Coach Heather!

So about three days after my last post, the teacher-coach from the school team contacted me. Her two dogs had both died, her father was in the hospital, and she meant to get back to me but she was a bit busy and was so sorry.... boy did I feel awful for pushing!!!

Anyway, I started working with the team in mid-February.

It's a very different experience from my all-star gym. First, because it's a school, they have to share the gym with other teams practicing, and sometimes end up in the cafeteria, and there aren't the safety mats I'm used to anywhere. Much of that, I was expecting.

What's different, primarily, is the expectations around attendance. A lot of the kids on the team just don't show up regularly. I'm still not sure what all that's about. I know some have significant responsibilities at home, but the others? They say they want to be on the team, but they don't show more than once a week (of the three one-hour practices). It's frustrating, because stunting (unlike the primarily dance-based routines they've done up to this point) really does need everyone to be there pretty much every time. The timing and the balance and the rest really does need everyone there.

But the school has decided that this is a program for any girl who wants to join, and the only reasons to be let go so far are profound non-attendance (two girls) or some misdemeanor at school (two others). So, we're making it work as best we can.

And generally, it's going well. I love that I seem to have grown this skill set to the point that I can share it with others. Watching their sense of pride when they manage a double base, or a cradle, is so great. There's much more I'd like to be able to do with them, but we'll see.

They competed in their second competition yesterday, and are thrilled because they came not-last. (6th out of 7 teams) I'm glad that they're glad, and they got a chance to see what some of the other teams were doing, which inspired some (and probably discouraged others). A couple of times, as I heard one girl or another express disbelief or admiration, I did make a point about how I suspected that every member of those teams attend every practice.

Anyway, this is a lot of fun. And the team I train with, we're continuing as well. We performed at the Ontario championships, and did pretty well (timing on the jump section was a bit off, but all the stunts went up and stayed up).

And I got a new jacket that says "Cheer" on the back and "Falcons - Coach" with the school logo on the front. This makes me happy.

Trying to volunteer

So at our last competition in December, I saw a team from a high school not too far from where I live. It was pretty clear that this was their first competition. They were fine, but I suspect that they have only ever cheered at football games and pep rallies and the like, and competitive cheer is quite a different beast. So the next week I called the school and left a message for the staff person who coaches them, volunteering to help. I'm not great, but I work well with kids and do know some things that might be useful. Heard nothing, so I sent a letter to follow up (the voice mail box was for the whole department, maybe she didn't get the message...). Three weeks later, and no response. At all. Which, frankly, I think is just rude.

But I spent those three weeks dreaming about what I would do as a cheer coach; how I would teach skills, how I would work with the athletes. My daughter and I have both had some amazing coaches over the past 4 years, and I've seen others at work with their teams, too. I think I would be good at this, and I'd love to share some of what I've learned.

So last night I sent an email to my local junior high school, introducing myself and offering to help them if there is a staff person around who could work with me, in starting up a cheer program. Don't know if they'll bite or not.

In the meantime, I'll keep thinking, and dreaming. Surely someone might want me?