Groundwork Activity

1. It is difficult to remember my first impression of either my high school pool or the city pool i worked at for so many years because of my intense involvement with those places since my introduction. I remember in Elementary school walking down to the pool for the swim lessons each class would take part in. I remember the humidity and heat in the locker room and how unbelievably potent the chlorine smell was. Even to this day if I haven't been around the pool for a while and walk into the pool I can smell that familiar smell and it takes me back to my first grade days. Whether this is something others experience, I am not sure. It may just be something that is instilled in me because of my passion for the people and place. My first experience with the city pool however was different. Being my first job I wasn't able to enjoy the pleasure as I was with the other pool because I wanted to make sure I was doing what I was suppose to . Now on the other hand I would love going to work and interacting with the patrons and feel extremely comfortable within the space
2. My feeling around my high school pool. At one time they were fear and nervousness, but now after my success within the sport they are confident and at times arrogant. I go back daily to coach diving and see some of the high schooler that I once swam with. I never let them forget how good I once was. Even to the point where I've been challenged to races even now after being "retired" for nearly a year, I can still get in the water and show them up. My confidence level are usually very low. I don't say much. But when I am there, it is my house and everyone knows that. I am entitled to my confidence there because people know the amount of work I put and still put into the program.
3. Its hard to talk about how I am an outsider, because I haven't been one since sixth grade. When I first joined the team I was welcome with open arms because I brought some diving talent to a team that desperately needed it. Being welcomed as such never gave me the opportunity to feel like an outcast. There have been times though when things haven't gone well between myself and the new coaching staff, and they tried to turn my own team against me. I felt like an outsider for a while simply because of the effort I had put in and to be treated that way wasn't right. Lucky others realized that I was right and the new coaching staff was wrong and sided behind me. I was an outsider for a very short time so it is difficult to explain how I felt during that short time frame.