A little insight

We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world.

- Helen Keller

An early blog because my sister pointed out something that I had never really thought about until she got to see what a practice is like for me. It was wonderful that she could step in and be there when the assistant coach needed to stay home with her child.  She even brought my 4 year old niece who is such a little bundle of joy and loved all the attention.

The kids on the team are great in my opinion.  Then again I am oddly used to them.  I know a lot of their personalities well enough so that I adjust as best as I can.  I have my super happy positive girls that always want to keep things on the up and up.  I have a couple of girls who have hit the age of puberty and they get a little surly some days.  I have the girls who I swear have A.D.D or just have a diet high in sugar.  I have the quiet girls who rarely speak up so when they raise their hands I make it a point to give them a chance to say something to the group. I have girls that are peace keepers, fighters, and everything in between.  And my sister was stunned!

She came over to my house for dinner last night after practice and as we sat there eating she started commenting on how she didn't realize how patient I had to be some days.  You see, she got to see it all, when the girls were behaving and listening and participating to the opposite end where at one point I authoritatively said "one" really loudly.  I have a two year old and the "One, Two, Three" count is great for getting her to cooperate without having to yell constantly at her and gives her the indication that mommy is being serious now.  I laughed inside when I said "One" and the entire team went dead silent! 

It had to do with the fact that one of the groups was being extra chatty.  Granted I was really happy because it means the group was getting along.  But if you could have seen the looks on all the girls faces.  It was priceless. 

The funnier thing is I hadn't paid attention to how many times I might tell a girl to move, stop doing something or some how 'discipline' her and never lose track of what I was doing with the girls.  It goes something like this:

Coach Jillianne is teaching lesson....

Girl gets up and starts dancing around and singing (yes, this has really happened)

Teaching teaching *dancing Teaching

"Girl, Sit down next to me" Teaching teaching teaching.....no more dancing

I mean literally I will almost interrupt myself, say that short statement, and then keep going with the rest of the lesson.  Its sort of hilarious. 

But all in all, I guess I never realize how much more patient I have become, especially with my own kids at home.  It isn't to say I am some saint, far from it, I have days where I have to walk away for a second so that I can take a deep breath or I will talk to the assistant coach and just say, "Am I crazy or is 'Girl' being particularly difficult today?" .  I think just knowing that someone else recognizes my struggle makes it easier for me. 

But there definitely needs to be a big thanks to my assistant coaches who have given me immeasurable support in helping me to remain calm.

And a huge thanks for my sister for coming out and helping with the girls so they didn't have to have practice cancelled.