This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of New York Life for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
Like the young lady and her family in the video above, my fiance and I have worked hard to build my daughter up during this year’s past track and field season so she would have the confidence and ability to go the distance, even if it was her first year participating. However, the road to get to there has been a long one and goes back many years.
My daughter’s love of running began at the age of two. At that age, she made us time her when she ran. And each time she attempted to beat her previous record. She loved to compete, even with herself. That drive to do better stayed with her and utlimately helped her reach the level of excellence she did this year.
As I said, this was her first year participating in track and field. She tried several different track and field events throughout the season, including: 100m, 100m hurdles, 400m, shotput and javelin. Her two best times were in the 100m hurdles and 100m race, and she was only a couple seconds shy of making the cutoff for the State Championship. Because she jumped around a lot, though, trying to find what she was best at, she didn’t dedicate her time to increasing her speed in one race. We strongly feel, though, with the extra coaching from my fiance, who was a track and field star when he was younger, she will no doubt make States next year in the 100m and 100m hurdles.
Going into the season she had the best arm of the girls on her team. At her first meet she hit 16″, which was the highest out of her other female team mates. We knew, though, that she had to increase her distance by two feet in order to qualify for States, so my fiance and I watched some videos and worked with my daughter to help her increase her distance. AND SHE DID!
This is a photo of her qualifying throw at the meet the week before States.
I remember standing there, my fingers crossed, hoping she would make it. When they called out her distance, the smile on her face when she turned around to look at me was one I will never forget. She was so proud of herself, as was I. She did something she wasn’t sure she was going to.
We knew that her hard work couldn’t stop there, though. Since she was going up against some of the best girls in her division within our state, she needed to work harder than ever. So we continued to work with her, and when States rolled around, she increased her distance by another foot and six inches. What a great moment that was!
My daughter went into that meet ranked 31st in the state in her division for shot-put. By the time she was done her flight (she was in the first one), she was in the #2 spot. And at the end she was ranked as #15 in the state. We were darn proud of her and what she accomplished.
She, however, was down and out over her results because she really wanted to go further, but we reminded her how amazing she did this season since it was only her first year. And then we told her that next year we are going to work with her even more so she makes it to the top six within the state.
So why do we make the extra effort to help her?
Why do we do that for all four children?
We truly want to see our kids succeed.
And as for my daughter, even though my fiance isn’t her bio dad, he is still her dad in every other essence of the word and takes as much pride in her accomplishments in life as I do.
THAT is what being a family is about, even a blended family. We stand by each other. And we root all four kids on and instill in them the necessary skills to achieve their goals in life and to get back up when life knocks them down.
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The My All-Star Daughter video is part of New York Life’s Keep Good Going campaign, which features Life Lessons, derived from other’s personal experiences.
Now it’s your turn to share how the Life Lesson in the video above applies to you and your family’s life with myself and New York Life.
Learn more about how New York Life can help you and your family Keep Good Going.