Sports

Lakers' Raymond: 'It's My Way of Giving Back'

West Bloomfield High School senior parent Karen Raymond helps lead a core group of parents involved with the boys varsity swimming and diving team.

In speaking with swimming and diving team parent Karen Raymond, you might think she's looking at a calendar.

"We host a team breakfast every Saturday after practice at a different parent's house each week," she said as she watched the Dec. 13.

"Before the league meets in February, we have a parent who hosts a spaghetti dinner. (Team parents) also do a master's meet fundraiser and then the banquet at the end of the year," said Raymond, parent of senior team captain Walter Raymond.

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"Yeah, we do a lot. Did I miss anything?" she added with a laugh.

It's all part of feeling like a member of the team for Raymond, whose son is her only child. Walter also plays varsity football and lacrosse, while maintaining a 3.5 GPA and volunteering as part of the National Honor Society. As the need arises, swimming and diving parents are there at every meet.

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"This year, I took over responsibilities for ordering swimsuits for the boys and team sweatshirts for the parents, Karen Raymond said. "We have to have parents staffing the 50-50 raffles and working the admissions. We have a parent in charge of timers — two parents in each lane, 12 total.

"We feed all of the boys, home and away, a meal after the meet," the West Bloomfield resident added.

The work primarily occurs during home meets, but the Raymonds have driven as far as Grosse Ile and Port Huron for swimming and lacrosse events. Just as upperclassmen helped Walter while he was an underclassman on the swim team, Raymond tries to instill that desire to help others in her son.

"(Walter) helps drive some of the underclassmen to practice or away swim meets. This is the first year we don’t have buses to the away swim meets, so it's important to have transportation to ensure good attendance," she said. "It's definitely time-intensive. The kids have morning practice at 5:30 (in the morning) three days a week, then practice after school every day unless there's a meet, and on Saturdays."

Ah, yes, those Saturday practices. One of the benefits for WBHS swimmers and divers, who wake up early on Saturdays for swimming practice, are the Saturday breakfasts — featuring pancakes, eggs, sausage, cheesy potatoes and other goodies — hosted at a different parent's house every week. Every parent on the team participates. It's a lot of work, and Raymond estimates that it's unique to the boys and girls swimming and diving teams.

"I think the breakfast is probably something that helps them stand out," Raymond said of the team's parents.

Why go through it every week? Well, Walter is one good reason, Raymond said. Being a part of the team has helped him understand what it means to keep a schedule, undoubtedly an advantage that his mom puts to good use as well. Although he may not swim in college — he wants to major in marine biology but hasn't chosen where to study — it's something that helps Walter have fun.

"They become a bit better at scheduling their free time, which they don’t have much of," Raymond said of the team members in general.

Need another reason? Raymond just enjoys giving back to the district what it has done for Walter.

"This is my way of giving back," she said. "I don't do PTO or anything like that, and when your kids get older, your time as an in-class volunteer goes down. To show up and work, to cheer and help out, is a lot of fun and a good spend of time."

The Lakers (1-2 on the season) next hit the pool Jan. 5 against Berkley. The time and location are to be determined.


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