To the editor:

As the mother of a teenager who swims on three different teams in Alexandria, I spend a great deal of time poolside. The kids and coaches are fabulous. Its the adults in the lap lanes who need some behavior lessons.

With great regularity, people who are supposed to be grown up glare and complain if they have to move lanes to make room for the swim team at the YMCA or at Chinquapin Recreation Center. They yell at the lifeguards. They yell at the coaches. They yell at the reception desk folks. They yell at the swimmers lots.

When my daughter tried to apologize to one woman for splashing accidentally (Its a pool, people!), she was yelled at throughout the apology. Im not sure whats making the public so short-tempered these days, but I can tell you Alexandrias swim teams dont merit the wrath. These kids get up at 6:30 a.m. on summer weekdays, and even earlier on Saturdays, to work unbelievably hard to represent the City of Alexandria in swim meets. They are not out causing trouble. Theyre not even sleeping in.

If its yelling you want, I recommend turning out for a swim meet the Alexandria Wahoos, the YMCA Sea Dragons or the T.C. Williams Titans this winter. You can cheer on these plucky young people at the top of your lungs. They deserve it.

Victoria Sackett
Alexandria