It was 7 years ago in which a series of events happened to take place which landed me here and completely changed my expectations for myself and what I planned on doing with my life. It seems silly to try to explain how it happened. Simply put, my brother had a friend, who had a sister, who had two children on the team. Through that connection, my name came up as a possible coach for this team. Though, I just finished my season out in the Corona area I had no expectations of starting somewhere else. It was after a very positive phone call from Ray Brown, the team president, that I was influenced in seeking the position. After a successful board meeting interview the job was mine.

At that time, I was hired to take over a team with approximately 30 swimmers. I was going to be paid a dismal amount but it was all the team could afford. I was coming from a team in which summer numbers reached 250, I figured I would be able to handle the 30. I thought that this would be a good job for me as I was planning on going back to school to get my teaching credential. I figured I would be here 3 years at the most. Silly me!

The first day of practice I was nervous, I wasn’t sure how I was going to be received. I was walking into someone else’s "home" for the first time. Not knowing how welcomed I would be. I walked on the pool deck only to find parents and swimmers all staring at me. I could sense all of them forming their first impressions. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was feeling awkward and out of place, looking for a somewhere to hide. Then it happened, something simple that would end my nervousness and start me on a journey that has yet to end. While walking aimlessly on the pool deck I was greeted by a bright smile, on this cute little face. "Hi, she said. "I want to introduce myself and welcome you to our team." At the time she did not know the impact she had made. She had changed everything I was feeling. It was my first interaction with a STOP swimmer and it made me feel at ease. "My name is Jessamyn" she continued to say. That was all it took, I knew at that point that I was going to like it here.

A couple of months later I remember going to my the first ‘AA‘ meet. We had 4 swimmers qualified. As I looked at the other teams, I realized for the first time how small STOP was. I tried to come up with an explanation to accept our current standing in the swimming community, but I couldn’t. I did not believe or accept that this was STOP’s potential. This was the first time I felt the need to be better than we were. I knew that there was only one way to go and that was up.

Needless to say, STOP has demonstrated a continued rate of growth and success, more now then ever before. That need to be better has never left. Although, I may have had some influence in

the direction, it is because of the commitment of the parents that STOP is what it is today. In the beginning, the team’s board consisted of extremely dedicated parents who saw a potential to make a positive change in the team. They knew something needed to be done and they did it. It started with the hiring of me. It takes an extreme amount of courage to release a familiar coach for another non-familiar one but the team did it anyway.

I think back to that original board and realize how they influenced the kind of coach I would develop into and how they built the foundation for how the team is run today. Fortunately, the dedication has not been lost on the current board members who have done an excellent job this year. Two of those original board members are still members today, Ray (& Lynn Brown) as President and Jennifer Farrell, both of which have given so much and have had a considerable positive impact on the team.

There are so many things that happen or didn’t happen that have contributed to the current success of this team. Finding Nancy has been the most significant. I am so lucky to find someone who is almost as insane as I am. Nancy’s contribution is overwhelming. With her, everyone and everything is better.

I think what I am trying to say is, "Thank You!" Thank you to everyone who has been, and is a part of this team. I am so thankful for that first opportunity to coach here, and I am so thankful for every experience I have had since then, good and bad. For this team has given me far more than I could possibly give. I do not know how long I will continue to be here. I do not know how long I will be coaching. But I do know that I am not done here yet and that we still have not reached our potential.

Success is not without change. Over the years the board members have changed, coaches have changed, policies have changed, and procedures have changed. However, there is one thing that has continued to remain stable and never weakens and that is my will to have STOP become better than it is and to continue "going up."