[CLUB FEST] Dancing Water Boys

"... I still want you guys to know that I think this idea is kinda dumb."

Jacob was looking all around at his normally pristine Olympic swimming pool, which was now decorated with banners and colorful flags for the School Club Festival. The pool itself was at least as clean and free of debris as he always demanded. But the strings of colored flags running overhead, strung between light fixtures and the posters adorning the bleachers felt guady over the minimalist beauty of his training area.

The decorations had been planned and hung by his swim team, the same boys he had been coaching for tournaments and mentoring on the finer points of competitive swimming. It was all in an effort to drive up interest for the team during the Club Festival. They seemed perfectly happy about all of it, even enthusiastic. Only their coach, Jacob, seemed apprehensive or embarrassed about it.

"Loosen up, coach! It'll be great! And it's not like you have to participate. This is a student-run event."

The boys were running around with last minute decorations or checking to make sure everything was in place. The sun shone brightly overhead yet they all wore their sport coats to hide themselves before the event. Hiding their top halves at least. Their toned legs were clearly visible, some more so than others as some boys preferred jammers or leggings to traditional Speedos.

"Don't act like this isn't a selling point of the team either, Coach."

"I know. I know. Just... A show? Really?"

"It's not like swimming by itself will put people in the bleachers. We need to give the audience what they want.

"And what they want to see is some hot bodies dancing in the water!"

Jacob had to cover his face at the statement. The boys weren't wrong. He of all people knew that better than everyone else considering that he attracted wandering eyes more than the boys sometimes. But saying it outloud just felt shameful.

"Alright. Alright! If you guys think you can handle it, then I can't object. Just make sure you're all ready by the time students and families are scheduled to come in."

"Aye aye, Coach!"

The audience is arriving! Everyone to your marks!"

The beginning of a crowd filtered into the pool area, taking seat and slowly raising the ambient volume around the pool as they talked and gossiped excitedly. There were students, their families and townspeople present. All of them gathered at the Academy in general for the Club Festival, and at the pool specifically for the scheduled water show. More than a few were already prepping their cameras, and some were staking their claims among the front rows. Jacob was quietly proud of his boys for reading the crowd as he watched from out-of-the-way spot next to the bleachers.

His swim team boys, meanwhile, were taking their marks along the opposite side of the pool. They and the seats were oriented along the long axis of the pool, so the distance between the audience and the "stage" was short. All of the boys lined up at the edge of the pool, their sport jackets still on and their hands behind their backs as they stood proud like a military line up. One young man stood atop a small stage with a megaphone. He smiled at the crowd and looked to his fellow swimmers. They too smiled and nodded. Turning the megaphone on, he spoke to the crowd with energy.

"Good day to everyone! Friends and family of Starlight Academy, allow me to welcome you to the aquatic abode of the famous Starlight Swim Team! I am Student Captain, Shigeru Daisuke! And these are my swimmers!"

He made a grand flourish and all of the swimming team saluted the crowd.

"Today we are gathered here today under the smiling sun, in the reflection of our watery field of competition, to show you why the Starlight Academy Swim Team and Club is the best! Are you ready?!"

The crowd burst out with enthusiasm. Shigeru grinned.

"Then! Boys! Get ready to show 'em what we got!"

In unison, all the boys of the swim team grabbed the bottom of their sport jackets, then yanked them off in a single sweeping motion, tossing their jackets high into the air. There they then stood, glistening in the sunlight, showing off their toned physiques in speedos, jammers and leggings. Their hands on their hips and their chest pushed outward, they were proud to show themselves off to the flashing cameras and whistles.

As soon as the whoops and cheers of the audience began to die down, the speakers around the pool began to pump out a lilting retro tune. Judging by the trumpets and the quality of the audio, it was something out of the 1950's and probably meant to accompany some kind of old timey sports program. If that was the case, then it was picked quite well because the boys immediately moved in sync with it.

One by one, along with the music, they turned to their side and put their hands above their heads. As the music built, they each dove into the pull in graceful arcs. Had they been WASP-y women in swimming caps, they could have been mistaken as synchronized swimmers. That seemed to be the point.

Showing excellent choreography and swimming skills, they made intricate, dancing patterns in the water in time with the music. Whenever they flipped to show off their legs, the crowd whooped. However, the classical music was only the beginning.

Suddenly the music ramped up and morphed into some kind of club mix, and the boys' dancing matched as well. Their water dancing became more energetic and more stunts were added to the routine. Boys left the pool only to pose then somersault back into the water with ease. Jacob's face was beet red and he had to cover his face. At least the audience loved it.

The routine ended with a good pose-down, with some boys on the concrete doing their best JoJo impressions and other boys holding their comrades on their shoulders in the water. Again, the crowd loved it. Daisuke came out again with the megaphone.

"We are the Starlight Academy Swim Team! And we want YOU to join our ranks! If you think you got what it takes to swim with us, and look as good as us, come on down!"

Judging by the applause and cheers, the swim show had gone off very well. Now of course some of the applause could have been attributed to the bodies of the swimmers, but people seemed genuinely impressed by the demonstration of skill and athleticism by the boys. Jacob himself was impressed, and he scolded himself for not having more faith in his swimmers. They had successfully, and tastefully, used their obvious surface-level attractiveness to get people interested in the actual substance of the team.

So the people approaching the Swim Team were somewhat evenly split between students interested in signing-up and those that simply wanted to ogle and take selfies with the swimmers. It was a good enough turn out, and the boys were not above a little ego stroking.

Daisuke liked that he was getting quite a few eager prospects from the crowd, including a serious-looking girl with blue hair. He excused himself from the crowd for a moment to consult with Jacob, whom had taken to standing on the fringes and observing. They exchanged a few words, a few nods and a look at the locker room building. Daisuke quickly returned and used the megaphone to get everyone's attention.

"It seems that we are in luck, folks! Our Coach has approved an impromptu tryouts race for all those who want to join the team!

If you'll head into the locker room over yonder, you'll find some school swim uniforms you can use! Come on back out and we'll see what you all got! We might even have a few of our current swimmers dive in too, just to see where you stand!

Don't be shy!"

Over by the locker rooms, separated by gender of course, Jacob was standing and waving. He even had an armful of towels for people to take when they came back out.