I mentioned in an earlier post that Kaitlynn was about to kick off an intense stretch of cheer competitions, and that stretch began with our first 2022 event in Oklahoma City, the American Spirit Championship. Even though it was quite the drive for us from the Houston area, I think the Oklahoma-based competition will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the Tulsa competition a year ago where I had my "a-ha" moment, finally understanding the love and draw to this sport that we find ourselves in. Because of this, Kaitlynn and I were excited to hit the road on a Friday afternoon in late January to see what Oklahoma had in store for us in our second season of competitive cheer.
It was a much easier drive this year, and we had a full night's sleep before getting up the next morning to begin preparations for Day 1 of competition. After enjoying a to-go breakfast from the downstairs restaurant in the comfort of our hotel room - which would soon become our new favorite way to enjoy breakfast at these competitions - we began the "construction" process of hair and makeup to complete Kaitlynn's full look. She wasn't fully comfortable doing it on her own yet, but we soaked in the time together as I helped to get her ready. Afterwards, we took advantage of our hard work and some extra time to perform a mini photo shoot in our room. Love this girl and her performance-ready looks!
We were staying in a hotel downtown that was within walking distance to the conference center. It was a chilly but beautiful morning, and the downtown area was surprisingly clean and beautiful compared to most cities we've visited. We enjoyed our brisk walk and arrived at the convention center ready to explore and see the ASC performance arena. We later learned that this was a relatively new facility, which was evident in the modern and clean facilities - very nice!
Soon enough, it was time to meet up with Kaitlynn's team to begin warmups for their performance. It seems like no warmup is complete without lots of impromptu stunting and photo-taking, ha! The Phantom girls were excited and ready for their big weekend ahead!
Soon it was time for the girls to compete, and their Day 1 performance fell a little short of what they'd hoped. But they set aside their disappointment in order to support several of their fellow Woodlands Elite athletes on other teams. The outpouring of spirit and support across the cheer community continues to impress us - it truly is a big family environment!
After watching and supporting many of our fellow teams, Kaitlynn and I decided to head back to our hotel room to change and head out for some dinner. When Kaitlynn took down her hair and wiped off her makeup, she looked so grown up that I couldn't resist taking more photos. This girl - growing into a beautiful young lady right before my eyes. Sniff sniff.
The next morning, it was time to get up and do the entire routine all over again for Day 2 of the ASC competition. It was another beautiful winter day, chilly but sunny and beautiful. We really enjoyed the downtown experience, and we decided to arrive early to watch some of the performances in the other divisions and teams. Kaitlynn was getting to know some of her teammates and also enjoying extra time with them as they supported their fellow teams. The atmosphere at these competitions is always electric, and we soaked in the full experience.
At the end of the day and despite a great showing on Day 2, our Phantom team was disappointed in their overall score and performance. It was nothing a little Dippin' Dots couldn't cure, and then we were on our way back home after an exhausting weekend. When the professional photos arrived a few days later, it was fun to relive the experience. Our girl is a natural performer and her joy for this sport shines through in the amazing pictures. We felt so proud of this Phantom team and had so much more in store for their competition season ahead.
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