Stateside, or "Are we there yet?"

We are super close to States, which will be my first time coaching at such an event. I know it's basically the same as all of the other competitions, and that for twelve-year-olds competing at a fairly low level, the stakes aren't high.

I've been looking forward to States, mainly because we've had some winning performances this year and it'd be pretty sweet to say we've coached a state champion. Put a little announcement on the website, have the parents realize that we actually know what we're doing, etc.

Except this week, the girls have been driving me up the wall and I'm now on the warpath.

In my day, if States were approaching and my coaches had signified that this was a big deal, which I knew it was, I got to work. I was always working. You wouldn't find me sitting on the floor giggling at the end of the vault runway, or missing squat-ons, or pouting because my coach made me work on a skill that I struggled with. Our girls excel at all three of these things, and then some.

I don't understand.

I've made motivational (at least in my mind) speeches. I've yelled and threatened. I've offered encouragement. But at the end of the day, there are two possible outcomes for States:

• Great Success: Overall, strong performances. If that's the case, we'll have some kids on the podium. Maybe even in the top three. A team award will be won -- not first place, but a real placement, not the "thanks for showing up" team award.

The problem with Great Success is that they'll think they're great, which they do after every meet. They'll think that the amount of work they put in is enough. For a few, it is. For the rest, not really.

The other possibility is:

• Epic fail: Oh, Epic Fail, you're always lurking! This would mean some disasters and an overall lackluster effort. Few to no awards, and the "oh, yeah, we did compete here today" team award.

Lately I'm not opposed to Epic Fail. It's humbling. It's an opportunity for introspection.

Except I know, I know that instead of, "Well, I only come to practice two days a week and maybe I should have stepped up my game" or "Hey, my coaches were right when they said I needed to lean over the bar in my squat-on," it will turn into the Blame Game: "I didn't like the bars at the meet. I was tired. So-and-so was injured and that's why we didn't get a team award." And so on.

So I look forward to States. With caution.