All-Star What Has This Sport Taught You?

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Dec 18, 2009
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What has this sport taught you as a parent, coach, athlete or fan? Also what are you looking forward to most this coming season?
 
As a coach, this sport has taught me quite a few life lessons. I never in my life thought I would become as close as I am with my teams. I'm not an emotional coach when my kids perform. I don't cry, I don't jump up and down like a crazy person, I just watch and smile. This year, my 5th year with my program, we started our first Level 4 team. These kids worked so hard for 6 months to prepare for their first competition. I almost pulled them before the comp because I didn't think they were ready. But they were. I had prepared them for it. And they made me proud. By the end of the performance I was in tears and jumping around like Coach Mike from FAME. I ran on to the mat and hugged each of the kids. They were crying too - because they knew they had done it. After they performed, a girl who has been with me for the past 5 years came up to me and just said "thank you." They won best stunts/choreography that day and kept me smiling for the rest of the season. My extra small senior team of 10 impressed me comp after comp. This sport has taught me to believe, achieve & dream. Anything can happen if you put your mind to it. ANd coaches - realize just how much of an impact your words and actions have on your athletes. It's YOU who instills them with the power to believe in themselves, even when times get tough. This sport has taught me that I am a coach because it's my passion.
 
That regardless of the obstacles that are placed in front of your team (injury, people quitting, losing practice space, having to close your entire program for a year to rebuild), that strength, dedication and dignity prevail. That the people who use underhanded techniques to gain athletes will eventually “get theirs”. And above all, that I’m so SO much stronger than I ever thought I could be.
 
As a coach/gym owner I've definitely learned that you can trust only yourself @hopskipandjump. It sad to say but those who say their your closest friends/partners burn you in the end. That's my negative experience.

My positive experience that you can really make an impact/difference in a child's life. Over the 20 years I've been coaching I can see how great these kids I've coached have turned out to be. Many have written papers or college entrance essays about their experience with me and my gym.

Also, so many great experiences with coaches, parents, fans, other gyms, industry leaders, and so forth .....

I look forward to being a part of the Cheer Force Family (even if its just as a parent) and watching my baby girl kill it on the floor this year ....
 
This sport really has taught me so much. Dedication, determination, confidence and knowing that any goal I set for myself, I can achieve if I try my best. I used to thing that many things are impossible, but now I know that everything is possible; you just have to work for it. Not only that but it has taught me to treat everybody equally. I have never been a homophobic, however I certainly didn't have the respect for gay people as I do now, which I am so proud to say is the best life lesson I've learnt in this sport.
There really are some ridiculous arguments and negative things said in cheer, however when something so terrible happens, for example Omar and Carlos' death, we all stand together and support eachother as a family like no other. I am so proud to be a part of this, and I can happily say that my future children will be a part of this cheer family (if they want to of course).
 
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