Cheerleading:

It's a love that ignites in the heart of a young athlete and grows with each tumbling pass, each perfectly created stunt, and each picked move for dance. This love is not just about the glitter and makeup, it's about the dedication, perseverance, and amount of commitment cheerleading in which takes both physical and mental strength. For many cheerleaders, the indescribable feeling in your body when a new stunt is mastered or you just hit on the competition mat but never in practice. The adrenaline rush of a back handspring. Cheerleading is pouring hours on hours into conditioning, pushing out bodies past the limit and overcoming mental blocks with determination. This type of love is an accomplishment and brings a large amount of appreciation for the capabilities of the human body. But although it’s all one person, cheerleading is in the bonds of teamwork and family making. Cheerleaders rely on each other for support, encouragement, and safety. We learn to trust our teammates. And we all work towards a common goal, to win. This sense of belonging and connection is a powerful motivator, driving us to push ourselves further and to support our teammates through thick and thin. And we always learn that in the end it was all worth it! ~ Payton G