fearn {50 free], Zachary Boudreaux [50 free], Aimee Miltenberger [50 free], Carley Boyce [50 free], Grant Gallaspy [100 IM] and Alex Cloutet [100 IM] are our newest state qualifiers! We also had many best times and some near misses with some state qualifying attempts.
GEAUX BLAST!!!!!
