Snapper Week 2: The First Meet of Many Lessons
The Wilson’s Beach Club Snappers completed an exciting second week of the season, highlighted by the team’s first swim meet on June 10 against Country Club of Missouri.
For many swimmers, the meet was an opportunity to put into practice everything they worked on during the first week of practice. From remembering meet procedures to cheering on teammates, swimmers demonstrated the effort and growth that coaches have been emphasizing since day one.
Swim Meet Tip: Focus on Your Race
One of the biggest lessons young swimmers can learn is that they cannot control who is swimming in the lane next to them. They can only control their own effort, attitude, and race strategy. It is easy to look around and compare yourself to others, but growth happens when swimmers focus on improving their own performance.
This was something that stood out clearly at the first meet, as Head Coach Mary Bean observed: “At our first meet, I noticed several swimmers looking around during their races. It’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing, but success in swimming isn’t about comparing yourself to the swimmer next to you. It’s about being a little better than you were yesterday and trusting the work you’ve put in.”
While ribbons and race results are often the most visible part of a swim meet, coaches know that some of the biggest wins happen beneath the surface. A swimmer who dives off the block for the first time, remembers a legal breaststroke kick, swims a new event, or simply finds the courage to race despite being nervous is experiencing success.
More than Laps and Ribbons
Despite a week that included weather challenges and schedule adjustments, the team continued to make the most of every opportunity to be together. Some practices featured favorite traditions like Donut Thursday and Fun Friday, which also coincided with ribbon distribution from the team’s first meet. Some swimmers were thrilled with their collections, proudly comparing ribbons with friends, while others were disappointed not to receive one. Moments like these naturally open the door for learning and reflection. While ribbons are meaningful recognition for a strong swim, they do not tell the full story of a swimmer’s success. Personal bests, trying a new event, overcoming nerves, cheering on a teammate, or simply finishing a race all represent victories that cannot always be measured by a ribbon alone.
That perspective was reflected by one of our younger swimmers following the meet. Oliver, age 7, shared: “Even though I didn’t get a ribbon, I still was thankful for my friends and happy for them.” This is exactly the kind of perspective we aim to help swimmers develop.
This mindset reflects what summer swimming is all about. These traditions and experiences may seem simple, but they help build something bigger than swimming: team culture. Summer swim is about more than laps, race times, and ribbons—it is about creating friendships, building confidence, learning resilience, and making memories that last long after the season ends.
As the season continues, swimmers will carry these early lessons forward. Improvement rarely happens all at once; instead, progress is built one practice, one race, and one small adjustment at a time. Every meet offers another opportunity to learn something new, celebrate small wins, and identify areas for growth.
The Snappers will host their first home meet of the season on June 17 at 5:00 p.m. against Old Hawthorne. Only the zero entry pool will be open after 3:30 p.m. The rest of the pool will be closed for the Snapper Swim Meet.