Raise the Bar

My sons high school has a 'pep rally' three times a year. Fall sports. Winter sports. Spring Sports.

I remember in high school - we had a pep rally once a week for football. I'm not sure if we had them for the other sports.

(BTW, I really HATE the phrase "when I was a kid". No one cares about when you were a kid. Get over it. Your childhood is OVER. This is NOT your chance to re-live what SHOULD have been your childhood.)

Sorry for the tangent.

Last year was the FIRST year EVER in the history of Denver Public Schools for the district to have a hockey team. It was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

The hockey team was good. Not great. Good.

They made it to the first round of playoffs.

There was then the "Winter Pep Rally".

NORMALLY, when the teams come out: the athletes walk out. Wave. The crowd cheers. The announcers announce the "team"

"Please welcome the East High School Wrestling team."

Everyone cheers. Everyone waves.

Last year, the hockey team was announced.

They had a "skit" planned: they lined up the players as bowling pins and "rolled" a senior to the pins.

The crowd went crazy..........

This year: the hockey team set it up to have a little brother of the team (he just turned 10) - "Sack" all the players and score a "goal" on the best goalie in the state.

The crowd, once again, went crazy.

The other teams, still walked onto the floor of the gym and waived.

Except, for one other team - they had a skit this year too.

The hockey team has "raised the bar"

Set a standard higher than what was previously attained.

The hockey team is already worried about what they might do next year. Next year, "to top" this years performance.

Sometimes you change what is considered "standard"

Sometimes you raise the bar.....