Kids jeer at Riley because he is scared to take a dangerous jump over the edge of a local cliff into the river. What hurts most is that his daredevil best friend, Blake, joins in the teasing. But Riley loves to swim, and after the school coach pushes him, he joins the swim team and finds success in long distance races, even though Blake and his pals call Riley a dumb jock. The blend of swimming action and the friction between friends and enemies makes this chapter book in the Sports Fiction series an exciting read, and the grey-wash, full-page pictures show the quarrels, the frightening scenes, and the final triumph and reconciliation when Riley performs a daring rescue. The back matter includes water-safety rules as well as a glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts.