By Emma Foster, Swimming World College Intern
All swim parents can understand the thrill of watching their child compete. Whether it is a summer leagues race featuring eight and unders making their way down the pool, or Debbie Phelps watching her son win his eighth gold medal, the feeling of pride that parents feel for their offspring transcends lane lines.
Swim parents are some of the best in the business. Every swimmer knows how long a swim meet can last, and knowing that your mom or dad is up in the stands cheering you on is one of the best feelings in the world. Not many people would be willing to do the early morning car rides to practice, hours upon hours in a chlorinated pool waiting for a race that will last less than a minute, and always making sure that grocery cart is full so that their perpetually hungry swimmer remains fed (even when it seems that their stomach will never be filled). Swim parents deserve huge respect for not only doing all this and more, but accomplishing it with a smile on their face.
Brooke Forde is one of those lucky athletes with awesome swim parents. Her dad, Pat Forde, has quite the list of experiences in the swimming world. A journalist for Yahoo Sports, Forde reported on Michael Phelps in the 2008 Olympics where he won eight gold medals. However, while that experience was incredible, Forde knows it will never compare to getting to watch his kids swim.
Do You Have A Passport?
Photo Courtesy: Action Images / Norman Ng
The Forde family is a swimming family. Mitchell Forde, the oldest sibling, is an accomplished swimmer at the University of Missouri, while Clayton Forde, the middle child is a two-time All-American currently in his senior year of high school. The two boys have succeeded and inspired their family with their many talents.
Their baby sister, Brooke is what her father describes as a “precocious swimming talent.” She had an amazing breakout summer, going into summer nationals without Junior Worlds really being on her radar. However, she went on to drop five and three seconds in her 400 Im and 200 IM respectively, qualifying for the team in each event.
Watching Brooke swim, her father was overwhelmed by her accomplishment. He shared a memory of the ride up to summer nationals, where Brooke mentioned that her coach had asked her if she had a passport, in case she made the Junior Worlds team and would have to leave directly for Singapore. Forde noted, “We had a brief chuckle about that, said it would be pretty cool, and then never thought about it again.”
And then she made it.
An International Surprise
Photo Courtesy: Brooke Forde
The aftermath of Brooke’s qualification was chaos. Her family and coaches ran around the deck securing the paperwork, getting a copy of the passport that had been jokingly mentioned, and getting Brooke set up to head to Singapore.
Pat, although the beginning of his football coverage season was just taking off, was able to make the trip with Brooke. While he has covered many a swim meet, this one was particularly special. Pat admits that although he has been to aquatic centers to cover athletes such as Michael Phelps, pulling up to the pool in Singapore was an emotional moment.
“It suddenly hit me: what a journey it has been since Brooke was a chubby little five-year-old swimming 25s for the Douglass Hills Hurricanes, our neighborhood summer team,” Pat reflects. Now he had a daughter ready to take on some of the best in the pool.
And Brooke’s performances were amazing. On the first day, she blew her prelim swim out of the water even though her morning swims didn’t always click. She went into finals that night seeded third, and while she was just out touched for a medal that night, finishing fourth, she dropped even more time and gained some incredible experience.
Meanwhile, her dad watched in awe at his little girl. He describes himself as definitely “not stoic” and throughout the entire experience he could not contain his excitement and pride for his daughter.
In Brooke’s 200 IM later on in the meet, she again threw down impressive times and managed to squeak her way into the final, finishing eighth overall. For the swimmer who was half-curious to see if she had a passport driving up to the qualifying meet for Junior Worlds, her performances were incredible.
Not Just A Sports Writer
Photo Courtesy: Brooke Forde
Her dad describes the trip’s affect on Brooke’s swimming career as “life-altering”. Not only did she have the experience of her first international finals, but Brooke was also able to experience the team atmosphere of representing her country, and made friends that will last a lifetime. Her dad is confident that she will carry the experience with her as she moves further down the road of her career, carrying the knowledge that “swimming can take her literally around the world.”
As for Pat, although he has covered seven Olympics, five Super Bowls, three World Series and many, many other college sporting events, he knows that nothing can compare to this. There is nothing like watching his daughter or his sons compete, whether it be on the international stage or in a backyard swim meet. The pride he has for them, no matter what, transcends his job as a sports writer and narrows him in on his more crucial job: being a great swim dad.
So cool.