After stepping down in December from coaching the Junior High team I was asked to help work the Junior High County meet on Friday night. I'm not entirely sure what our A.D. was thinking when they thought of this plan...well I actually know he didn't have much say but still he's seen me at County I was usually a hot mess of nerves and what not.
So this year my role was clearly different and I wanted to make sure for the sake of the two new coaches that I kept my distance not to mention my role for the night required me to pay attention to what was going during the meet.
I believe at one point in time my AD said that it was the calmest he had ever seen me at a meet ever. I guess the girl's meet came down to the last race...I had no idea...I'm going to go ahead and say that is for the best.
Truth is I had spend the season chatting with the new sprint coach because he has first period prep but beyond that I kept my distance. My 8th graders were sad when I left but while it always takes a while to warm up to new coaches they did so I wasn't going to interfere on the most important night of their season.
Anyways, I actually had a great time. I love track and field. I love seeing close races, I love watching the nerves athletes have before races, the focus they have before getting into the blocks before finals. And honestly, when you don't' have to worry about points or athletes...you can actually enjoy it!
So the best part of the night was the end...not because it was the end but because of what I did! I was helping load the cars and I thought it would be funny to buckle the championship plaque into the AD's jeep...except it was the wrong one...I might have accidentally picked up the boy's one instead of the girl's which is the title we won...oops!
Overall, it was a great night and once again I am reminded why I love the sport I coach.
With Love Always,
Alex
One of the biggest joys I have had the privilege of experiencing this year has been coaching for my old high school team. For those of you who don't know I was a high jumper in high school...I jumped varsity for 4 years and lived for track season. I wasn't great but I loved it and I honestly say I bled blue. Well after 4 years of coaching for other teams I was given the opportunity to coach for the school where it all started and ended for that matter.
My first year coaching I was 22 in Bloomington I really didn't worry about much. I was young, I had some crazy notion that I was still in shape enough to jump....lies all lies...worst idea in my whole life. I co-coached with another guy who actually was in shape to jump which is most likely where I got the idea I could still jump. We were a young staff and we had fun. I got a girl out of sectionals without much stressing and that was a major victory.
Move to the fall when I moved back home and was hired on as a junior high coach. Junior High is a completely different beast than High School Track. More kids, younger, more wild, way less coordination and I even coached sprints...I know anyone who knew me in high school knows how hilarious that though is! When I came on board the girls team was coming off County wins and undefeated seasons and the boys were trying...bless their hearts. For three years the girls continued that streak, and the boys continued to drive me crazy...I mean tried to win and be as awesome as the girls!
Then came this awesome opportunity...to coach the very event that I competed in for 4 years at the very same school. I had an opportunity to go from coaching 100 athletes to 15...so I went for it...I jumped and hoped it would worked out!
Well it did...it was has been such a great experience to coach for the team that I jumped for so many...okay not so many...years ago. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.
There has been so many challenges and successes this year that I can't begin to count...but last night was by far the hardest....sectionals.
Unfortunately, none of my girls were able to advance to Regionals next week and I by no means thought going into the meet that all 4 would advance no problem and it be a cake walk kind of meet.
For those of you who know me...I try to be tough...I like to joke that I'm tough because I wear too much eyeliner to cry. Well...last night that was not the case. I don't ever remember there being so much emotion in track. Now that is not to say that I didn't cry when I was in high school because let's be honest...I was in high school. But I don't think that I ever made Carp cry! Now I'm not sure that my girls know this but I kept my sunglasses on most of the night because I had evidence under my eyes from the tears. There was one point during the night that I went to watch the shot put and asked if crying would be involved because I couldn't handle any more crying...then our girl rocked a huge throw...happy tears were almost involved!
It is always sad to see so much hard work end in disappointment. As a high jumper especially it is tough because no matter how well you do you will always end on a miss. As I continue to coach long jump and mind you I have always been very blessed to get some of the best athletes who just have passion and drive...I feel like no matter how far they jump they always will look to the end of the pit and see that there is still sand left to jump in and know that there is room to improve.
