CTC1988

CTC1988
Originally uploaded by T-Mal

Here we are in the Campus Center (student union). The girls recruited us dumb guys so that they could build stunts. The mascot costume is pretty fierce looking, but the chick inside was this really cute red head... anyway, this was the final Concordia Teacher's College cheer squad because in 1989 they changed the school's name to Concordia College, and in 1994 it became Concordia University.

Yes, I am aware that my hair looks like a helmet and that I look like a dork without a goatee.

doghouse

doghouse
Originally uploaded by T-Mal

These were the Concordia Teacher's College 1988-89 Bulldog's Cheerleaders. This is the Seward, Nebraska town band shell next to Godfather's Pizza at the end of the Homecoming parade. I still remember the chant-

This is the Doghouse
Big Blue and White!
This is the Doghouse
And we know how to FIGHT!

Sent out to a variety of Alumni from 2 schools

Years ago I used to ask former cheerleaders to pray for my current squads. I've kinda gotten lax on that commitment in the last couple of years- mostly just because of being so busy. But the longer you're in this job, the more heartbreak you see in kid's lives, so I'd like to invite you all to ask God's help for a few kids I've been cheering.

If you're from or still in the Dunlap area, please keep these prayer requests confidential. If you're not a person of faith, please don't be offended by this email, just delete it. If you are a believer but like me have been getting caught up with the business of everyday, maybe God will use this email to rekindle your own relationship with Him.

Okay, here goes, first the two biggies:

• Please pray for "BK," a 5th yr Senior who cheered for us during football season but has now transferred to another school. She's aged out of the foster care system and recently got locked out of the house where she was staying. Her love is basketball, but since she's 19, her hs eligibility has run out. She's a miracle baby- she was born premature with her organs on the outside. She wasn't supposed to survive, but did. She's been surviving ever since. Self-styled rapper on facebook/youtube- not bad for a white girl from Omaha, lot of hurt and anger though- as you could imagine.
• Please pray for "Kay," a Junior. She also cheered during football this year, but didn't come out for basketball season because she found out that she was pregnant.  Yesterday she had a miscarriage. She was 12 weeks along. As frightened as she had been when she found out she was pregnant in the first place, she's absolutely devastated about losing her baby.

But it would be wonderful if you'd consider praying for a couple of broader and less profound areas too-

• Please pray for my current basketball squad- Two veterans quit after the first week of games. As often happens when people quit, they didn't really give a reason. The remaining cheerleaders aren't very experienced, they aren't very confident, and they aren't very loud. Don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of them and they've come a loooong way in practice, but they're not the strongest we've ever had. No kidding, three of the girls are painfully shy (it's kind of surprising that they had the courage to come out for cheer). The one girl with the most moxie is a freshman who's a new student and something of a social outcast. Her skills are developing quickly and she has a lot of dedication and motivation, but not exactly as pretty as or as popular as a prom queen. Her family lives in an old funeral home in town and the consensus in town is that her whole family is... maybe a bubble-off-of-plumb, so to speak. Rounding out the squad is a severe/profound special ed boy. He's not able to speak much but just exudes joy and enthusiasm. They're all sweet kids and trying their hardest. I guess, please pray that they'd continue to improve, especially their coordination and that kids wouldn't make fun of them or deride them too much. Especially pray that they'd all gain courage, confidence, poise and skills by working together this season.
• Please pray that God would bring together a strong squad for next year. There are a few 8th graders who would be good- but they're pretty prone for drama. There are a few Juniors, but I don't know which ones will come out again and whether they'll want to work with next year's Freshmen as Seniors. And of course, there are the girls on this year''s basketball season- a Freshman, a Sophomore, and a couple of Juniors. The last couple of year's it's been hard to get girls to come out for football season, they'd all say that basketball season is more fun- but now this year almost no one wanted to come out for basketball either, and then 2 of them quit.
• And I guess please pray for my coaching. Last year I was feeling really inspired and reading lots of John Wooden. This week I'm pretty wore out. It's probably just this time of year- basketball season can be grueling with 3 games a week and late nights. I'm not ready to throw in the towel or to give up coaching or anything, but school's busy and with 3 girls of our own, home is busy yadda yadda yadda. Pray that I can remain focused and motivated because these kids deserve the best I can give them. They need a coach and not just a sponsor. Maybe I'm just tired, maybe I'm worried about BK and blue about Kay, to be frank, maybe I'm self-conscious about this season's squad- but for whatever reason I'm feeling pretty fried this week.

That's it. Thank you for your thoughts and your prayers prayers. One of the reasons you were included in this email is because I feel so privileged to have been able to teach or coach you. You are all amazing people who I'm really proud just to have known. It's been wonderful to watch God make you into such great adults.

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James 5:16b

Thanks,

Coach