chapters.

for ten years i have called this team my family, and my head coach my second father.  many times i've wondered how i was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with these wonderful, amazing people.  many of them have changed my life, and i'm forever grateful for the relationships that have been created.

i don't think many understand the relationship i have had with my coach, dee, ever since he began instructing me.  there is something about this man that makes you want to be a better person, makes you want to be kinder, and sweeter, and stronger.  he's the man that you would never want to disappoint.  my love for swimming comes from dee.  he taught me, and all of my teammates, through love, patience, and understanding.  i will never forget our specific instructions before each meet, "we need to be good people, then we can be fast swimmers."  he took me to my first state meet, he entered me into championship races all over the country and helped me calm down when i felt overwhelmed.  he has pages upon pages of my splits from each practice and each meet,  he knows my goals and has made them personal for himself. he told me i deserved better than the boys i was dating, he made me feel good about myself.  dee helped me in my collegiate pursuit, he squirted me with his water bottle when i was late to the pool, he cried about war stories he loved and horse movies that inspired him. dee is an amazing man, and i am forever grateful to have swam under such a legend.  

dee, congratulations on your coaching job at brigham young university.  you deserve it more than anyone out there.  they are far more lucky to have you than they realize.  thank you for so many wonderful years, and more importantly, thank you for the impact you have made on my life.  thank you for being there for me always, not only in a swimming sense, but in a life sense as well. i will always look back on my age group years and remember the coach that made them great. love you, coach. and i always will.

goodbye hast, goodbye coach. it's officially time for this wonderful chapter of life to come to a close, but i could not be more excited for the adventures on the next page.