A new season

I didn't participate in a lot while in high school for a variety of reasons: we lived 5-miles from town, I was the youngest and didn't have older siblings to take me to and from; I grew up on a farm and there is always work to do on the farm; and my dad had health problems all throughout my high school career so it put more responsibility on me and my workload at home. So my participation was in vocal music, drama, speech, small group vocal music, a little cross country, journalism, yearbook, I took piano lessons and I think that is about it. I was needed at home to work. My social life consisted of going out on Friday nights to sporting events, (my first football and wrestling events ever came when I was in high school-loved football-disliked wrestling and left after 10 minutes) or I hung out with friends, going to Pizza Hut, playing tennis, sitting around talking or occasionally going to each others houses. My two best friends and I were all farm girls who lived out of town so getting together on a Friday night was always a challenge as to what we would do and where we would go. But we didn't do anything bad nor get into any trouble. Were were pretty quiet and well behaved by today's standards.

So when my kids got to the age of participating in extra-curricular I encouraged them to do what they wanted and would enjoy. With the exception of being too involved, we've all seen the kids that are involved in everything and rather than being outstanding which they could be, they are average at best because they are too busy. They mean well, but let their team mates down more often than not. I can think of a handful of students who have graduated, who could not say no to anything and stood out at nothing.

My kids were very involved while in high school, not so much with the things I was involved in when in school, but I learned about their activities as they grew and became their biggest fan, supporter, errand runner, chore do-er, uniform washer, meal maker,  and any thing else I could be so they could excel and succeed at what they chose both in the classroom and outside. I think they had pretty successful careers while in high school barred a crappy teacher or coach or show-off team mate!

As I enter my 21st year of coaching dance team, I find myself feeling the same feelings I have for the past 20 years-fresh and excited but I also find myself wondering what the heck is going on in kids heads at times, how proud I am of them at other times, frustration with those who can NOT follow simple rules like their READ email or texts or follow a simple phone tree-back in the day or get to practice or get there on time, impressed how talented others are, or pissed off because some have no idea what it is like to be part of a team-it's not all about them.

At this stage of the game you get a pretty good indication of how life is going to go for these young people. Those who will never leave town because of an invisible umbilical cord connected to their mommy or a significant "other" (there is nothing wrong with going back to your home town, but leave for a while, get out on your own, grow up before you come back), the ones who will leave and never look back, the ones who will bloom and become completely different people when they get away from home, those that reality will bite in the butt and the ones who will be happy and those who will not because it is not all about them any more-that's life. 

This year is no exception to the past 20 years, I come into each season with big plans, dreams, hopes and aspirations. Some years have been a total success in a variety of ways, others mediocre, and there are those years that you just want the season to be over. The kids and parents are a good deciding factor to how the season will or will not go. Support and being a team means success. It's all about me or you're not being fair to my child will send any talented team into the dumpster if it is not stopped or fixed- if it can be. And letting one failure define the rest of the season is never a good run. I'm always excited for dance team, I love music and dancing and seeing my kids perform. Yes I call them my kids as I become protective of them like a mom, in most cases.

But as I head into our first performance of the 2014-15 season I am again anxious and excited as well as nervous, as if I'll be out there performing! Ha-although I can do just about every routine frontwards and backwards, with the team or mirroring them but the time we get to performances!! I've had these feelings every year, usually before every performance-but I can't let the kids know this is how I feel. This group has worked hard and we've practiced this first dance more than I ever have in past years-some members of this group need the extra practice time, and maybe an attitude adjustment as I use each performance as leverage as to if they will or will not perform again. We've not been without our "problems". The girls who bitch and moan about practice times saying we practice too much, or they don't make up their missed practice times on their times but expect myself or a team mate to do it when it works best for them-NOT. Or trash talking about your team mates-some thing that really ticks me off. Certainly not team behavior and will find them sitting out when everyone else is dancing.

I can't control how the girls do, there will be those who nail the performance, those who forget (just a small part I hope and they recover quickly) those who will get deer in the headlights looks or decide to rush and fast forward the dance- giving everything away but in the end it is what it is. Is this the best performance I've ever put out there-probably not. But it is the best for this group of young ladies as we start a new season. You are only as strong as your weakest dancer. Making the dance work with their wide range of abilities and music is all just part of the whole picture that I deal with each and every practice and performance. I have everyone dance this dance but not so when it comes to the rest of the season. Yes, like everyone else I want everyone to dance, but some times that just does not work. Sometimes they need to sit it out and watch. I think girls some times learn as much from watching as they do dancing but I'd rather see them dance.

Here we go.....we'll dance like no one is watching!

Positive thought of the day: I'm so blessed that I can still coach and dance with these kids! Most of them are pretty good eggs!