I was sitting on that blue mat surrounded by my emotionally distressed team, my heart pounding so hard and fast I’m pretty sure the whole panel had a pulse. It seemed like hours before our category (small all-girl) was announced and the judges began revealing places. I was so nervous I didn’t even register awards had begun until my teammate nudged me on the shoulder. We started getting closer to the top three teams, and before I knew it, it was between us and the three-time reigning champions for first place. That moment changed me forever. Hearing our team name, “Coral Springs!” yelled over the speaker into the Sun Dome in Tampa was unreal. From that day on, I vowed to myself I would do everything in my power to experience that again. Believe it or not, that did happen again, the following year. Those gold medals and huge rings placed on my fingers made me want to be the best version of myself. To make myself match the things I wore on my hand every day. I found a new motivation for school and cheer practice was no longer a chore, it was exciting. I always found myself reaching for a better me-that shifted my whole high school experience and shaped my character in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without competitive cheerleading.

        I never thought that nine-panel blue mat would have such an impact on my life. If someone asked me at the beginning of high school what would’ve shaped me into the woman I am today, I would’ve said my friends. While they are responsible for a large portion of that, the greatest impact on my life thus far has been competitive cheerleading. I joined my high school team my freshman year after cheering for my middle school my 8th grade year. I completely fell in love with the sport and knew I had to continue in high school. My freshman year was nothing noteworthy, we were an alright, all girl small team. Didn’t place at states, didn’t go to nationals, nothing special. Little did I know what was coming for my team and I in the near future.

The team grew immensely my sophomore year-not in size but in functionality. We were more of a family than a team. We all desired to hang out with each other outside of practices and competitions. There were countless sleepovers, phone calls and text messages that made us closer than we ever imagined. At a team sleepover at my house, Rachel, my flyer said something that embodied our relationship. She said, “Ya know, I like you guys more than my biological family sometimes.” we all burst out laughing and everyone yelled, “Me too!” This team dynamic made everything easier, from practices to personal struggles. We all believed in each other sometimes even more than we believed in ourselves, and this allowed for a huge advancement in the difficulty of our stunts, because we all trusted each other so much and were comfortable with the things that made us scared. It was the end of that year I knew this was something more than just an activity for me. It was my life. I lived for it, everything about it, the look, the work, the passion. I continued my infatuation with the sport throughout high school, and even earned captain of the team my senior year. But before we get to that, my team won states, not once, but twice, back to back. States was the highest competition for my team at the time, and the fact that we beat the reigning 3x state champions of the previous years was unbelievable. There’s no feeling quite like the rush that performing gave me.

         My senior year when I was deemed captain of the team, I changed quite a bit. At first, I just thought that was nothing more than a title. I was beyond wrong. What came with that title was what changed me forever. The leadership, my involvement in school, my motivation to shine on the mat and in the classroom skyrocketed what seemed like overnight.

At the beginning of each practice, we would huddle and tell each other why we do what we do, how it makes us feel and who continues to motivate you every day. These sacred pre-practice huddles were everything-everyone was so comfortable and passionate, it was really remarkable. The excitement for practice is what made me more motivated in school, both academically and socially. I found myself helping the leadership club more often and asking my teachers if they needed help/errands run that I could do for them during my free time. I never guessed it would’ve been a sport that grew my character so much.

The day of states, January 2015 was incredibly nerve wracking. Looking around, the entire stadium reeked of hairspray and was filled with cheerleaders in their uniforms, full outfits, teased hair and glittery makeup. We all held each other’s sweaty hands for hours leading up to performance time. When 3:25 finally came around, it was our turn to take the floor. We knew we had this, our last huddle of the season was incredibly emotional, but worth it. Stunt after stunt, we hit with perfect execution, timing, and sassiness. It was the time between performing and awards that was the most nerve wracking-but was incredibly worth it. Our hard work and dedication paid off. Coral Springs High were the 2015 State Champions.

        Now that I’m in college, I look at those two gold medals hanging on my wall and those two huge sparkly rings that accompanied my teams consecutive state wins, they motivate me to continue my desire to strive in the classroom and social endeavors. As I look at my disgustingly-worn Nfinity cheer shoes that symbolize my retirement, I carry the traits that cheer and being captain brought me. I am excited for school, involvement, and new social experiences.