Archive for the ‘Cheerleading’ Category

There was a glimmer

Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

Saturday was a grueling practice. One of our squads was needing a little TLC from coaching staff. We started with an hour of extra tumbling practice, followed by a two hour non-stop practice session that involved repeatedly performing the same routine over and over. There were tears and the cheerleaders were getting frustrated too. [ha!]

Then, during the last 30 minutes of practice, I saw it. There was a glimmer of fight that passed over one of the girl’s faces. She was angry – I loved it. Am I crazy? No! It was the first piece of passion I have seen from this group of girls. I thought, “come on baby, use that energy.” She did, she wiped away tears and fought harder to get it right. Her squad picked up on it – a huge jump in their technique followed.

We praised them, they gave a little more. The couple of parents in the room cheered – they brightened and gave some more. At the end of that practice, they had improved by 80%, at least.

The potential I saw on Saturday energized me to the core. It caused me to prance into the office on Monday with an extra spring in my step.

“Come on my baby girls – I can’t wait to see you this Saturday. I can’t wait for your parents to see you on the 17th at the competition. Use that frustration (it is just passion bottled up) to make you better. Show me how good you really are. Now is the time to let it out – don’t be afraid, I BEE-lieve in you. Don’t forget.”

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Camp

Sunday, August 12th, 2007

Our Belles squad returned from NCA camp last weekend. I could not be more proud of that group of young ladies. Each person grew as a cheerleader, as a squad member and as an individual. Coach Rosie and I learned a lot as coaches too. It was so beneficial.

We were able to take video of the girls on their first day and then each subsequent day until final evaluations. The progress they made as a team was so apparent and exceeded my expectations. We were the youngest group there and we had to really give 100% – and they did.

We established two technical goals as a squad for improvement and we achieved both of them. We established as a squad that we would be an example to the rest of the teams in attitude and we were. We established as a squad that we would not complain and we did not. Every parent of every one of the Belles would have been so proud of the way their child conducted herself over the four days.

It was a triumph! GREAT JOB ladies!

-Coach Kindra

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Clue from the Princes

Monday, July 2nd, 2007

I recently watched Matt Lauer interview Prince William and Prince Harry. I was amazed at the poise and grace of these two young men so much that I needed to share my observations here, with my lucky readers. :)

Obviously William and Harry have been groomed since birth to become world leaders. They have not been denied any desire or need. However, probably due to their mother’s influence, they are grounded and aware of the lack in others’ lives. It occurred to me that as a parent I need to instill within my own young sons a sense of princehood – a devine purpose for which they were created.

My own children are not denied their needs: food, shelter, etc. For which, I am grateful. However, I wonder how many of their desires, spoken or unspoken, are not met due to a lack of resources on my part.

My brother and I were raised by a single parent. She provided for us the best she could. Our needs were always met, but most “extra’s” were not a possibility for us. I never felt worried about our finances, or lack thereof. But I knew not to ask for certain things – name brands, expensive new fad toys, etc. I didn’t feel bad, I just never ASKED. I was probably trying to be a “good little girl” and not ask. However, I want to reprogram myself and thus my own kids to realize that we are not limited by our opportunities, but by our ability to create opportunities.

BELIEVE BIG! There is nothing impossible for you because God is ultimately your source – not your parents, not your race, not your geography. Ask God for the desires of your heart and He will grant them to you. We hear this in church and read it in the Bible, but do we live it? In all honesty, I do not always.

Prince William and Harry are not limited by resources for “things”. They have influence in the world to assist them in achieving their calling, too. They are not superior or “chosen”, they were born into it. Does difficulty, for those of us not of royal birth, make us stop? “Oh, it will be too hard.” Is that the unopenable door for you?

I, for one, am not going to allow my perceived lack or inadequacy to dictate my influence, purpose and success. My dreams are what lies in my heart, not what I think I can easily do. How about you?

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