Mar18

sync or swim?

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do your best even if you have no idea what you’re doing

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my post today was inspired by my blogging/podcasting friend

Wynne Leon of Surprised By Joy –

https://wynneleon.com/2025/03/17/all-you-have-to-do-is-ask/

who wrote about her daughter finally getting into a class she was interested in, (glee club), and then wasn’t sure what it actually was, reminding me of my own experience in the arena of not knowing what I was getting into:

i was in high school and my best friend told me she was going to try out for our synchronized swimming team (that I didn’t even know we had). it sounded fun, looked easy, i’d seen it on tv, so i thought why not? i’ll give it a whirl.

the afternoon of the try out arrived and we jumped in the pool with everyone else, but as they went through some different moves and swim strokes, and the music began, it suddenly struck me:

 I had neglected to figure in two important factors before jumping in:

  1. my friend was a great swimmer, strong, athletic, and had been on the swim team for many years
  2. I was a terrible swimmer, did not enjoy it at all as an activity, hated being cold, and just loved to play in the water or float around on a raft

as you might imagine, it did not go so well. it involved some water swallowing and inhaling, burning eyes, lots of thrashing and water slapping, nothing that could be construed as graceful, something really, really far from water ballet, and some spinning and jumping. there were no coordinating moves with anyone else, i was just trying to survive. needless to say, i did not become a member of the club, luckily for me, (and all). but i did learn something that day. it never hurts to try new things, but it’s usually best to have an idea what you’re about to try before going off the deep end or you’ll soon find yourself underwater.

—

‘I tried synchronized swimming, but felt, over time, i was just going through the motions.’

-dana gould

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89 responses »

  4. LOL! love it. I am so like that. I hear something and think it sounds great, go and do it and then wish I’d asked a few more questions.
    Shame you don’t live closer. You and I could get into all sorts of scrapes LOL!

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  5. That is funny. I tend to overthink things and stay away from anything that resembles a sport of any kind. Having said that, I moved to Spain at age 65, (from Canada). Better to have tried than always wish you had!

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  6. Synchronized swimming, I can see you jumping in and thinking you can hang out on the fringes, Beth. And Glee Club, wow, that does sound like a group where you’re supposed to hang out and just be happy! What, now we sing?!

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  8. That is pretty funny! I know it’s good to try new things out but I can’t even imagine attempting synchronized swimming. It looks like choreographed drowning to me if you don’t know what you’re doing! 😂 But good for you for giving it a good honest go and probably for the best how it worked out in the end!

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  14. “It never hurts to try new things” is 100% something we tell ourselves right before we jump in a pool for a synchronized swimming workout. 🤣 I’m so impressed you tried it.

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  16. Your story reminds me of my efforts to join my high school flag corps. I wanted to be part of this so I could perform with my friends and march in front of the band. One problem. I have no sense of rhythm, a necessity with the music-connected flag corps. Nope, I did not get into the corps. I can’t swim either, but there was no pool at my school.

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  21. ANY attempt I would make to swim synchronically (or at all) would have ended up like the first picture. Giggled a lot at your post this morning. And I feel the pain you must have felt, both physically and psychically. Thanks!!

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  26. Oh, gosh, I am so with you, Beth. I love being at the water but don’t need to be in the water. I can’t stand it when water comes into my nose, ears, and eyes. I never dived with open eyes 😅

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  27. Oh, Beth! I’m laughing with you. I’m not a swimmer, despite taking lessons as an adult (two different times went through the series of classes, but I still can’t swim at all). There was one lesson where we were supposed to turn upside down. My butt kept floating me back to the surface! LOL. Thanks for making me smile and laugh at myself. Hugs.

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    • I know, what was up with me? want to do this? yes. swim with sharks? no. jump off something? no. light something on fire? no. try out for synchronized swim team even knowing you are a horrible swimmer and hate chlorine and are not athletic or graceful and hate getting cold and cannot follow dance routines and it happens in half an hour? yes! the stars were aligned for this one!

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  31. Fun post, Beth. I also enjoyed Wynne’s post, especially Miss O’s line, “What is Glee Club anyway?” It speaks to her confidence that she would try it without knowing what it was. Most likely, a couple of her friends were trying out, and she decided to give it a go.

    Hearing about your foray into synchronized swimming made me think about when my wife and I signed up for a dance class. We were clearly the worst couple in the class. I think halfway through the first session, we realized we were in over our heads and would gladly slink off in humiliation. We stuck it out that night, never to return. 🤣

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  37. When I was 10 I taught myself to swim. This was because we were aiming to pass the 11+ exam for entry to grammar school, known to my primary school as the scholarship. Having been so daft it is amazing that I passed the exam. I think this is summed up by “do your best even if you have no idea what you’re doing”.

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