Standing there, watching my sister perform on the biggest cheerleading stage there is, I was flooded with memories of my own cheerleading career, reflecting on the initial call to this journey. From the very beginning, at four years old, I dedicated everything I had to cheerleading. I felt a sense of belonging and shared passion with Team Illinois, it felt like I found my place in the world. Our practices are not just about perfecting routines but also about building fellowship and trust, essential elements in any team-based journey. The hours spent in the gym were not just physical training but also mental conditioning, preparing us for the challenges ahead. However, when the gym closed down, I faced a significant setback, symbolizing the first major trial in my journey. It was a moment of confusion …show more content…
That moment was when I realized I wanted to give it one last shot for my last year. And that is what I did. Coming back to the gym, I was really trying to adapt, but it only deepened my feeling of being an outsider, resembling the feeling of uncertainty. I found myself grappling not only with physical challenges but also emotional issues, questioning my identity and passion for cheerleading. It was a period of introspection and self-discovery, representing my inner journey during the abyss phase. The decision to return to cheerleading wasn't just about pursuing a sport; it was about reclaiming a part of myself that I thought was lost. Watching my sister perform that year became my revelation, the moment when I decided to embark on one last season of cheerleading. The dedication and joy reignited the spark within me, reminding me of the thrill and fulfillment that cheerleading brought into my life. It was a moment of realization that my journey wasn't over; it was just taking a different path, much like a realization of a higher purpose or
When I arrived at my new and enormous high school, I got lost. It was June, and since classes had just ended for the day, large crowds of kids filled up the hallways, and I got bumped around like I did not exist. Thankfully, a cheerleader saw me and figured that I had come there for tryouts since I wore shorts, cheer shoes and a big bow in my hair. She took me to the gym where at least sixty girls had shown up for the competition. The first things I saw were cheerleaders doing high level tumbling on the gym floor with no fear. The upperclassmen led us in warm-ups, and they seemed nice. A lot of the girls I met had been cheering since they were five and six years old. I saw a lot of talent in the room, so I knew it would not be easy to
Ever experienced cheer camp a famous college? Surround by its famous color orange and blue? Well, I did! A tremendous amount of people have their different ideas an exciting experience in their life. Although out of all of the exciting experiences I’ve ever experienced , I would have to say my favorite is when I visited The University of Florida for cheer camp my sophomore year. I was overly excited about spending four days at The University of Florida; I stayed up all night the night before packing and getting ready to finally stay at a college for four days with my fellow cheer sisters. From that experience I learned a lot about sticking together as a team, and friendship! But, most importantly, I learned that bonding together as a team is what got us to finish strong at the end. Those four days really opened my eyes to a lot of different things and I’m glad I can say that I really enjoyed myself.
Next year, as I embark my first year at university, I hope to fully integrate myself into the community by getting involved in the Students' Union, joining the cheer team, volunteering where I can and making many new friends along the way. At university, I hope to maintain a high grade point average, granted that my education is extremely important to me and that I am extremely ambitious about achieving my goals.Therefore, I will commit lots of my time to my studies in hopes of being a successful student. Nevertheless, I am still looking forward to being a part of the community by devoting my extra time to helping those around me. In classes, I intend on being an active learner, a respectful student, and a helpful classmate; someone who is always willing to lend a hand to others. Through engaging in my community, I hope to bring joy to others around me by spending my time supporting local events, volunteering for fundraisers, and helping plan and organize campus activities.
Cheerleading isn’t a sport. Loads of cheerleaders have faced this controversial statement. An image of peppy girls, twirling in short skirts for the football team fills most people’s minds when considering the topic of cheerleading. The truth is, we are a strong team that works together to lift each other up, literally. Although we work day in and day out to perfect our stunts, tumbling, and routines, our talent still goes unnoticed by our peers. Negative stereotypes often surround cheerleaders. In my high school, we constantly battle to gain the respect of our classmates not just as athletes, but even simply as people. Some of the most involved and highest ranked students in our school make up our cheerleading squad, but those traits are forgotten
Have you ever just thought and engaged on curiosity on how it feels like to stand and balance on hands of people? Being thrown high in the air with just trusting three people to catch you? Lifting people together while exhibiting strength and trusting that the stunt won’t completely fall? Lastly, having the guts to cheer, shout and to put on that cheerful smile despite all the pain and sacrifices you made just to complete the routine? These people are extraordinary athletes. These athletes just don’t perform difficult stunts but they also uniquely combine the factor of performing and getting the crowd’s attention through their routine. They are called Cheerleaders. Most of the people who aren’t familiar of the content of the sport would think that Cheerleading is just for the purpose of performing and cheering for their own team or school, but to Cheerleaders, it’s more than just those conditions. It’s just something more special than that. It’s a vision and of course, pure passion.
