This is it. She thought. She had a mixture of feelings. Anxious? Yes. Nervous? A little. Excited? Oh, yeah. She heard the whistle scream. The climbed the step, to the block. It seemed like a mountain, but she made it, and she was more excited than ever. Place your feet. Take a deep breath. You CAN do this she told herself. It was quieter than church on a Sunday morning. She heard those three words. “Take your mark.” She bent over, grasping the block and pulling back. BEEP! She threw herself forward with all that she had. Her hands hit the water first. She snapped her legs in six strong dolphin kicks, before she began her flutter kick. Breaking the surface of the water, her arms started moving as fast as she could. She kicked as if there was no tomorrow. She reached the wall, flipping in the tightest, quickest summersault she could. She shoved off the wall like a ship leaving the dock. Quick kicks and arms clasped above her head, squeezing so hard she thought she’s get a headache. Her form was unbelievable. Sprinting across the pool, she could see the finish. She swam through the wall, ensuring her finish. She climbed out wanting to cheer for the rest of her relay, but she was too tired to speak. The other three finished. They did it! They set a new record. All they could do was smile from ear to ear and hug each other as cheers erupted like a volcano. That was it. That’s what we trained for ALL season, she thought, I helped make that happen. That was it.