Dear Platinum {camp summary}

As mentioned in my earlier posts this week, I spent the beginning part of the week with my high school dance team at UDA camp.  This camp is our bid to Nationals and the official kick off to our season, so it is CRITICAL that we have a successful week.  Success isn't necessarily defined in my book as winning, although that is certainly an added perk.

Here's the run down of the AMAZING job my girls did at camp:  1st Place in Home Routine {a routine they learned before camp and brought with them to be judged against the other teams at camp}, Full Out Award for Team Routine {a routine they learned on the first night of camp and had to work together to create formations and alter the choreography to be unique and creative}, Superior Placement for individual routines, 6 of my girls were named UDA All-Americans, Won the Leadership Award {all teams at camp get one vote and are asked "if you weren't on your own team, who's team would you want to be on?"

So with that, I wanted to take a moment to write a little note to them to speak my heart.

Dear Platinum, 

I know camp is super stressful and extremely exhausting, but I am confident that you left camp a much stronger team than when you arrived.  I hope you've learned a lot more this week than routines and technique.  

I hope you've learned that you are MUCH stronger together than apart.  I have loved watching you develop this week as a team - it's always interesting to watch who emerges as a leader and who is more comfortable following.  As a coach, it doesn't matter to me which category you fall under because the bottom line is that our team needs BOTH.  

I hope you've learned that it's not only important to work hard, but to play hard as well.  Nobody can be serious all the time - life is all about balance.  There is certainly not a lack of FUN on this team.  But, to be honest, it's one of the things I love most about you.  You are some of the funniest people I've ever met.  The fun times are what will get us through the upcoming hard stuff we have to do {puke practice, anyone?!}.  I adore when you come running into my hotel room to tell me something funny that just happened or to show me a ridiculous video on your phone.  You make me smile every single day and that makes my job SO much easier.

I hope you remember the moment captured in this image.  The moment they announced that you WON.  The moment that every second of sweat and hard work paid off.  While these moments are few and far between, moments like these are certainly what makes the work we do worth it.  Obviously only one team can win, and it won't always be us - but when it is, I just love to watch you.  The pure joy and excitement in each of your faces was worth every single early morning alarm and sweaty hour in that hot gym this summer.  I sat there watching you with tears streaming down my face because I am so blessed to be your coach.

And lastly, I hope you always look back on this past week at camp {and our entire season really} and remember that our team would not be the same without each and every single one of you.  Each of your strengths and weaknesses and quirks add up to be one of the most remarkable groups of young women I have ever coached.

Each season is special for different reasons and this one is no different.  I will look at that Gatorade container at each practice and think of each of you and this week we got to spend together.  It was an amazing start to what I know will be an awesome season.  Thank you for working hard.  Thank you for playing hard.  Thank you for being humble.  Being the coach of this team is one of the greatest blessings of my life.

I believe in you always -