Olympic Dreams

[a speedo minded guy]

STS,

I love how the relationship between Greg and Jimmy continues to grow and evolve. Possibly your best story to date

[Byron]

Yes ... (who was first out with the crystal ball in post#3?)

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

Jimmy hardly slept the night prior. Wednesday was swim team try outs for the guys team. The girls try outs were Thursday. Jimmy was up early, he would skip the early morning lap swim that day on Greg’s advise. Jimmy packed up his swim bag, two swimsuits that he had picked out special for the event, two pairs of goggles, and a big towel. He decided on the red and white Speedo as his first choice for a swimsuit, and then the blue print Nike as his second. They were his two favorite swimsuits, and both reminded him of Greg. Despite all of Greg’s assurances, Jimmy was already nervous, and the say had not even started. He had not told anyone other than Abby of his plan.

“You ready,” Abby said whispering as the two met at the front of the high school.

“I think so,” Jimmy replied. “Nervous,” he confided.

“You will be fine,” Abby replied. She gave him a quick hug, no kiss. Kissing was not allowed at school, even though some couples did it anyway. They walked into the building together. It was the last time they would see each other, except for passing in the hallway.

“Be loose today,” Greg texted Jimmy. Jimmy responded with his appreciation just before he turned the phone off for the day. “You’ll be great!” was Greg’s last text. Jimmy would not see that one until just before the try outs. The day would drag on and on from here. Jimmy would watch the clock through each class, hoping it would move faster.

------

“Where have all these guys been?” Jimmy wondered as he entered the crowded locker room at the pool, the same pool he had swam in all Summer. “I have never seen any of them.” Jimmy thought to himself. It was quite a mix of guys, some of them clearly really good swimmers, dressed in swimsuits very much like what Jimmy had on, a few guys in jammer style swimsuits, and a few guys in what looked more like shorts than swimsuits. No one in board shorts. Most of the guys knew each other, and they all at least recognized each other, the school was not that large. About three quarters were freshman. Existing swim team members did not need to re-try, but they could be bumped if a faster swimmer came along. In all, there were eight spots on the varsity team, and an unknown number on the junior varsity team. It looked like there were at least 20 guys trying out.

“I did not know you were a swimmer,” a guy named Aiden said as he walked up to Jimmy. “How long have you been swimming?”

“This Summer,” replied Jimmy. Aiden gave no reply, but his facial expression said it all. Aiden had swam off an on for the last five years. He was wearing a solid black Speedo brief that looked like it had seen better days. The two guys had known each other for years, never really friends, but not enemies, either. Just not much in common.

“Good luck, Aiden,” said Jimmy. No reply.

All of the guys lined up on the first row of the bleachers. The serious swimmers from the Middle School team all sat together, all wearing the same swimsuits, and all cocky and confident they had the deal sealed. Jimmy sat just to the left of the cocky group. The four guys in shorts sat at the end. Jimmy tried not to judge, but he was sure they did not have a chance. There was clear tension in the group, each guy sizing up the other.

“Okay guys, ten minutes of warm up. Start at the end and count one through eight. Your number is the lane you are in,” said the coach as he approached the group. “Warm up whatever you want, but remember that the tryouts start now.“ The guys all counted off. Jimmy got number six and was matched with a guy in black Nike basketball type shorts, and a guy in a red Speedo. The three guys introduced themselves, Jimmy, Randy in the red Speedo and Tyler. Tyler was taller than Jimmy, built more like a football player than a swimmer. Randy was muscular and clearly a good swimmer, about the same height as Jimmy.

Greg had prepped Jimmy for this. How you warm up says how much you know about swimming. “If he gives you ten minutes, swim a slow 500,” Greg had coached Jimmy. “Don’t show off, just swim easy.”

Jimmy jumped in the lane. Randy followed and then Tyler. The all agreed to circle swim, Jimmy said he would go last. No one said what they were actually doing. Randy pushed off and did a slow free. Once he was about a third down, Tyler went next. Jimmy waited the same distance then set off last. By the end of the first length, Jimmy had run right up against Tyler. Tyler did a slow open turn, and Jimmy did a flip turn, then moved to the left and passed Tyler on the return length. Jimmy really wasn’t trying to race. Ego boost number one pumped a dose of confidence into Jimmy.

Tyler was half way down the next length when the two swimmers met in opposing directions, passing each other. Jimmy tried to figure out if that meant Randy was faster or Jimmy was. This passing went on for eight more lengths in the 50 meter outdoor pool. Jimmy and Randy passed each time at exactly the mid way point, no one gaining, no one losing. Tyler stopped after three laps, standing at the wall as the two stronger swimmers flip turned multiple times next to him.