I'm not going to lie to you...I went to bed last night defeated...we won the meet, we had lots of girls advance...but tomorrow at practice my girls won't be there at the pits asking me to wobble (yes it happens) or calling me "Fairy God Mother"...again I can't make this up even if I tried. The nice thing was that I woke up to a text that reminded me that the doubts I was having weren't true and that no matter how things ended this season was a success.
So it's off to bed because after all the boys are back at it tomorrow and while they don't call me their Fairy God Mother...which would totally be weird...I need to be well rested and ready to be the ball of nerves I was just last night ready to get some athletes out of Sectionals.
With Love Always,
Alex
So first a disclaimer...it's track season and the end of the year so life is just super crazy and I know I say this every time but I will try harder to get on here more often but until then it will be a happy surprise when I find time to get on here and write something!
So last year I heard about this really awesome book from my friend and fellow blogger Sarah (http://livesoverlap.blogspot.com/). She was going on about how awesome this book was and how fun it was to read it with some of our Wyld Life girls! Well K-Dog really wanted to read this book too so she "talked me into" starting a morning book club. I'm a huge fan of reading outside the classroom and after hearing how much Sarah loved this book I knew it would be epic!
So I got my three girls together, I ordered the book, we decided on the day and I even promised donuts...because who doesn't love donuts.
So what book did we read you ask? LOVE DOES!
If you haven't read...you must...like right now...well actually finish reading this then go read it!
The girls loved reading the book and so did I. The book is about all the amazing and wonderful things Love does and living a life of whimsy. If you don't want to be more awesome after reading this book you didn't actually read it! Bob Goff, the author, is so awesome and he loves God so much and is such an amazing person. Sarah (who is in the pictured with me above) had the chance to meet him awhile back and had told us how amazing he was.
So fast forward to a month ago when I was on facebook and saw that another Young Life leader and friend of mine, K-Craig, had shared a link to an event...not just any event but a chance to see Bob Goff live! I didn't ask questions, I didn't text anyone to see who else was going, or see if anyone would go with me I just clicked the link and bought a ticket. I figured the rest of the details would work themselves out.
So of course my first immediate thought was to tell K-Dog about this awesome chance to meet Bob Goff because she was the one who really pushed to start the book club with me last year and lets be honest she's my mini me...well when I say mini me I mean as mini me as two tall people get!
When we got there we got super great seats and we could literally see Bob...K-Dog seriously had a total fan girl moment it was so awesome! We had so much fun!
And it was so fun to catch up before and after his talk about everything that had been going on...did I mention the awesome friendship bracelet she made me! It rocks! (Total side note...my total adorable little brother kindly pointed out that my watch is upside down but clearly I didn't take the picture so I am aware..Bubs I love you!)
So back to the main event Bob Goff...he is awesome...I can't even to begin to tell you all the amazing things he said or that I heard or saw because my mind was pretty much blown...like COMPLETELY BLOWN!
One thing Bob said that really stuck with me...I mean there is a lot...but one thing was that we want to live on the edge of Yikes. Living on the edge of Yikes is where we bump into Jesus and living in the middle of comfortable that won't happen. That is such a cool concept. The edge of Yikes can totally be whatever and wherever we want it to be. It's going outside our comfort zone and putting ourselves out there and going beyond. It's going outside the daily, weekly, monthly routine and experiencing life, living in whimsy and showing people love.
Something else that Bob said that really hit home was that we should stop keeping count. and that rather than telling people how short they fell we need to tell them how far they have come. It's about building people up and being humble about our successes. That is how we come closer to being like Jesus not by showing people their shortcomings and telling people how much more they have left to accomplish.
The biggest take away from Bob's talk and book is simple...you don't need to be smart to figure this one out...its two simple words...Love Does...last night Bob said this really great quote and for those of you who know me know that above all things love is one of the things I believe in most (even if I joke about being a crazy dog...not cat...lady the rest of my life)...I mean after check the name of the blog..haha...we are defined by our love and that we need to live in grace and walk in love.
I can safely say it was a night and talk that will stay with me for such a long time and I am even rereading Love Does...it's probably the first time ever that I am rereading a book. I started rereading it this weekend in preparation to see Bob's talk but then laundry and life happened. But maybe now the book has new meaning or maybe I'll read it with new excitement...if nothing else there are some new notes in the front cover and an awesome signature in the front!
With Love Always,
Alex
