Not Making the Team

Once upon a time there was a 13 year old girl who thought she was significantly more awesome than she actually was. She was smart (ish...if you're able to disregard math altogether), she was talented (so she was told), and, despite her oversized head and tiny body, she had quite a few friends (perhaps they were imaginary). This girl decided she wanted to be a majorette in the marching band...though she had put in minimal effort, she'd been taking baton for at least 8-9 years, and she knew she could do it. She practiced, less than she should have, and when try-outs came around she was hardly prepared.

Try-outs were rough, but she thought she'd easily made the line. Why wouldn't she? She always made everything (everything meaning cheerleading, but whatever), so surely this would be no different! She tried out on Friday with one of her closest friends and waited alllllll weekend for results to be posted on Monday morning. The math teacher came in and told the girl and her friend that just one of them had made it. GASP! That wasn't part of the plan...they were both supposed to be twirling together. The band director brought the awful truth to the girl with a "you have great stage presence, but you can't twirl a baton." She was the only one who didn't make it, and her day was ruined.

She finally got the nerve to try-out again...3 years later...for her senior year. Great success! She made it...and hated it. But that's another story for another day, the important part is the growth that came from not making the team.

Check out those 2 batons people!! And Tabitha (far left) doing the completely wrong thing. Annie (in the middle) was the friend I tried out with freshman year...that's probably why she looks like she knows what's going on and the rest of us look like the peanut gallery.

All this to say we had Dazzler try-outs on Friday. 30 girls, all beautiful and fabulous, trying out to be a part of the marching band dance/flag line/auxiliary unit. Do you know how hard it is to tell a teenage girl she didn't make the team? Is it harder because once upon a time I was the one who was told no? I think Friday was a reality slap for me, for sure.

Now, I understand life is full of disappointments. And I also don't really want to attempt to choreograph a good looking routine that anybody can do just because I don't want to cut people from the line. BUT I remember how heart-breaking this was for me, and I hate to cause a heart-break like that for another 13 year old girl. Or 17 year old girl for that matter. I know that one day, just like me, they'll look back and realize it really didn't matter at all in the grand scheme, but I know how bad today was for some girls. And that hurts me. That's also why there's a panel of judges--so the sappy mother-hen/emotional basketcase who relates too much to a situation doesn't end up taking everybody.

To the girls who made it, congratulations! You are wonderful and I couldn't be more excited about the upcoming season and especially band camp. Because I love band camp. You brought it try-out day and you all looked incredible doing that routine. Each of you deserves to be on the line and don't let this blog dedicated to the ones who didn't make it cause you to feel otherwise!

And, to the girls who didn't make it, congratulations to you too. You've failed. That's a hard thing to accept and an even harder thing to move past, but you will do it. And in a few years it won't even matter anyway. You'll be grown, married to the most fantastic man and laughing at the fact that he's a band director even though you swore you hated all band directors the day they cut you from the line. That's how life works. Don't give up. It's worth it to try again. It's brave and it's bold and it will make you a better person. You'll try harder that next time, even if  you don't want to admit it, and then victory is that much sweeter. And if you're anything like me you'll kick yourself for not letting it go the first time because it isn't all that fun anyway...I hope that's not the case for you. You are fabulous. Enjoy your first football game free from the itch of a sequined costume and without a red lipstick smear across your teeth--you won't miss those things.

I believe I've gone on enough. I hope I've adequately conveyed the internal struggle that came with try-outs this year and the fact that I truly grew by being cut from the line. Heck I hope you're just still reading this line because this darn blog is so long. I'm liking feedback right now, so were you ever cut from the team? Did it cause you to grow? Why do I feel like a therapist or annoying talk show host?

Whatever. Birthday count: 7 days.

XOXO,

Hannah (majorette extraordinaire)