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Riding the Wave: A Swimmer’s Fight to Live above Water Tears filled her eyes. Kicker’s parents, Larry and Sylvia Vencill, were the last to testify. Like Beth, Kicker’s mother cried. For Kicker, though, the most heart-wrenching moment was yet to come. His father took the stand. “If you can think of one word to define your son,” Jacobs asked him, “what would it be?” Kicker’s father began to weep. “Brave,” he said. The trial concluded at noon on May 9. As the day passed, then another, Kicker grew more confident he would win. Shortly after lunch on May 11, the bailiff informed him that the jury had reached a verdict. Foreman Betty Ray announced an award of $578,635 to Kicker Vencill. He smiled and shook Jacobs’ hand. Ultimate Nutrition contested the decision. On June 16, Jacobs and Croutch reached an undisclosed settlement to avoid a retrial. Both Kicker and Jacobs were pleased with the settlement. *** Kicker Vencill sits alone. He is in the front row of bleachers, surrounded by swimmers in yellow and blue, at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach. This meet, the 2005 UCI/Speedo Cup, is Kicker’s first since rejoining Salo’s Nova swim team last October. Salo wants to give Kicker a taste of competition to motivate him. Kicker will swim the consolation race in the 100-yard men’s freestyle. He sits with his hands folded between his legs, his eyes staring at the white tiles on the floor. He clutches the bleacher bench with both hands and exhales. He straps on a pair of blue goggles, covers his head with a white swim cap featuring the Nike swoosh and walks over to the starting block. “In lane five, Kicker Vencill,” announces a voice on the public address system. Kicker stands on the block, staring downward, his right leg forward. “Take your mark!” Kicker reaches forward with both arms, gripping the bottom of the block. A beep signals the start. Kicker dives. Throwing his arms over his head in a rhythm that seems both frantic and controlled, he appears to be leading the eight-man pack. Splashing through the final 10 yards, he is neck-and-neck with the swimmer in lane one. Kicker touches the wall with his last stroke. His white cap pops out of the water and he looks at the scoreboard expressionless. Kicker felt short of first place by twenty-nine hundredths of a second. He meets Salo, sporting a blue Soka University polo shirt, at the far end of the pool. “That hundred was painful.” “Your rates are down.” Kicker smiles. “So you think I’m out of shape?” “You’re out of shape, your rates are down, you need to get off the block faster, and your turn isn’t where it needs to be.” But it will be. Beth appears and gives her husband a hug as he changes out of his blue Speedo swimsuit in a corner. How did the race go? He says he felt tight. He kisses her, they laugh, and they walk out together. Author's note: Ultimate Nutrition, Inc. turned down repeated requests for information and |
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| UCI | School of Humanities | Literary Journalism |