The Final Dive Meet

Karianna's final dive meet was today-odd that it was a Monday instead of a Wednesday, but this particular dive meet was the qualifiers for state divisionals, so kind of a big deal.  Karianna has been looking forward to this-they take the first 10 girls, and she has always placed in the top five, I think, so we felt she had a good shot!  I was a little worried though for two reasons.  First, I didn't know if I was going to make it.  She had to report for warm ups at 5:45, and I had a team meeting online from 6-7, during which I was doing a presentation on articulation.  The normal meets usual run 45 minutes behind the predicted schedule, so I figured I'd get my meeting done and zip over to the meet as quick as I could, maybe missing the first dive, but catching the last two rounds.  My second worry had to do with the fact that we just got home from vacation late last night.  I worried Karianna would be so wiped out that it would affect her performance.  Regardless, she had to work with it as best as she could, and she came back from her 7am practice saying it went great, and her scores on their little practice meet were top-notch.  

Skip to the dive meet.  Jared and Karianna left at 5:30, and I started my meeting at 6, as planned.  I texted Jared at 6:50 when the meeting was starting to wrap up to let me know where they were at with the dives.  He didn't respond (I wasn't sure if the text went through correctly since i was doing it through the computer).  In any case, I got done just after 7 and was hurriedly corralling the kids to get to the car when the door opened and Karianna and Jared came in.  ARG!  I missed the whole thing-which apparently started on time for the first time EVER!  I forgot about that when I saw Karianna's face though.  I knew right away it hadn't gone well.  She ended up getting 16th place out of about 40 girls.  She started crying as soon as she said that, and Jared filled in the details.  She over-rotated on her very first tuck dive, and it went downhill from there-she lost her confidence and struggled to do her dives with her normal skill and expertise.  

I felt so bad for Karianna.  We didn't care that she didn't get in the top 10 at all, and her performance throughout the season proves how much she excelled and how good she was!  We explained that to her, and emphasized that she was clearly not herself today after having just gotten back from vacation.  We praised her on a job well done all season long, and reminded her how proud we were of her.  Still.....she was pretty much devastated.  :(  Karianna has such a tender heart, and she puts such high expectations on herself.  We talked for a long time about allowing yourself to be sad for a bit, as that is normal and okay, but then choosing to let it go and move on, focusing on the positives, the accomplishments, and if so desired, the goals for next time around.  She was still sad at the end of our talk, but I was hopeful she would try to let it go.  

How I love Karianna.  She has such a sweet spirit, she wants to do her best at everything, and sometimes that is her biggest nemesis in life.  I see so much of myself in Karianna.  I want so desperately to take this away from her and to fill her life with every joy possible, with endless amounts of confidence that will see her through hard moments like this.  I can only guide her in the right direction and remind her of her great worth in our eyes, and in those of the Lord.  

So at the end of dive season, we are STILL cheering, whooping, hollering for Karianna and a job well-done at every single dive meet and early morning practice.  She's a champ in our eyes!