“Watch the two swimmers in six,” the assistant coach said to her boss. The team had two assistant coaches, one lady and one guy. “They are swimming a nice warm up drill. Same pace, good technique.” The coaches walked over and stood at the top of the lane. Jimmy saw them, but kept his focus. He kept Greg’s mantra in his head, “quality” running through his mind. He made sure he reached, had good follow through, nice even kicks.

Randy was stopped at the wall, chatting with Tyler, but watching Jimmy. Randy was a genuinely good looking guy, blue eyes and striking blonde hair that was cropped swimmer short. He had an infectious smile. His shoulders were strong from years of swimming, and the weight workouts. He had not an ounce of body fat, not a single hair on his entire body, except for his head. He was the guy who got all the looks, from every girl and some guys. Randy eyed Jimmy, who he also found to be a really cute guy. As they were swimming, Randy had watched Jimmy pass the other way each length of the pool, Randy would check out how Jimmy’s swimsuit looked, the way Jimmy’s anatomy was outlined in the water. While most guys Randy’s age were into girls, Randy was taking a different course. He was finding himself more and more watching guys. In fact, he was really finding the swim team guys very attractive in their tight swimsuits. He kept his secret inside him, but whenever he cold, he would check out the cute guys on any of the various sports teams. Besides swimmers, he really liked the wrestlers in their skin tight singlets that showed every detail. Whenever he read swimming magazines, he’d look at the guys in their swimsuits, not admiring their swimming form, rather he admired their physical form. He often found himself getting aroused by the guy swimmers. It was tough for him being around all the cute guys in their tight and tiny swimsuits, giving him sensations and urges that sometimes displayed themselves in his own tight swimsuits. .

“Good warm-up?” Randy asked as Jimmy stood at the end of the lane. Jimmy had more than caught his eye, a handsome body all wrapped up in the cute blue print swimsuit. They had a minute or so to rest. Randy’s eyes wandered down Jimmy’s body. Randy smiled at what he was looking at.

“Yeah, you swam really well,” Jimmy replied.

“You too,” Randy answered. “What team did you swim for last year?”

“I didn’t, just started this Summer,” Jimmy replied. He took Randy’s question as a compliment.

“Wow, then you are pretty good,” Randy replied. He put his arm on Jimmy’s shoulder. Randy was interested in more than swimming and his outward reach of affection was test of Jimmy’s reaction. He wanted to get to know Jimmy. He wondered, more hoped, Jimmy felt the same way.

Coach called the swimmers out of the pool. Randy watched as Jimmy did his one handed leap out of the pool. Tyler hoisted himself out, and Randy did a similar leap to Jimmy’s. Out of the water Randy got a real chance to check Jimmy out. Jimmy was every bit as handsome on the deck in his wet swimsuit as he was in the water. Randy quickly changed his thoughts, the feel of himself starting to react to his interest.

“Okay, first is the 100 free, race style.” Coach explained. We will do three heats, two of seven and one of six. Count off one to seven,” The guys did. Jimmy was a three. Randy was four, same group as Jimmy. Side by side. First round.

“Awesome,” Randy said, giving Jimmy a high five. Jimmy was happy to have made a new friend so quickly.

“I’m not fast, but I have lots of endurance,” Jimmy said.

“I don’t know, you look pretty fast to me,” Randy replied. “And you got a really cool swimsuit on, too,” he added.

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

Jimmy got up on the blocks. He was suddenly really nervous. In fact, he was so nervous he was shaking. He positioned his toes right at the end of the blocks, to get a good launch. He looked at Randy next to him on his left, who looked confident as ever. To his right was Aiden, in his solid black Speedo. He was also ready. Down the line were swimmers from the rising team. Tyler and the other guys in shorts were in the next two rounds. “Good launch,” Jimmy said to himself. “Swim your race.”

The calls came out and then the whistle blew marking the start of the “race.” Jimmy was late off the blocks, a half second behind the others. He did not know it, but the coaches watched his late start. The assistant coach who was the head coach of the JV team noted Jimmy’s bad start. Jimmy recovered on the entry to the water, his open dive was long and lean, also noted. A simple race, down and back in the 50 meter pool.

Randy was way out ahead, and fast. Aiden was close behind. That was all Jimmy could easily see. In the far lanes he could see other swimmers forms, but it was hard to tell where they were in relation to him. Jimmy swam as hard as he could The wall was approaching fast, “Swim to the wall,” Jimmy told himself. He was frustrated that as he approached, Randy and Aiden were already heading back. It seemed like he was way too far behind.

