Bacon, Bonding, and Buttermilk Pancakes

During the weeks of winter break many find relaxation in new gifts, meeting with distant family, or vacationing to somewhere much warmer (I envy your ability to leave this barren tundra). For West’s boys swim team there was a different form of this relaxation: the gift of bacon and pancakes, the bonding and making of a swim team family, and the heat of the 90 degree pool room. Coming to work the waves from Monday through Saturday, the team labored from 9-12 on each of those days and improved no matter the condition of weather outside. Holiday fun was interspersed throughout practice in the form of pool games and the legendary task of clearing the flags, or in this infamous case, breaking them (*cough Ian Mcdonald cough*). While this raucous behavior was permitted in small segments, the swimmers did not just show up for said amusements, and still accomplished six strong days of labour to gain an edge in upcoming meets. But with every passing stroke, the swimmers were looking on to the weekend, specifically saturday, which held one of their favorite events of the year: the pancake breakfast. Starting immediately after their final practice of the week, the feast took place in the O-room in which parent volunteers set up shop and created their spread. The event was produced and organized by Terri Somers who acts as the representative for the team. The parents set up camp at 9:30 and began preparing the feast. The selection included bacon, hash browns, sausages, assorted fruits, and of course, pancakes. At 11:00 the team met at the rendezvous and ate their fare in the midst of light hearted conversation and the unmistakable stench of chlorine. When looking back on the week it only truly captured the smallest of segments of the team that make up the season, but each contributing their part to the great episode of the 2015-2016 swim year.

By: Daniel Seekings