Sunday Funday! I'll have a quad shot please...

Yesterday was our first real field day of the season! Whoopie!! This year due to some scheduling changes the first field day was at Chico State. Just in case you weren't aware this is kind of shitty... Chico is one of the best and hardest contest that the kids go to besides state finals. So to have a group of freshmen and sophomores who have never participated in a field day ready to COMPETE at Chico, the first contest was difficult.

But hey, aren't they adorable?! 

I had to remind myself multiple times they are young, they are green, and they don't know. If I said I wasn't disappointed with how we did I would be lying. Now, I'm extremely proud of each of them and their progress and the amount that they've learned in the last month and a half. But it seriously sucks not to do good. I am slightly competitive, just like 95% of the Ag teachers in California. I don't spend countless hours at practice and every weekend working to lose. 

Yesterday was the first time in four years that a team I have coached, at any contest hasn't been called up. My ego is a little bruised...  I love CDEs! One of the biggest goals that I set when I started teaching was to win a state championship with a horse team. And this is the first year that I haven't had a team that's in the hunt... Now I know my team is young and they'll be great when they are juniors but how do I tell them at every contest, when they lose, that they're doing better and just be positive for them??? When actually I'm losing sleep over it and cringing on the inside? 

Now I know this makes me sound like I'm a terrible person. Who can be mad when the kids are trying?? I'm not mad, I just like to win-- but I have to keep in focus the purpose of why I do what I do... 

Teaching kids to have passion, to work hard, work together and support eachother... 

I had to remind myself yesterday on my drive home, when they were so proud of how they had done that any progress is good progress and they will grow into good judges. I have to trust myself to know I will get them to the top... with time. Everything in time! And I need to be grateful that they trust me enough to join a team and put themselves out there...