Throughout the years I have been cheering, all of my family and friends have supported me. Cheering may not be the most traditional sport that my parents may have wanted me to be a part of, but it is the sport that has brought many good memories to me. Making new friends that have he...
It was my final moments as a Chelsea High School cheerleader. My final banquet had quickly approached. It was then that I realized I was not ready for the season to be over. I stood in front of my friends, fellow cheerleaders, and their families as they watched and waited for me to recite my last words as the season came to an end. It took hours for me to write about what my teammates and my coaches meant to me. I did not want to sound too nostalgic since I’m not the emotional type, but I also did not want to come across as indifferent. It was a difficult task but I knew I could accomplish it.
From an outsiders perspective one may see brainless and beautiful robots, which scream and perform neat tricks. This is not the case from the inside; cheerleading is so much more than that. Many people are under the impression that cheerleading is not a sport. I am the voice of reasoning that will let you in, and I will show you that cheerleading, in fact, is a sport. Cheerleading requires much physical demand from the body just as any other sport would. Cheerleading, in general, is a team effort. There are many sides to cheerleading, which make it a versatile sport. When it comes to cheerleading there’s more to it than what meets the eye.
To understand how prevalent cheerleading is to our society, it is important to know the background of this activity. The very first cheerleader in history was a man named Johnny Campbell from the University of Minnesota in 1898 and cheerleading was only a man’s sport until 1923, when women were allowed to join. Back then, women were not allowed to compete in sports, so t...
My coach repeatedly yelled for me to get up and do it again repeatedly. For the 3rd time I got up, took a deep breath, and walked back to the end of the cheer mat. I stood there, calmly gathering myself from the last fall. My next attempt was no better than the last one, it resulted in my body slamming to the floor, right hip first. Although I physically felt weary and frustrated, my mind felt ambitious to continue. I got up and walked back to the end of the mat, without being told. I was ready to try again. A full is one of the hardest skills to master as cheerleader. Being a part of my high school cheerleading team I have experienced embarrassing losses that have made me question myself and my cheerleading abilities. have taught me wanting to win more than other teams is not enough, working harder is.
Just like many other common sports, cheerleading has grueling practices and extensive training that these athletes must be able to endure. These athl...
It’s a time out, all of those Friday night lights, shining in your face as you toss your best friend into the air as she kicks and twists and lands right back in your arms. Football season, every high school cheerleaders favorite season. Down on the track, lined in perfect lines, they yell at the crowd, “Are you proud to be a Tiger?” and the immediate reaction from the football fans in unison was, “Yes we are!” Most people say they’re at the games for the attention during school, but if you’d take the time to ask the cheerleaders why they do what they do, you’d get the same answer that I got from my sister when I interviewed her. She took the time to explain to me why she became a cheerleader and then progressed into saying, “I stick with it [cheerleading] because
Cheerleading is a sport that requires physical exertion, teamwork, and competitive elements, all which are hallmarks of traditional athletics. At the heart of cheerleading lies an array of
Maurer, Tracy Nelson. Competitive Cheerleading. 1st ed. Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Publishing LLC, 2006. Print.
A jolt of energy rushed through my body and hit my heart when they call me up to get the team trophy. Not fourth, third, or second, but first place for the third year in a row. Being a captain of a team is an amazing experience. You get to see your team physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare for competition. It's a lot of hard work, but if you try your hardest, make all the practices and have a passion for cheerleading its worth it. Every year we take a few weeks to build a competition routine, the out come is incredible, but the celebration is the best part.