This weekend marked my girls' first official competition of the 2021-2022 season! Whoohoo! Entering into another season of coaching multiple teams of such incredible girls makes my heart so happy. This weekend, simply put, was almost a blur! The competition itself was a whirl wind of bobby pins, lipstick, warm-up sessions, hairspray, good luck hugs, and anticipation- but it was also so much more.
For most of my mini team, this was their first ever competition! So, your first thought may be that they were incredibly overwhelmed and nervous. That was definitely something I considered heading into the weekend, but what they displayed couldn't have been more different. They had the largest smiles on their face the entire day, which was incredibly contagious. They helped one another find the correct formation, or helped them remember a new correction. We had to wait a few extra minutes for our scheduled practice floor time. Before I could even give an instruction, they had put themselves in a circle and were going around practicing their toe touches one at a time, cheering each other on. At the end of it all, they were overjoyed with their performance and placements.
So, how did we grow? We saw the beauty and importance of positivity, teamwork, and encouraging others. I am incredibly proud of how far these kiddos have come, and can't wait to see how they blossom as a team throughout this season.
"M-I-N-I, MINI, MINI, MINI, GO MINIS, HUH!" :)
For my youth team, they learned a lot and grew as a team. They are in the peak age of recognizing how to be a leader and how to do what is best for the group. I am so proud every moment I see them step up in that regard, and they are getting better at it by the day.
They are slowly developing into strong-minded, young women and this weekend they grew by seeing how far they have come, and what work still lies ahead. And I believe they are ready for that challenge!
And for my juniors, I am just so awestruck by them. These girls are the most humble, kindhearted, and hardworking group. They never rest on their laurels and always push to be better. They gave a next to flawless performance and it was incredibly beautiful. They were so calm and focused under all the pressure, which is incredibly admirable.
They grew in adapting to any situation thrown at them, and we all saw how putting your head down and working so hard can really pay off.
Needless to say, I am so very proud of these girls. They not only grow so much each week as dancers, but as confident girls and young women. Each day they are learning, growing, and evolving as a team. However, they also teach me so much each day I am with them! All of these life lessons are so valuable to not only the girls, but to us as coaches as well! After this weekend, I am left feeling very grateful for the chance for all of us to grow together and lean on one another. This weekend we saw that there is always something to gain and learn from-and that is how we grew.