Ryan's swimming awards

Thursday night the swim team held their awards "banquet." ("banquet" meaning everyone just brought whatever food they wanted so it was mostly treats on the table)

Last year Ryan earned a varsity letter for swimming because everyone on the team did (I can't remember why now...I think it might have been because they earned the Sportsmanship award for their league). This year, the swimmers had to "earn" their letters individually. They earned them either by getting enough points during regular season swim meets or by qualifying for Regionals. Ryan qualified for Regionals in the 500 freestyle, so he earned his second letter (and he might have earned enough points, too--he had 27, but I don't know the cut off).

Ryan shaking Coach Davis's hand while getting his sportsman letter

But he also earned another award. Coach Steve Davis doesn't like "Most Valuable Swimmer" since he considers all his swimmers to be valuable, but he did have a Most Inspirational category. Originally, it was just going to be one award--boy or girl, it didn't matter--just whoever earned the most votes from the team. Courtney earned the award, but Coach decided that Ryan got almost as many votes as she did, so he decided to give 2 "Most Inspirational" Awards this year.

(do you see his grin in this video? He's usually a happy kid...which, if you knew him only when he was younger, might surprise you as he didn't always appear to be happy back then)

Everyone also earns an award from the team captains. Mostly silly. They said Ryan's award was because he has so many nicknames (Studmuffin--given to him by his cousin Michael, Queso--because he loves cheese so much and queso is the Spanish word for cheese...but since he took French, shouldn't his nickname be Fromage?, and some other nicknames that I can't remember right now).

Anyway, Ryan's award from the Team Captains was:  The "Razzle Dazzle" Perazzo Award. Cracks me up since his cousin's blog is titled "The Razzle Dazzle Perazzos!"

And congratulations to Coach Davis who earned the Coach of the Year Award for the Region! It was well deserved.

By the way, looking east from our house, this is what we see this evening (thars snow up in them thar hills)(photos by Eric):