All-Star How Has Cheerleading Impacted Your Life?

[cheerislove9]

 

[JulieP]

A better question is probably, how hasn't it impacted my life?

 

[cupieqt]

Let's see.....
Personally? Professionally? Emotionally? Physically? Mentally? Socially? Financially? Considering I've been involved with cheerleading for more than half my life, I could write a novel so let's just say it IS my life.

(Or I could just compile all of the essays written about cheer by mine and other athletes and I'd probably have the first Fierceboard best seller.)

 

[Aussiekat]

It's had a pretty big impact on my joints…

 

[ryann3794]

oh my gosh.. where do I even begin. I honestly don't know where I would be right now if it weren't for cheerleading. I've delt with depression for a few years now and cheerleading has kept me going when nothing else could. I always knew i would have my cheer family there for me even when no one else was.

 

[Philly Pherocious]

Oh wow let's see, this is a long one... Cheerleading made my life do a complete 180...

I moved to this town my freshman year. I didn't know anyone, I wasn't really involved in anything. I was really kind of introverted... So of course, I fell into the wrong group of people halfway through my freshman year and through half of my sophomore year. I was making bad grades, getting in trouble, I wasn't doing things that I should have been doing, I was reeeeally losing my way in life.

When I was younger I did gymnastics for a couple years, before my dad and I started moving around. I had always wanted to get back into gymnastics, but there were no gymnastics programs around this area. I could do a back handspring, so every once in a while after school or whenever I could I would go and flip around on the soccer field or in PE. So, a girl in my PE class told me about this cheerleading gym that she went to about 45 minutes away and she said that I could ride with her if I wanted. So I did, I went to a practice and tumbled in a tumbling class right after. At the end of the class I told the coach that I would like to try out for the competitive team.

I was put on a level 4 team, which I loved. The year flew by, I had never done anything so exciting. I was traveling all over the place and meeting all these cool people. I fell in love with the sport and I became OBSESSED. I literally went home, stretched, conditioned, and watched Top Gun videos all night. Haha. I was SO motivated. The next year I was put on an International Open Coed 5 team. I loved it. We weren't amazing, but it was fun being able to compete more difficult skills.

High school was going great. My dad told me I had to have good grades or he wouldn't let me cheer, so of course, I was making straight A's. I was making more friends, I wasn't quiet, I was SO happy! I was voted class clown and most likely to brighten your day. Cheerleading turned me into a social butterfly! I tumbled with the cheerleaders at pep rallies and loved the attention.

After a year and a half of tumbling my heart out, and being a COMPLETE gym rat, I was throwing passes to doubles, jumps to full, great jumps (which I REALLY need to get back), and all that stuff. There wasn't going to be a level 5 team the next year, so my coaches nudged me out of the nest.

I went to ACE of TN and joined Sequoyahs, where we are now preparing for Worlds. I've continued making progress and I have met so many new people! I'm finishing up my senior year, so happy, with so many new people in my life. In about 2 and a half years I went from not knowing that All-star Cheerleading existed to going to Worlds and planning on having something to do with cheer for the rest of my life. I started coaching at a new gymnastics program in my town and I am loving it.

The girl who told me I could ride to the gym with her is now my best friend, and has been for 2 and a half years. She also cheers at ACE now. She isn't going to Worlds with me, due to injuries, but she has been with me all the way there. She means so much to me and I love her so much! I'm so excited for college, I am trying out at GymTyme on Sunday, and I may be trying out at Top Gun as well! I've gotten so emotional typing this, haha. I don't think I even realized how much of an impact Cheerleading has had on my life until I typed this out. It has made me the person I am today, and I don't know where I would be without it, and I'm so excited for where it is going to be taking me through the rest of my life.

 

[Philly Pherocious]

^^^ the result of an hour and a half web design class. Haha

 

[ChoreographyInTheBack]

Wow.... Where to begin. Cheerleading has impacted every aspect of my life. I've gotten so much stronger emotionally and physically. I've met some of the most wonderful people in the world, and been blessed with the best friends I could ever imagine. I've met families that I consider more like my family than my own. It's given me an escape from my home life- something I could not be more thankful for. Most people would think being in the gym so many hours a week would bring my grades down, but it's quite the opposite. It makes me more focused and driven in every aspect of my life. I make straight A's now. I've been blessed with a coach who I know is there for me when everything is crashing down. I have no idea where I would be without this sport. Probably dead. I can't imagine myself not being depressed, if I had not gotten involved with cheerleading.

I could go on and on about this but I'll just stop at this: Cheerleading saved my life.

 

[Nothanks]

It's had a pretty big impact on my joints…

TRUTH.

 

[Mamarazzi]

A few short years ago, when my cp came home from a friend's competition and said "Mommy, I want to do THAT!" I had no idea what I was getting into, as I'm sure many of us don't.
The gym, and the friends we've met through cheer (this includes the Fierce Board, for me,) have walked us through unimaginable life changes: Cancer, heart attack, divorce, job loss...And the gym has always been the refuge. It's the "watering hole." Like our version of Cheers. At any given time, we can walk in and we know someone. I have friends from all different backgrounds, all across the country now, that I can text at any given time for any different reason, and they understand us perfectly.
Cheer gives us something to do. Somewhere to be. When home sucks, it's ok. We're going to the gym anyway. When nothing can take my kids' minds off their troubles, cheer can. Working on skills gives them a reason not to quit. They've had a whole lot to deal with in the past couple of years, and I can honestly say, if it wasn't for cheer, I'm not sure how we all would've made it through.

 

[kyzzles]

I think it has impacted my overall perception of myself. It has improved my sense of confidence, leadership, and worth ethics. I feel like it has been a great character builder which landed me presently attending a four year institution with an entry level job fresh out of high school. Most people have to go through college to obtain the job I have. So I feel truly blessed to have been cheering for as long as I have with some of the best results possible.

 

[sikwitit]

Tons of pro for my CP.
Cons...I am Broke -$$$$

 

[idrive]

It's certainly impacted my bank account.

Seriously though, I thought I was going to be paying for pom poms and rhyms to be honest and couldn't understand and didn't want to understand anything more than that. I refused to be a part of it. Please understand I love my kids without question but they left gymnastics and went to this and I was not happy with the decision. Now I find myself on this board and checking out youtube before our next competition and sitting on parent round tables. I have become a fan and an advocate for my kids and this sport and long to see it more visible in a positive light.

 

[cheer4ever0522]

theres no way for me to put it into words with the 2 1/2 hours i have before i have to be at practice<3

 

[Nothanks]

A few short years ago, when my cp came home from a friend's competition and said "Mommy, I want to do THAT!" I had no idea what I was getting into, as I'm sure many of us don't.
The gym, and the friends we've met through cheer (this includes the Fierce Board, for me,) have walked us through unimaginable life changes: Cancer, heart attack, divorce, job loss...And the gym has always been the refuge. It's the "watering hole." Like our version of Cheers. At any given time, we can walk in and we know someone. I have friends from all different backgrounds, all across the country now, that I can text at any given time for any different reason, and they understand us perfectly.
Cheer gives us something to do. Somewhere to be. When home sucks, it's ok. We're going to the gym anyway. When nothing can take my kids' minds off their troubles, cheer can. Working on skills gives them a reason not to quit. They've had a whole lot to deal with in the past couple of years, and I can honestly say, if it wasn't for cheer, I'm not sure how we all would've made it through.

i think this is one of the most accurate things i've read on this board, and i'm sure we can ALL completely relate to this in our own way.