One win to Go...
I have finally come to the point that I want to talk about the National Tournament…the moment we have all been waiting for.
Overall, our whole season was an emotional roller coaster. There were very high highs, and very low lows. We have the most talented team I have ever seen, and luckily we were able to slide through most of our season with ease. We were challenged a few times throughout the regular season, but nothing compared to the challenges that arose at the National Tournament. I am a firm believer that ANYTHING…and I mean anything crazy and unexpected can happen in West Plains, Missouri.
You see more fight than anywhere else in the world. Everyone at the tournament is a winner. Everyone deserves to be there. There are underdogs and there are stars. Every single year, without fail….dreams come true and hearts are broken. There is a winner, and there is a loser. One thing that I have found is, no matter how rocky the road to a championship game may be….no one remembers the 2nd place team.
It breaks my heart that that was my team. We worked our little hearts out all week. We beat Barton College (Kansas), Iowa Western College, and the Defending National Champions- Western Nebraska....
We made it all the way to the top, to the National Championship game.
The game was against the huge powerhouse, undefeated Blinn College from Texas. I truly now believe that everything really is bigger in Texas. Anyway, without too much detail, we get beat. They were just the better team that showed up that night. We did give everything we could, and used everything we had but it was just not quite good enough.
I cannot really describe how bitter that loss felt. We lost the National Championship, and then had to stand there emotional, watching them celebrate with a little too much swag.
However, the sting did wear off and looking back now everything feels a lot better. I can now talk about the experience with a big smile on my face.
I got on the NJCAA web site, and nothing is mentioned about us. People remember the winners….only the losers remember how heartbreaking it is.
That is the brutal truth. That was the reality for my team. But, cheers to us for being the 2nd BEST team in the country! What an amazing experience to be there, playing for an audience of thousands. I felt more pressure, excitement, nervousness, and pride than I have ever felt in my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to be there, and here for this past 2 ish years. I have come to love Rock Springs. It was always, always have a very special place in my heart. ♥