It's Happening: Those Magic Moments
By Julie Perine on November 12, 2017 from It’s Happening
I think we’ve all experienced it. Whether you’re a fan of Bridgeport High School or another area school, there’s been that one game or performance when everything was perfectly in sync.
Not only was the team on its A-game, but the crowd was too; creating positive energy and bouncing it to those student athletes or entertainers; those vibes ultimately flowing back and forth to create a synergy that makes everyone involved feel something special.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Through the years when my own kids have played sports and cheered, those are the moments I remember most. At the time, the goal is to win a game, competition or maybe even a championship. As the years go on, however, it’s that moment in time – when everything else in the world is blurred and you and your student athletes are in one accord.
Sure, teams practice and become physically prepared and confident, but what I’m describing - the overall picture - cannot be rehearsed. Sometimes it just happens and when it does, it’s magic.
I’ve experienced it a handful of times, including a regional cheer competition 17 years ago. The millennium was new and the Indian cheerleaders were on their game. Every move went just right. The squad and their fans were in it together. The clapping, the music and encouragement from the crowd complimented the perfectly-executed technical cheer and dance. Everyone was confident that Bridgeport had the win, but because of a technicality, the team lost several points and didn’t place. The girls were heartbroken. So were their fans. Thinking back, we kind of let a magic moment be taken from us; for what we remember years later is the performance, not whether the girls walked out with a giant trophy or advanced to the next level.
Things look differently in hindsight; that’s true. But it never hurts to be mindful of awesomeness and true community spirit and not to let those eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart experiences pass you by. Keeping our eyes on the prize is fine, admirable and what every team should do. But it’s OK to love the moment you’re in. The more we embrace it, the longer it will last.
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