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Ac Dec is Family

It's Sunday. The wind is whipping around my house, howling and moaning and stirring our chimes into a noisy frenzy. The fireplace is crackling, and Maggie the cat is sprawled luxuriously near by. A new to-do list explodes in my head as I think of all the things that must be accomplished quickly to get our newly qualified Academic Decathlon team to the state meet in a month. My fingers click furiously across keys and screens, tallying expenses and researching lodging.

And then I pause. I find myself staring off into the quiet with a smirk as "Old Man River" winds through my mental jukebox again.

I love these kids. This team. These teens. Friday and Saturday's regional meet was a roller coaster of emotions to say the least. I felt tense, anxious, and nervous. Excited, silly, and chaotic. Exhausted. Frustrated. Over the moon! After certain events, they weren't exceptionally confident in their performance. After certain score releases, we coaches weren't exceptionally confident in their chances. And then, they did it.

The 2017 Hebron High School Academic Decathlon Team pulled off the highest team score in school history! They finished second place in a ferocious region and earned a #11 spot in the state rankings!

Captain Claire doing some last minute coaching.
When they were called to the stage for medals, my co-coach Zuber and I high fived and fist bumped. We screamed and squealed and hollered (ok, that was mostly me). We photographed them and hugged them. And then we turned with anticipation to witness the next set of medals.

The one that got me the most, though, was the individual winners. Four of our nine received recognition for their overall individual performances. One fifth place, two second places, and the final one, the overall gold, the highest scorer at the meet! That's when I couldn't handle it anymore, and the tears flowed. The students always asked me, "Friend, what'll you do if I win _____?" I always tell them I'll cry. Yeah, it's because after a weekend of such extreme emotions it's only logical that I'd lose it. Yeah, it's also because I've turned into my mother in my old age, and I cry more easily and often. And if I'm really, truly being honest, it's because I love these kids, particularly the ones we've raised over the course of their high school careers, and seeing their smiles and dimples and utter success pushes all my emotional buttons.
2017 Hebron High School
Academic Decathlon Team

Lots of folks talk about establishing relationships with our students both in the classroom and on the field. In the Ac Dec world, we start in the classroom with packets and scantrons and timers. Our field is the gym floor of super quiz and the varnished auditorium stage of an awards ceremony. After investing so much time studying things like World War 2 art and literature and economics, we not only establish relationships. We cement them. Teams become families, and they allow us adults to be parts of them. Over time, these families grow in maturity and polish. They induct new members and create lasting memories.

And they each become one of mine.

Region IX Silver Medalists
A decathlete from 2005 Tweeted this 2017 team, wishing them success. She's never met them, but she knows the family of decathletes like her own. A fellow coach asked me about another one of my former decathletes from '02 or '03 who is now her best friend. This coach says she still talks about us and all that we learned and experienced together.

Ac Dec is family.

I'm so deeply proud of our Ac Dec family (and yes, I'm tearing up while typing all over again!). I'm beyond grateful for Zuber and his irreplaceable role in our mom-and-pop/good cop-bad cop coaching scheme. And I cannot wait to see what these kids pull off at the state meet!

Texas Academic Decathlon state meet 2017 - look out! We're coming for you!!


Comments

  1. Sana Alikalyan MerchantJanuary 22, 2017 at 3:57 PM

    Go AC Dec! So happy and proud to see this! Hope y'all kick some hiney at State! Some of
    My fondest memories of high school are through decathon and with you Mrs. Friend! Thank you so much for doing what you do and whether we (former students) tell you or not, you've impacted my life for the better just by being you. Thank you thank you.

    Decathlon 02-03 :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rooks AP LangJanuary 22, 2017 at 5:25 PM

    What a cool family it is. Love what Sana says above. Always know that you make a huge difference and make kids see what they can be.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 31, 2017 at 9:10 AM

    Steve, it has been too long. #FindSteve

    ReplyDelete

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