Cassie's in the Newspaper!

Cassie has been having a great 1st year on the High School Swim Team this season. She is only 1 of 3 Freshman to make the Varsity team and we are sure she is going to letter. We all know she's a great swimmer and has mostly swam freestyle in her events.
BUT...it wasn't until last week that her coach figured out backstroke is her best stroke. (Of course, Mom could have told her that). So, 2 meets ago the coach randomly put Cassie in a 100 yd backstroke as her 4th event of the day and just 1 event AFTER SWIMMING A 500 yd FREESTYLE! Needless to say, when it finally came time, Cass tiredly swam the 100 backstroke - and came in 2nd!
The following meet, surprise, Cassie was swimming the backstroke in their Senior/Best relay team. Talk about pressure! (This group had already qualified for districts but their backstroker was put into another event). Cassie swam first in the relay and gave her team a 4 second lead against the other school. Ultimately, they won by 6 seconds ahead of the 2nd place team. (Hey, 6 seconds is ALOT in swimming)!
This same meet, the only other event Cass was swimming was, you guessed it, the 100 backstroke at the end of the meet. After a pep talk from Mom, she got in the water. The whistle blew and the race was on! Cass gave it all she had and was swimming fast with 2 opponents neck and neck with her. Mom was standing in the audience seating, at the railing, leaning over, pumping both fists in the air screaming! (I didn't care I was the only person doing that) and finally, as they came to finish line it was so close a race that I turned away at the last second...I couldn't look...so I looked at the scoreboard....Lane 3 came in 1st. I had to double take at Cassie and the scoreboard...but she was in Lane 3 and had won the race! Her teammates all came and congratulated her and we were so happy!
Then the local newspaper came Tuesday night. In the sports section, under Girls Swimming, one section said...
"Hornet highlights also included Cassie Cook's dramatic win in the 100 backstroke, where she outtouched two Lions in 1:19.43". Wow!
Sorry this looks like a long essay, but I am a proud Mom and wanted you each to feel like you were there! Love ya, Denise