“Ready! One, two!” echoes through the gym as we practice our routines over and over again. For about ten years, I have heard those same three words so many times, that I feel as if it is a song on repeat in my head, stuck there forever. Cheerleading has always been a major part of my life ever since I was a little kid. Not only is it the one sport that I actually enjoy, but it’s a bond that I can’t get anywhere else and it’s a connection that makes me believe we are one giant family.
I must admit that the first couple of years, I was just a beginner so I was not exactly great at it, but as I continued to participate; I kept learning more skills and abilities that I never even knew were possible. Stunting was a whole new language to me, because there is so much to know and so much to keep in mind all at the same time. I remember when I was on a younger squad and we would only one or two different small stunts. Now, we know more than ten different stunts and they’re all about throwing other people in the air, and over our heads. But this all constantly needs practice, but more importantly, we all need to trust each other. The cheerleading squad works together in everything that we do, and trust plays a major role. Right from the beginning, I enjoyed learning more, and practicing the routines that we would be able to show to the crowds at the football and basketball games. We are constantly learning new cheers, dances and stunts, but we are always learning more about each other and growing as a stronger team.
Every year, we get a chance to go to Pine Forest Cheerleading camp in Pennsylvania for four days to have one of the best learning experiences that could be given to us. I have only been there three times because I was always shy and nervous to leave home for that long when I was younger. I finally got up the courage to go three years ago, and it was such a great memory that I’ll always have with me. From the start, we are constantly bonding because we spend every waking moment together. Even when we are in the cabin, we spend time together to get to know each other better and talk about what they day was like and what we had learned. There is more to the camp than just cheering twenty four seven; they also put together activities for squads to work together as a team, playing games that help us connect to each other and gain more trust between everyone on the team that ended up going. All three years that I did go, it was always a bummer on the last day, knowing that we had to leave after having so much fun together and learning so much more, enjoying every moment we had.
I can definitely say that my confidence and courage has progressed tremendously from cheerleading as well, after getting up in front of hundreds of people, plenty of times and performing what we’ve practiced over and over again. One memory that sticks out the most, where I gained confidence and courage more than ever would be our high school’s pep rally when I was a Freshman. It had to be the most nerve racking moment of my entire life, but ended up being so much fun, and helped me learn how to calm my nerves before any other performance like that one. Our sportsmanship and pride for our school grow each and every time we get together to hear “Ready! One, two” echo through the gym once again knowing that what we have worked so is going to be seen in front of our community. Our spirit and sportsmanship would not exist as bold as it does if we did not get the chance to experience the amazing bond that has made us the cheerleading squad that we have become. I have built so much trust between each and every one of my teammates, not only as a team, but also as friends. Well, not exactly just as friends, but also as sisters.