Shady's back, tell a friend

Through endless sessions and the same music played over and over and over again -- I've made it through!

I am here to report that we have:

• 1 (one) state beam champion;
• 1 (one) state floor champion;
• zero falls on beam!!
• medals for all of the girls (beyond the "thanks for showing up" medal);
• very few broken dreams.

I was nervous in the early sessions because the scoring was tight. Few 9.0's on any event. Then the scores went up (or maybe the performances improved), but I stayed nervous, and maybe got even more nervous as the girls placed higher and higher in each session.

I just wanted to see one of them win.

Victory does not change these girls, though. They still come to practice the day after and complain when they have to do strength, and giggle during routines, and trip over themselves. I like them that way: successful but silly. Still being whoever they want to be.

"Where is your gym?" a coach from another team asked at the competition, and I told her, and she looked puzzled. She had not heard of us. But that's okay. We have put the word out.