Virginia team swims laps for Wounded Warriors Project

Courtesy Photo | Fort Lee family member Sierra Trotter poses for a photo while participating in a fundraising event for the Wounded Warriors Project Jan. 31 in Midlothian, Va.  

MIDLOTHIAN, VA, UNITED STATES

02.12.2015

Courtesy Story

Fort Gregg-Adams

FORT LEE, Va. - Dedication is the thing that pushes them out of bed early on a weekend morning and makes it OK to miss a favorite evening television show because they want to get in a few more minutes of practice. Members of the Poseidon Swim Team have buckets of the stuff. These military and civilian kids spend hours in the pool at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center in Midlothian.

Some put in as many as 10 practice sessions a week. Their reward is time … those precious seconds whittled off a 200-meter backstroke heat or a 400-meter freestyle swim that will make them contenders at district and regional meets.

It doesn’t take long to be impressed by these athletes, and their “wow factor” jumped even higher on the morning of Jan. 31 when they swam in support of the Wounded Warrior Project. The event was called the Mile Trial. Each swim team member accumulated sponsors who agreed to make a donation for each lap completed by that individual. By the time the event was over, about $10,000 had been raised for the project.

Watching the swim team and its supporters engage in this fundraiser was nothing short of awesome. Music was playing, volunteers were preparing snacks provided by a Colonial Heights restaurant, parents were cheering poolside, and coaches were explaining to the swimmers the special way they would swim their mile that morning.

Head coach Ted Sallade had come up with some unique challenges to “put the team in touch” with the lives of Soldiers and wounded warriors. Swimming a lap without using one or both of their arms or legs would help the youngsters realize the challenges faced every day by an individual missing a limb. Crossing the pool with their eyes closed would give them an idea of what it means to be blind. Carrying a weighted ball in front of them or holding a swimming noodle above the water while they traversed the pool would give them an idea of the strength and confidence Soldiers need in training and on the battlefield.

However, the challenge observers found most incredible by far was the partner swim. Some of the older swimmers had to carry a younger team member while crossing the pool. The coaches explained that, on the battlefield, wounded Soldiers had to be carried to receive medical attention. It was that moment that really got me thinking about the significance of this event.

As an Army chaplain, I have seen and been with many wounded Soldiers on the front lines. One particular time, I remember being in the mountains of Afghanistan. Our unit had some wounded troops suffering from altitude sickness. They needed to be medically evacuated, but it was not a place where a helicopter could land. The only option was to move them from one mountain peak to a lower, clear area for pick up. The Soldiers were unconscious, and had to be carried with special litters. In the middle of that cold night, wearing full body armor and the usual “combat load,” we hiked down one mountain, over a ridge and into a clearing. When those wounded warriors woke up in a hospital, they had no recollection of being carried down that mountain.

What’s the connection to the Poseidon Swim Team event on that heartwarming Saturday morning?

It was all about “carrying” our wounded warriors … the type of support that happens after the events on the battlefield and the recovery rooms of a military medical facility. Community support helps wounded warriors understand their sacrifice means a lot to the nation. It helps in recovery as they try to find new jobs, somewhere to live, a special wheel chair, or that place of peace after experiencing the horrors of war.

So, on that Saturday, about 120 Poseidon swimmers gave more than they probably even realized. Or did they?

While describing their experiences from the event, my daughters – Sierra, 10, and Hannah, 8 – said they learned a great deal. It showed them how to ask for support from friends, neighbors and business owners. They both said it helped them gain confidence, and grow personally because they had done something for Wounded Warriors.

These kids are accustomed to seeing their Army Chaplain dad go out every day, weekends and late nights included, to do things for Soldiers who need spiritual support. But, they said it really meant something to do this event “all on their own,” including raising $600 for wounded warriors.

To my children and all the Poseidon swimmers, coaches and volunteer parents who participated in the Mile Trial, thank you for carrying our wounded warriors. Thank you for reaching out to your friends, neighbors and local businesses to get sponsors. Our wounded warriors may never know how you supported them that day, but the significance of your actions and the dedication you show as athletes has not been overlooked.

Readers who would like to learn more about the Poseidon Swim Team can find additional information at www.poseidonswimming.com.

• Date Taken: 02.12.2015
• Date Posted: 02.12.2015 08:42
• Story ID: 154285
• Location: MIDLOTHIAN, VA, US