Flip! Jimmy made his turn. It was a perfect flip, fast and tight. He got a fantastic push off the wall. The JV coach noted that Jimmy had the best turn. In his heat of seven, Jimmy was at fifth place heading into the turn, but barely ahead of the six the place swimmer. The swimmer in lane two blew his flip and ended up doing an awkward open turn. Jimmy shot ahead, now in fourth, the sixth place swimmer right on Jimmy’s heals. He could barely see the sixth place swimmer in lane seven. Jimmy gave it all he had. He swam harder and faster than he had ever swam before. His form suffered as he put on the gas. The coach, watching Jimmy, noted his declining technique as he put on the speed. “Fix that and he’d shave time,” the coach wrote.

Jimmy swam right to the wall. He stood, breathless. Aiden had finished four seconds ahead, Randy five. Jimmy came in a dead tie for fourth with the swimmer in lane seven. Despite the loss to Randy and Aiden along with the swimmer in lane one, Jimmy had just swam three seconds faster than his best time with Greg, a quantum leap in is time.

“Great job,” Randy said as Jimmy bent over to catch his breath.

“Thanks, you too,” Jimmy replied gasping. Randy rubbed his hand on Jimmy’s arched back.

“Wow, you killed yourself out there,” Randy added.

Aiden also reached over and congratulated Jimmy. “Pretty darn good for your first race,” Aiden said. He had dismissed Jimmy earlier, but suddenly Jimmy had credibility. He wasn’t the fastest, but he also wasn’t the last. It was the start of what was going to be a long two hours in the pool.

“Let’s get out, hot stuff,” Randy said. The three guys leaped out of the water. Their red, blue print and black wet swimsuits clinging to them. Randy smiled. He loved guys in wet suits. Jimmy was smiling now, too. He had done exactly what Greg said. The guys readied for the next challenge of the afternoon.

[shaulis]

STS,

Thanks for another great chapter. On the day of the swimteam tryouts Jimmy got a hug from Abby to start his day. When the swim team tryouts started for Jimmy there were many guys he didn't see at the pool during summer. Randy and Jimmy became fast friends. Jimmy ended up fourth after he got off the block late he wasn't the fastest but he wasn't last either. Jimmy did exactly what Greg had said. Jimmy and the other swimmers were just beginning their two hours in the pool. I can't wait for the next chapter to find out how Jimmy has done.

Brian

[Dooley67]

STS,

Another wonderful chapter. I liked the way you establish the beginnings of a relationship between Jimmy and Randy with Jimmy not knowing Randy's true feelings, but not rejecting Randy's hand on the shoulder and comment on his swimsuit. I am betting that if Randy becomes more obvious and says something indicating his orientation, that Jimmy will be accepting and non judgmental. Once again, there is good interplay among the swimmers as Jimmy, who was initially nervous, becomes more comfortable and confident. Great dialogue and a really good technique of voicing the coaches reactions as the guys swim. Thanks for the chapter and keep it going.

D67

[a speedo minded guy]

I agree with everyone. Another great story. Please continue!!

[Swimmboy]

Very interesting chapter. I'm a little worried - I thought Jimmy would be near the front of the pack, not back in 4th place, with two more heats to go! Hopefully those will be slower than Jimmy's heat. Of course, I'm secretly hoping Jimmy has a break-out swim - maybe his backstroke (my favorite stroke) will really 'wow' the coaches, so that a 4th place in free won't be so bad. Every team needs a good backstroker!

[Dooley67]

Originally Posted by Swimmboy

Very interesting chapter. I'm a little worried - I thought Jimmy would be near the front of the pack, not back in 4th place, with two more heats to go! Hopefully those will be slower than Jimmy's heat. Of course, I'm secretly hoping Jimmy has a break-out swim - maybe his backstroke (my favorite stroke) will really 'wow' the coaches, so that a 4th place in free won't be so bad. Every team needs a good backstroker!

Swimmboy,

It's amazing how much we all root for these fictional characters as if they were real people. You, shaulis and I are all worried that Jimmy won't make the team and we all eagerly await the next chapter when his fate might be determined. It certainly shows what a convincing storyteller STS is and how much we get pulled as we read each chapter.

D67

[Swimmboy]

Yes, Dooley67 - we are 'pulled into' this story and start cheering for the character - just like you do when you watch a good movie or tv show. Jimmy and Greg have been so well-crafted they seem like real guys you just want to cheer for, and you want good things for them - even though they are fictional!