Cheerleading State Champions 2012.

Katie and I finish praying as the announcer begins, “Wilson, you may take the mat.”

Okay, our girls have had this routine for six months. They were hitting their stunts all week. Things were cleaned up and motions were sharp. I knew they would have their best performance yet. It was time for them to hit their State Championship routine.

As coaches, there is nothing longer than the 2 minutes and 30 seconds that decides whether or not the kids you have encouraged, pumped up, coached and invested in are going to come out of this day feeling defeated or triumphant. Five coaches, who do not want the responsibility of managing disappointment, and a squad of teenage girls, with insurmountable nerves, prepare and anticipate the outcome of a measly two and a half minutes.

As the music swells so does the anxiety. Our girls attack the mat with energy and determination. I am suddenly filled with pride because I get to be on the coaching staff of this remarkable team.

Watching each section, teeny bits of relief pass as they move from one stunt sequence to the next. Then it comes time for the last one. All of the anxiety comes back for the next 10 seconds. The mind begins to race, “Will they hit this final pyramid? They haven’t hit it at a competition yet this season. But the change we made this week has taken this pyramid to a whole other level of solid. They are unstoppable!”

They hit it! The next part is a blur. There is nothing more exciting than seeing kids that you care about have their best performance of the year, the performance of the day, and for the senior’s, one of those life moments they will never forget. (Hopefully the underclassmen get to have another… but you never know!)

They will never forget that moment for the rest of their lives. Tears, excitement, hugs. Everyone was over the moon. They had worked so incredibly hard for that outcome and they deserved it! Wilson was going to take home the first place trophy.

This is the moment our girls knew they had won! Priceless faces.

I posted a video of the performance below. For a better version: Click Here and go to 1:36

I know I have been the worst blogger ever, but I am back!