Dear Cheerleader,
Do you remember what inspired you to be a cheerleader? I was at my first University of Kentucky basketball game and I watched the cheerleaders shine with pride and I remembered thinking to myself, "I want to be like them some day." I was once a little girl in the stands holding my plastic pom poms with a big bow in my hair, and from being that little girl once, here are some things that I want you to remember as you continue on your cheerleading journey.
Time flies.
You think you have all of the time in the world, but I promise you that it will fly by. Please don't take any of your time for granted. You'll go from after school practices to your final game in the blink of an eye, don't miss a moment!
Your squad is your family.
Enjoy the time with your squad because they will become your family and your support base through the years to come. You will spend school together, practices together, and games together. They'll be your new sisters, your friends, they are your squad. Being together all of the time I can promise you that you will always get along, but at the end of the day, you'll have each other to lean on.
Life Lessons 101.
Cheerleading teaches you a lot of things. Teamwork, positivity and a great work ethic. Cheerleading teaches you how to handle wins and losses, to never give up, but it also teaches you to remain optimistic and to keep a positive attitude. No matter how tired you are, how many times you've tried that tumbling pass, or how tired you are of doing that chant, keep that bright smile on your face don't give up.
It's just tough love.
Your coach and your fellow teammates will always have everyone's best interest at heart and they are there to help you become the best that you can possibly be. They want to shape and mold you into an amazing cheerleader and a great person, especially your coach. They aren't picking on you to be mean, they just want you to keep trying to be better than you were the day before. I remember doing very hard drills over a summer camp and I hated it, but it made me a better base when I came back in the fall. My coach is like my second mom and I can truly say I love her dearly and she is someone I highly look up to and respect very much. Always remember that even if you don't like your coach, still treat them with a great amount of respect and kindness.
Practice really does make perfect.
You'll have stunts that won't always hit perfectly and a tumbling pass or a jump that won't always be perfect or the best, but that's why you keep practicing. You'll always do something more than once whether your coach says one more time or not. And it's just to make you and your team better.
Remember that little cheerleader in the stands.
You were her at some point in time, right? Looking at all of the pretty uniforms and smiling faces- you wanted to be like them. Now that you're a cheerleader, there is still a little girl watching you and wanting to be like you someday. Set a great example for her on the field and off the field. You are not only representing yourself, but your squad, your coach and your school as a whole.
Keep working hard and never lose sight of your dreams and goals. Don't hang up your uniform too soon and don't ever give up on what you've been working and training so hard for because your time as a cheerleader is precious and fleeting.
Sincerely,
Your fellow cheerleader.
