Thursday, February 24, 2011

Soldier on

Two Junior girls assured me today that the two of them and at least one more were committed to cheering for football season. Hope springs eternal.

The campus daycare Director, who runs concessions during football and basketball seasons stopped by my classroom to discuss what she had left over and what her recommendations were for track. Earlier this week our drill coach tendered her resignation, so it looks as if I may have to run all 5 track meets alone. So be it. Lord, let those girls show up to work. It's always a bear. Many of them participate in track. Some of them were in both drill and cheer, some quit cheer. Now those on just drill are sheep without a shepherd. Anarchy.

But at least that's a month away.

Tonight's game was fantastic. It was a real barn-burner. We dominated the first quarter and held on to a 10 point lead through most of the second. Our the stands were overflowing, even though the game as almost 2 hours away.

Our student section stood the entire game and were a dream of a crowd for our two meek cheerleaders- who did a fantastic job most of the time and didn't let it ruffle their feathers at all when students initiated cheers on their own because the girls weren't. I was proud of them and they had a lot of fun.

One Senior girl, a dominant basketball player herself and younger sister of one of the best cheerleaders I've coached led a couple of cheers- including one where she pantomimes a roller coaster ride and the whole student section went on the ride with her. It was fantastic. I promised myself that if we won, I'd have her do it again tomorrow at a pep rally. Since we only had 2 girls left on squad, I thought about inviting everyone down who knew or thought they knew the fight-song dance to perform it at the rally.

These two quiet, shy cheerleaders are the the most loyal and dedicated. For all they lack, I think they'll be assets if they both want to return for football season next year too. With the other 3, that's 5. I know of at least two eighth graders who want to cheer as Freshmen. That's 7, the Spec. Ed. boy will make 8. 8 is enough, I'd love to get the zealous Freshman back, if she ever gets her grades up. That's 9. Then there's the Schizophrenic 8th grader and the pathological drama-queen Junior. That's 10.

If I could just get another 2-4 more to come out, I could actually have tryouts and keep the best 6 or 8. I guess I'll run the announcements and hand notices and hope for the best.

I was so caught up that it didn't matter to me that if we won, we'd play another game on Saturday- preventing me from going on a date with my wife for my birthday.

In the end, we lost 49-46. A storybook half court shot looked like it would make it in with only a second or two on the clock, but sometimes those miracles don't happen in real life the way they do in movies. Everyone was heartbroken. I was really rooting for a couple of our Senior guys who are great Art students. I knew that it had to be devastating for them.

It was a long, quiet bus ride back to school. We got in around 10 and I decided to write this while I let my van warm up. If I leave now, I can get home by or before 11. God willing I can get to sleep by Midnight. It's hard to wind down after such an adrenaline-pumping game, but 5:30AM comes mighty fast.

Thank God, as they say, that tomorrow's Friday.

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