Nothing related to politics, but I love this story (bonus coverage here):

On Wednesday, Kamiak senior Daniel Schmidt walked out of the hospital with what had to be the ultimate trio of ailments: strep throat, mononucleosis and the flu.

He went through so many pills and had too many IVs for him to remember, anything to get him better and back in the pool this weekend.

"I didn't practice at all this whole week," Schmidt said.

End result: he placed fifth in an individual event and swam on three winning relays, including a monster team effort in the final event to secure Kamiak High School the overall 4A Title at the Washington State High School Boys Swim Meet this past weekend.

Loyal readers know this blogger is a sucker for a student-athlete accomplishing great things, especially in swimming. What Daniel Schmidt did was delightfully inspiring.

Moreover, behind almost every superlative performance of this sort is a coach who did much behind the scenes to help make it happen. I know Kamiak Coach Chris Erickson. He's a humble guy, quick to praise others for the success of his team year in and year out.

That was a great team performance on Saturday, serving as a true testament to the kids who did it in the pool and a compliment to the coach who prepped them to be ready to do it when it counted. Daniel Schmidt's gutty performance speaks highly of the kind of student-athletes being molded in Kamiak's program. Congratulations, Chris, on a job very well done.

Footnote: There was this too from the Times coverage:

"It's one hell of a way to go out," Kamiak senior Tyler Carriker said.

The same could be said for Richland senior Cody Roberts. In winning the 100 butterfly in 47.81, Roberts broke a 17-year-old state record held by a state swimming great, Newport's Ugur Taner.

"I had no idea I was going that fast," Roberts said. "I was more surprised than my mom, probably."

Who is this Ugur Taner of which they speak? Oh, someone who is "widely regarded as the greatest boys prep swimmer in state history," and who went on to become an Olympian, NCAA Champion, and US National Team Member.

Nice company, kid.