What is Fight Song and why is it special? Why is teaching a group of kids a song and dance a good program? Why is wiping the tears off the faces of heartbroken Onondagans worth it? Because it teaches them one of the greatest lessons of all time.
Fight Song is more than the 7 minute performance that we put on tonight. It has brought this group of girls together throughout the entire session. Yes, rehearsal was repetitive, tideous and occasionally boring (although we did our best to avoid all of that). However, it shows the girls how much they are capable of and what they can achieve if they put their hearts into it.
We may not have come out on top this evening, but we did come out on the other side as a more cohesive village. We exit this experience proud of all that we accomplished and understanding the fact that sometimes our best just isn't good enough.
Earlier today, during the endless hours of practice that these girls went through, I told them something. I said, "it's okay to not be the best, but it's not okay to not be YOUR best."
After the final words of our performance, I see the girls rush out of the O-Rec screaming, cheering, and running into eachother's arms. Yet when the smiles turn to tears as Tuscarora is named victorious, I could only help but feel just as disappointed as the girls that surrounded me.
As we gathered outside of the O-Rec, I told them that they completely exceeded what their best was. They have absolutely risen both the ceiling and the floor (shoutout Onondaga Shabbat) of what Onondaga is capable of. They may not head home with a medal, but they have sick songs to sing forever and a pretty neat Tshirt if I do say so myself.
As I quote our fight song, "there's something 'bout these Daga girls" and I could be more proud of all that these campers have accomplished.
Jamie Palmer
Onondaga Fight Song Representative
