Why I do DI

For years I had no clue what DI was.  My oldest daughter would bring home slips about DI tryouts, but it never did say what exactly DI was.  When she was in 4th Grade she decided that she wanted to tryout, and my youngest daughter also decided to tryout. OK, still no clue, but that's fine.  My oldest ended up making the Fine Arts team - You're Gonna Flip, and my youngest was on the Rising Star team - News to Me.  My oldest daughter went from being a shy girl, who did not like to talk in front of others, to one who got up and performed in front of numerous people, and she even learned how to sew a costume!  They ended up taking 1st place at Regionals and 3rd place at State, just missing a trip to Globals (at that time 1st and 2nd at State went).  She was hooked!  My youngest learned how to work as part of a team, got her first lessons in sewing a basic costume, and had a lot of fun.

The following year, since my daughters had so much fun in DI, my sons also decided to tryout.  All 4 of my kids made a team.  I was a Team Manager for a Rising Star Team ~ Big Bug's Bad Day (they went to State to peform non-competitively), and a Fine Arts team (Elementary Level), Triple Take Roadshow (they made it to State).  Two of my kids were on my Rising Star team, one was on my Fine Arts team, and my oldest son was on the Structure team - Verses-Foiled Again (they just missed going to State)!  

The next year, I was the Team Manager for 3 teams, Rising Star - Built to Last (they went to State to perform non-competitively, Structure (Elementary Level) - Hold It! (1st at Regionals, 1st at State, and 20th at Globals),  and Fine Arts (Middle School Level) - Coming Attractions (1st at Regionals, 1st at State, 13th at Globals).  

The year after that, I was back to being a Team Manager for 2 teams, Project Outreach Elementary Level - Real to Reel (1st at Regionals, 2nd at State and 26th at Globals) and Fine Arts (Middle School Level) - In Disguise (3rd at Regionals).  

Last year, I was a Team Manager for 2 teams, Project Outreach (Elementary Level) - Pitch and Play (3rd place at Regionals and 4th at State) and Fine Arts (Middle School Level) - Laugh Art Loud (2nd at Regionals and 5th at State). I also became the Site Coordinator for Amy Belle Elementary.

This year, along with being the Site Coordinator at Amy Belle, I will again manage at least two teams (Elementary and Middle School) and am hoping to manage a team at the high school as well. 

So why do I manage a team?  I first did it because they had so many kids trying out and not enough parent's to manage teams, and  thought why not, it would be a good way to be involved with my kids.  The time spent with my kids is something that I hope they look back on and cherish as much as I do.  I think it also has helped me to create a stronger relationship with my kids.  

Then there are also the "other" kids on the team.  In the first year of managing, I saw shy kids become center stage performers, and become more outgoing.  1 was a child who only wanted things "their way" and did not like to work with others and learned how to compromise and work together as a team, and have fun at the same time.  I saw kids LEARN how to use power tools, how to wire a circuit, how to make backdrops, and how to sew costumes ~ and actually do these things. The stories repeat themselves year after year and I am glad that I have the opportunity to be able to be there teaching these kids new skills and watching them as they learn and grow over the course of a DI season.  At the end of each season, I can honestly say that I will miss these kids (we don't get to keep the same teams from year to year).  

Kids on my teams have formed some lasting relationships with one another, have had a lot of fun goofing off and working hard, and have grown in many ways.     

I'll admit that it isn't always fun and games.....there are times when there is arguing, and it feels like they will never agree on a solution, or times when they make something they thought would work but it just doesn't. Eventually they figure it out or start over, work together and create, in their eyes, the perfect solution. There are also times when a team member just doesn't "mesh" with the team, or one even quits the team but somehow they overcome (one year we had someone quit less than a month before Regionals)....they still had a lot to do, and now had to rewrite their entire skit....and guess what, they were the team that ended up taking 1st place at Regionals and State, and 20th at Globals).

It takes a lot of my time, but I enjoy each and every minute, and along with my kids, I look forward to each DI season!