Does It Matter?
It was May 10th and the day of the 5th Grade Softball Tournament for 12 elementary schools in East Aurora. Jamie had volunteered to serve at the event as an all purpose volunteer, a “floater.” Her role would be to circulate among event areas, checking in with team leaders and volunteers for needs, and problem solving. But when last minute challenges left a void for score keeper, Jamie jumped in. And for the entire day she was the score keeper and team cheer leader extraordinaire.” I know I really shouldn’t have a favorite team, but I just can’t help myself,” she explained. Bardwell Elementary School had a great team, and the kids were so excited and determined. So she cheered, encouraged, and communicated belief in them with all her heart. She did it with such passion and intensity that she even lost her voice by the end of the day.
The final game of the tournament began and competition was fierce. The final teams competing for the trophy were Bardwell and Krug. Parents, coaches and friends cheered wildly on each side. And of course, Jamie was among them. And when the dust settled, “My team even won!!” Jamie exclaimed hoarsely as she high five’d the players. Her voice didn’t return for days.
Weeks later she was assigned to tutor at Bardwell Elementary School. Walking down the hall, students who were on the team excitedly recognized her. She heard the buzz as they elbowed one another, “Hey there’s that girl who was cheering for us at the softball tournament!” They began to spread the word to other students who were teammates – and the high fiving began. Clearly Jamie had been an unforgettable presence for the team that day. Jamie was amazed at their response, “Who would have thought that one tournament with all those people that the kids would remember me? But they did and I thought it was super cool.”
Would the Bardwell Team still have won without the crazy cheering girl? Maybe – but who can measure the power of encouragement? Or just how much harder they reached to live up to the expectations of one crazy cheering girl who obviously believed they could take the trophy? And it was a victory to remember for both the team and Jamie when they proved her right.