I almost made the Olympics

In my own mind anyway. With all the Olympic talk lately, I can't help but turn on way-back machine...back to when I competed for Atlantic's Swim Team. The first time was when I briefly went with my big sisses as a real youngster of perhaps 8 years of age. Coach Drew Pellett needed somebody - a warm body who knew strokes - to help fill out the team for a home meet.

So Susi dragged me along. Cindy could have never talked me into it - she who said things like, "your hair looks like Captain Kangaroo's". But I'd do it for Suze! I must not have been a future Michael Phelps at that time...because she didn't insist I immediately join the team permanently.

Why you can hardly tell this body has a sex...

The next time I joined, I was around 12. The town mothers must have been looking for ways to occupy us during the summer because they dutifully took turns delivering us to Sunnyside Pool so Coach Drew and later Clark Pellett could put us through practice paces and wear us out. With swim team we had a summer purpose in life! I remember being so excited when I got my official team Speedo - black with a gold stripe down the sides. It was during those modest times when The suits were designed with a discrete panel across the crotch so womanly parts were disguised. But man - in those Speedos the boy's junk was pretty much on display. 

Atlantic was part of the Southwest Iowa Swim Association (SWISA). Other towns included Villisca, Clarinda, Creston, Shenandoah, Hamburg? I'm not sure who else. It was like a conference and we had a schedule where we had dual meets and big meets with multiple teams. There was a pool in Council Bluffs we frequented a lot called Town & Country. Shen's pool was huge, and it had a "dock" in the middle. I remember going to AAU meets in Jefferson and someplace in Nebraska - we had to swim 100 meters (like the Olympics...) at those meets instead of our usual 40 yards. That was a killer! I started out strong but faded.

Unlike school sponsored events there was no bus. Moms usually got stuck driving us in - and the vehicle of the era, the station wagon. Tylers, Deters, Rodgers and Bullocks all had wagons - so we piled kids and gear in. Our team even had a tent similar to what people use now for tailgating - to keep us out of the sun.

A lot of people had this era wagon...

Here are some of the cast of characters on the team - Relay teams varied depending on age groups. Back then it was 11/12, 13/14, and 15 and over
Mike and Pat Allen
Ron Tisdale
Ned Becker
Ted Simpson and Todd Pellett - it was fun to have a group of guys to irritate and entertain us
Clark Pellett
Barb Hutchinson and sister Diane - Barb was our backstroker, Diane a couple years older - not sure what she swam.
Marci Merrick - mostly freestyle, but good at everything. Her sis Cindy was a couple years older. Those four made up a great relay team!

Sally Rodgers
Robyn Bredensteiner
me
Sue Tyler
Sherry Allen
We had some awesome relay teams!

Jennifer Deter who was a bit younger - not sure who she was on relay teams with...

Besides relays, we were entered into a certain number of individual events - there was a limit of course to the number each person could be in of course. My specialty? Breaststroke. Perhaps it stunted the growth of my breasts...

I was good. At least in our little corner of the world - and broke the pool record for breaststroke at Sunnyside for 11/12 and then 13/14. Of course it was for 40 yards so meant - nothing - really. And I had one big rival from Council Bluffs, Margaret whom I enjoyed nipping time and time again. But my fave was racing in the relays, and putting our team in the front position. Very satisfying. One time a stroke checker tried to disqualify me. He said I'd used an illegal scissor kick - AS IF! Pat Bullock and Betty Lou would never allow me to do that. He backed off. I must have been a big mumbler as my name was announced as "Lisa Black" (instead of Bullock) quite often over the loudspeaker as the winner.

The other thing I remember is the fun we had hanging with those other kids - during those rides, during the days (we'd take comic books, play cards and just talk) and then after the meets we'd get to go out to eat. Back then there weren't any McD's. We went to places like Berning's Motor Inn in Creston for a burger and malt. Our sainted parents had to deal with rowdy kids for hours at a time - I began to understand what that was like after have children myself. I'll never forget Sue Tyler bringing jello packets to dip her fingers in for energy before racing for a "secret weapon". Green tongue freaked opponents out! A predecessor to goop that marathoners use?

My swim meet years were essential to forming the person I am today. Thanks to the Pellett family and matriarch Betty Lou for all they did for swimming in Atlantic! And here's to you fellow swim team members. We share a bond that can never be broken. I'm thinking of you during the Olympics!


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