The Little Guard That Could
I know, I promised an update like this a LONG time ago. With the end of the season just a week and a half away, it seems like this is way overdue.
I'm very torn about how this season went with my kids, my first instructing alone, my first without L, and my first without the kids I'd spent four years after high school getting to know at QO.
Our final product...I think it's okay. My first goal was just to prove to myself and to everyone else that I could do it. I did that in spades. I know I'm capable, but my goal seemed too small about halfway through the season. I am afraid that by then, just being good had already been instilled into my girls' heads. They resisted my pushing them to be great.
They hate rehearsing, they hate cleaning, they hate being outside, they seem to hate everything that requires any kind of hustle or extensive physical skill. And yet, they keep coming back. I can't figure out why, other than that magical thing known as the color guard friendship. I don't think I did a good enough job getting them to bond with me this year...so I really can't take any credit for the fact that they keep showing up.
But to focus on the positives: Our first competition so far, we got a 15...which is a pretty decent score for a rookie instructor. It certainly wasn't their best showing, I've seen much better at most of their rehearsals. I made changes as per the judges request (well, what I could reasonably do without bogging them down further...), but my corrections feel next to worthless because a) we have no competition in our group this weekend and b) we are only doing two competitions to begin with. But I feel like we can (sorta) hang with the big dogs...we were VERY close in guard score to a lot of other very established programs.
Another landmark we hit, reclaiming our title in our town's parade. Not such a big deal to many of you, but when you are competing against two rival high schools with MUCH bigger bands, it's nice to have the trophy back. I can't help but take a lot of credit for that because no other guard did what we did in front of the judges stand. Winning "Best Costume" for the entire parade ain't too shabby either (kudos to L for that...!)
My goal for this weekend is to get the kids over the 16 hump, which felt so good when I was in high school. Lots of cleaning is in store over the next few days, and for once, I'm really happy that we have a home game on Friday to make sure they're ready. My other goal is for them to meet and see the other MoCo programs I have ties too (QO and NW to be specific). I just want my kids to see that they can do what any other guard out there does if they'd put in the effort.
Despite having lost two members, and almost losing another to surgery (I had to add her into the rest of the show a little over three weeks ago), we've stayed resilient. I am so proud of them for that, for their flexibility while all this chaos, completely out of our control, is going on. My cute little pet name for them in the heading couldn't be more true. With no members, and no money, we somehow managed to throw something together that is pretty decent. I just wish my kids wouldn't be so satisfied with "average."
With winterguard looming, I know what I need to do: build better relationships with my students so they'll want to work harder for me. I think that will make the difference.
I'm very torn about how this season went with my kids, my first instructing alone, my first without L, and my first without the kids I'd spent four years after high school getting to know at QO.
Our final product...I think it's okay. My first goal was just to prove to myself and to everyone else that I could do it. I did that in spades. I know I'm capable, but my goal seemed too small about halfway through the season. I am afraid that by then, just being good had already been instilled into my girls' heads. They resisted my pushing them to be great.
They hate rehearsing, they hate cleaning, they hate being outside, they seem to hate everything that requires any kind of hustle or extensive physical skill. And yet, they keep coming back. I can't figure out why, other than that magical thing known as the color guard friendship. I don't think I did a good enough job getting them to bond with me this year...so I really can't take any credit for the fact that they keep showing up.
But to focus on the positives: Our first competition so far, we got a 15...which is a pretty decent score for a rookie instructor. It certainly wasn't their best showing, I've seen much better at most of their rehearsals. I made changes as per the judges request (well, what I could reasonably do without bogging them down further...), but my corrections feel next to worthless because a) we have no competition in our group this weekend and b) we are only doing two competitions to begin with. But I feel like we can (sorta) hang with the big dogs...we were VERY close in guard score to a lot of other very established programs.
Another landmark we hit, reclaiming our title in our town's parade. Not such a big deal to many of you, but when you are competing against two rival high schools with MUCH bigger bands, it's nice to have the trophy back. I can't help but take a lot of credit for that because no other guard did what we did in front of the judges stand. Winning "Best Costume" for the entire parade ain't too shabby either (kudos to L for that...!)
My goal for this weekend is to get the kids over the 16 hump, which felt so good when I was in high school. Lots of cleaning is in store over the next few days, and for once, I'm really happy that we have a home game on Friday to make sure they're ready. My other goal is for them to meet and see the other MoCo programs I have ties too (QO and NW to be specific). I just want my kids to see that they can do what any other guard out there does if they'd put in the effort.
Despite having lost two members, and almost losing another to surgery (I had to add her into the rest of the show a little over three weeks ago), we've stayed resilient. I am so proud of them for that, for their flexibility while all this chaos, completely out of our control, is going on. My cute little pet name for them in the heading couldn't be more true. With no members, and no money, we somehow managed to throw something together that is pretty decent. I just wish my kids wouldn't be so satisfied with "average."
With winterguard looming, I know what I need to do: build better relationships with my students so they'll want to work harder for me. I think that will make the difference.
posted by haze at 9:11 PM
2 Comments:
you are teh smartest and i is very proud of yer face.
congratulations, hazey. like you said. aint too shabby.
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