Hey Coach

 This whole month has me feeling all nostalgic.  Today I spent some time looking through pictures from the different teams that I have coached and/or worked with.  Sometimes, it was just me.  Sometimes, I worked alongside other folks.  Those folks became friends, good friends.

My first year of teaching I met Charity Cayton, the Varsity Coach at DH Conley High School in Greenville, NC.  Charity was a math teacher...I was the new art teacher.  Later, we would learn that we were the yin and the yang.

I was assistant coach for Charity for 2 years.  The last year we won every competition that we entered, including the State Co-Ed title.  She has a matter-o-fact, no holds style that I always admired.  True to her mathematician roots, she was a problem solver and she knew her stuff. We were just a great fit...and became really good friends.  Charity would later be one of my bridesmaids, I was her daughter's art teacher for two years...and no visit back home to Greenville is complete without some time with my Charity.  

(Top) States, 2003 (Left) Random Spirit Week pic (Right) Supporting our other favorite team, the ECU Pirates! Circa 2007?

One thing that I will always remember from that time is when we were having all these practices, prepping for states.  Everyday- practice.  The team would run it full out, get water rest, repeat.  As with most teams there are always last minute injuries, and redoing the routine...calling it stressful is an understatement.  I guess it was out last practice before states...and we had something up our sleeves.  The team didn't know it, but we had been creating our own 'cheer routine'.  They had just run it full out, we had them sitting at the edge of mat...trying to act like we were about to start critiquing them...then we did our own cheer and dance routine.

Now, as far as routines go- we probably wouldn't have scored that high.  But it took the edge off, made us all laugh.  Silliness is good for the soul.

Then we went to Winston Salem and finished off our season with a win.  

Random pics from my PBG days...love me some Gardens cheerleading, and Ashley Ralston!

Another individual that I have coached with that I adore- Ashley Ralston.  When I moved to Florida, I wanted to find a team to work with, that was a priority for me.  The school where I was teaching didn't need a coach, so I contacted schools near me in Palm Beach...nothing.  Nothing until I received an email from Bill Weed, Athletic Director at Palm Beach Gardens High School. He put me in touch with Ashley, his new head cheerleading coach...the rest is history.

I volunteered as Ashley's assistant coach for a year, attending games and practices, going to states and getting to know her more.  

Side note...I forgot to mention- she is a math teacher. Another math-art connection!

The next two years I coached my own team at PBG, the JV cheerleaders but I helped out whenever I could with Ashley's team and with the overall program.  I can honestly say that Ashley is one of the most beautiful people I know, inside and out.  She radiates love and is exactly the type of person you would want coaching your child.  I am so proud to be able to call her my friend, and I wish she wasn't all the way in Jacksonville!  

So anyway...just wanted to share some words about these two ladies I admire and love so much, both I met through cheerleading and are now a part of my life. 
 
And I can't even begin talking about the actual cheerleaders...maybe in a future post...I just can't, I might turn into a slobbering crying mess.  For now, here is a slideshow with all kinds of cheer love...enjoy!

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/PR9AK3fg