When all else fails, drop back and punt!

It's the week of state dance team competition for me and my team. Yes we've practiced hard. We've put in a lot of hours of dancing and sweat. I've planned, made lists, sent emails, made phone calls, and several dozen other things but even with the best laid plans there will be the unexpected that I will have to deal with. The last minute surprises used to drive me nuts. But not so much any more. I've got my ducks in a row. If it goes wrong well those things happen. Bar poor behavior or blood shed by any of my kids, I feel like I'm ready or can handle whatever happens between now and 1 p.m. on Thursday when we are done performing and can just sit back and enjoy.

Ideally the best thing in the world is bringing home a trophy-we've done that a few times! The hardware is always nice and shows how hard the kids have worked. This year's squad is without males. A first in a number of years. Graduation and poor team decision making by a couple of members last year brought the returning number to one. If you are going to let your teammates down, I don't want you and you won't get the chance again on my team. So that is the reason why there is no male dance team or coed... Life goes on. But doing their best and enjoying the time is the best part of all of this. A 1 rating is nice but even the best laid plans can go wrong and mistakes made-all the practice in the world is not going to prevent that. We are only as strong as our weakest dancer-if I had a dime for every time I've said that...you know the rest of that saying!

I'm not like a local dance team I recently heard about, who is waiting on costumes to arrive yet, still choreographing their dance and a few other things that should have been done by now. You learn as you go as this is very ruled and regulated event. We are a small school with a small budget and very, very limited practice time and space. Early mornings, after early outs and Sunday's find us in the gym...it is what it is. I'm used to it. I've fought tooth and nail for my kids over the years-to earn respect and space and to have every bit as much right to have the gym to practice in as the next sport. We bring money into the school district-and we take nothing out except for my poor salary. I don't do this for the money or the fame. I do it because I love dance and I love the kids (most). Yes I've had some "experiences" over the years. You learn, you deal, you get through it and you keep moving ahead. The problems I've dealt with have not been fun. And to be honest having a girl pregnant in year two as head of the  program was not fun. But the problems I've had to deal with recently are worse than I've even imagined. My girls know they mean the world to me. I will be tough on them and I will call them on the carpet if need be. Some have a special place in my heart and I still hear from some yet today. Some you make connections with, some you don't. But I am fiercely proud and protective of my kids, unless they screw up then I'm going to discipline and I hope they learn from their mistakes. Some do, some don't.

Over the years I've dealt with ice storms, keys locked in vans, parent's not allowing their kids to get in a school vehicle because the weather was iffy, forgotten items and a host of other fun things. I've had poor behavior and had to be a hard ass. I've been so proud I could cry at times and other times disappointed to tears. You see it is not about the trophies any more, I learn that a long time ago. But it is about the life long lessons these kids learn from dance and dance practice and state competition. It's learning how to get along, be a part and do what you need to do so you don't let your team down. You see if you miss a tackle in football or a basket in basketball there are other opportunities. In dance it is one shot. Do or die. If you screw up, you screw up. There is no more time left on the clock and not another down or play or quarter to get another chance or opportunity. This is it. And in reality all the coaching I can and will try to do between now and Thursday when the girls take the floor may or may not help but truthfully my work is done...they are on their own. I can't get out there and dance for them or count it out loud or have them start over. This. Is. It.  And for some of my girls this is their last time. For three seniors this is their fourth and final time. I always want the best outcome for the seniors.

I try not to let the kids know I'm nervous. I'm not getting out there to dance -it is them. They can know the dance like the back of their hand. But yes I do get nervous and I second guess myself. Should I have made it harder, change some choreography, what if the dvd does not work or play, are just some of the things that run through my mind and I worry about. And in the end it all works out-good/bad/or otherwise. We have fun-for the most part and we make lots of memories! I like to think the girls have fun and make some lifelong memories. That's what its all about in the end.

So whatever happens on the floor on Thursday, I hope this group of girls come back with great memories, know they personally did the best they can and learn something from the whole experience. 

Positive thought of the day: Have fun and make memories...time flies!