We are Truly Winners

I wrote this in October of 2008 when I was interim coaching the competition cheer team at the high school I worked while the regular coach was out on maternity leave.  They were preparing for a big competition and some of them were not happy with each other and we had someone quit.  Before the next practice, I wrote this poem in hopes of boosting their confidence.  It worked; we all cried and worked really hard to get the job done.  We came in 3rd place.  All of the teams I coached in either cheer or dance hold a special place in my heart, but this team was special because I only had a few months with them.  I saw them grow from capable girls to confident young women.  I celebrate this team by reminiscing about this one time of struggle, which became a triumph of the spirit of hard work with this poem.

The time has come,

The crowd is here,

We walk to the mat,

While everyone cheers.

We have worked and cried

Now we face our fear:

Competition day

Without frustrating tears.

 

We’re ready for the fight,

We can hit it clean;

Everyone is ready

To live our dream.

There is no looking back.

The time is right,

Doing our best

Using all our might.

 

You see, we know we can

Because we are a TEAM.

There are no individuals

On their own who scream.

Win or lose,

Important may seem,

But if we give it our all

We have lived our dream.

 

We are truly winners

In everyone’s thoughts

Because we finished it together

And together we brought

The most valued lesson

That could be sought.