Personal Narrative: Cheerleading

I have cheered since I was four and have been a cheerleader for my school since I was in 6th grade.

Just like anything else, cheerleading has quite a history behind it. From the first chants at Princeton University to one of today’s most popular National pastimes, cheerleading has come a long way the past ten decades. In ancient times spectators cheered for runners in races held during the first ever Olympic Games in ancient Greece. In the 1860's students in Great Britain began cheering at competitive sporting events and soon the idea spread to the United States.

Becoming a cheerleader at such a young age, being on the cheer mat became a happy place for me. I spent thirteen out of my eighteen years of my life cheerleading and it is definitely something that means a lot to me. Being on the cheer mat whether at practice or at competition has taught me many life lessons that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Having such caring and dedicated coaches made my experience so special and unique. My passion for cheerleading shows tremendously as soon as I step on the mat, and learning many life lessons from cheer has shaped me into the person I am today.

The moment I knew I wanted to do cheer the rest of high school was during fishbowl. While I was cheering to the loud, enthusiastic crowd, I had realized I was much happier cheering on the sidelines than in the stands, or anywhere else. I just wanted to be cheering because cheer is very fun, and I love everything about being on the team. It values team building and highly emphasizes school spirit. I am very dedicated and excited about cheer because it involves skills that I naturally pick up on quickly and/or I can work on in a fun, yet ambitious way.

Hi, I am Arabella, a junior in high school and a varsity cheerleader at Siesta Key High School. I am four feet and eight inches tall and a flyer on the cheer team. I often dress like a nerd, and do not care what other people think. I am dating the star football player at SKHS his name is Tom. Tom was not only a star football player, but he is also very good at soccer, basketball, baseball and volleyball. He is a liar and a cheater too. Anyways, people just call me Bella. I love sports and love spending my days off at the beach. I especially love Major League Baseball; Tampa Bay Devil Rays is my favorite team. I am a happy person most of the time. Who’s dedicated to my cheerleading career; and I want to get a scholarship for Northwestern

If everything was easy, then everyone could it and it wouldn’t be an accomplishment. Last year I joined an all-star cheerleading team, and that’s when I found out that this wasn’t going to easy that I have put myself out of my comfort zone. I was 17 years old and I was very shy, but I knew that you couldn’t do anything if you’re shy. Cheer was the best choice I had ever done by the second week of practice I was talking to everyone on the team they became my second family my coaches became so important to me they believed in every single one of us they pushed us to do our best and to never give up.

When I was 9 years old, I started this thing called competitive or all-star cheerleading. My goal at the time was to make it on a level 5 team and compete at the World Championship. Within my first 5 seasons I had a lot of trouble with my tumbling, which prevented me from moving past level 4. Before my sixth season I switched cheer gyms. My parents believed in my goals so much that they drove me an hour and half to and from practice two to three times a week. Within my first year at Tribe which was my new gym, my tumbling issues never got resolved. That left me on a level 3 team where I never believed I was good enough. The next year I was again put on a level 3 team. Now in my eighth season I was put on a level 3 team yet again. I wanted to quit, but my coach showed me that tumbling did not define me and allowed me to fall in love with the sport all over again.

I waited weary in anticipation of what name would break out of the happy-go-lucky collegiate cheerleader’s boisterous mouth as he was announcing the two lucky 2017 National Cheerleading Association All Americans out of all 4 Belton cheer squads. I replay this moment in my most vivid dreams, feeling the excitement of the halcyon moment grow greater and greater as the nerves and emotions grew stronger and stronger. A moment as imperative as this showed me in the most transparent way that hard, continuous work and growth pays off in many more ways than one.

The whole month my parents had been bugging me of something that I was so unsure about. They were trying to encourage me to try something new, something I had never done before. I was so scared and nervous… I didn’t want to feel intimidated, but that’s exactly how I felt. I kept refusing my parent's request to “get involved” as they would say. I had only a pittance of knowledge about high school cheer. When I attended cheer tryouts the first week of June, I was extremely nervous and bubbling with trepidation, as well as fear. I would've never even known that this sport would have such an extraordinary impact on my life. Throughout my entire high school cheer experience, there has only been one person who has been there with me through it all. This particular person, also know as Coach Ruby, has given me moral support in everything I have achieved. Through all of the blood, sweat and tears, she has been there, regardless. It is known that every coach dreams to see their athletes succeed and reach his or her highest potential. My coach has provided me with the ultimate necessities to have the most remarkable cheer experience possible. She consistently keeps a close surveillance on each and every cheerleader to provide individuals with the most accurate feedback possible. As she encourages everyone to do their best, she also reminds us to look past our perturbation. She’s taught me that dreams don’t work, unless you work for them. Overall, my coach, Ruby, acts like a second mom and I can only hope that she subsists in my life even after high school cheer is over for

Cheerleading began for me at the age of twelve. In the past I had played soccer, basketball, softball, did ballet. Basically every activity my mom could possibly put me in. All of those activities were okay, but cheerleading became something that was special to me. I first began cheering in middle school for the Hazelwood West Junior Wildcats. I cheered on the team throughout middle school literally dedicating all of my free time to cheerleading. I lived, ate, and dreamed cheer. I went on to continue cheering throughout my high school career, cheering for all Hazelwood West athletics, including: soccer, football, basketball, and wrestling. I was a hardcore dedicated athlete, and I had spirit like no other. From

Cheer Athletics in Plano is one of the most prestigious competition gyms in the country. There are other Cheer Athletics’ branches in other places like Frisco and Austin, but not one is as successful as Plano. It is the absolute best place to go for a serious cheerleader. The best and most experienced coaches work there and they are hungry to win. They expect every ounce of energy and athleticism to be left on the floor when we are finished performing. I have never had any problems with an authority figure until I started at Cheer Athletics.

Cheerleading has also taught me never to give up. When I first joined rocket cheer in we were placing 10th at competitions. 10 years later down the road of hard work and determination we are placing top 3 every competition. So many people have wanted to give up but I've learned if you just give up on a goal or a dream then it will never be reached. So what if you have to work a little bit harder? The outcome is only better. I was proud to be a part of Rocket cheer when we were getting the tenth place and I'm proud to be a part of it when we get first. The journey only made me

With a score of 44 to 37, the Varsity Football Team won against the Midway Panthers last Friday night at Waco.

At first cheerleading was a fun activity where I could run and jump around, I was at the age where I didn't understand what hard work was. The older I got the more serious I took this sport. I was in the gym everyday working on my tumbling skills, When I got home from school I stretched and after team practice

Growing up, I did cheerleading ever since I could walk. Firstly, I participated in recreation Cheer at the age of 4! Of course, cheer at the age of four is nothing compared to college cheer, but it was my passion that drove me towards it. I enjoyed rallying up the crowd and shouting chants to cheer on my fellow team mates. Being able to make people smile and add spirit to the sporting events, made me feel accomplished.