To me, the book describes how people (especially young people) can set goals for themselves and achieve them if they are willing to work hard. Life is hard, and not everyone will support you in your goals. The moral of this story is that it doesn't matter what other people think. If you work hard at accomplishing those goals, no matter how difficult they may be, then you can accomplish them. This story also shows that if you work hard, it doesn't always mean that you will win. When Splash comes in second on the final heat, he is disappointed at first. It is only after the crowd starts cheering for him that he realizes what he has accomplished. In the end, it is about proving to himself and others that chasing after your dreams is all that matters. If you truly want something, you have to fight for it and don't let anyone tell you any different. I also believe that children are often being taught that all you have to do to be successful in sports, school, life, etc. is show up. I believe that children need to be shown that it takes hard work to be successful, and sometimes that hard work may not be good enough, but that you always have to keep fighting for what you want and what you believe in.
