Dear Competitive Cheerleading,

I don’t know where I would be without you these past six years. Through the good times and the bad, I have always had you. Thank you for all that you have taught me throughout the years and various teams I have been a part of. Being committed and driven, working with others, and pushing myself to new limits are all things I have learned because of you. Without those qualities I wouldn't be the person I am today.

Thanks for introducing me to some of my forever friends. I know that the people I have met through cheerleading will always have my back. They have easily become my second family and it is all because of you. After all, there is no bond quite like the bond of a cheer team. We spend hours upon hours with each other. Between practices, conditioning, tumbling sessions, and competitions together, we rarely have time apart. We push ourselves and each other every time we're together so that we can all reach our goal of achieving greatness.

Thank you for the wonderful coaches you have given me throughout the years. I would never improve if it weren’t for their hard work, dedication, and love for their athletes like me. They are the ones who taught me how to stay humble. Through them, and through you I have learned how to win and how to lose. I have learned the importance of being a good sport and supporting other teams. These lessons you have given me will stay with me for the rest of my life.

No matter what any might say, you will always be a sport to me. And don’t worry, I forgive you for all the bruises, injuries, and stress you may have caused me from time to time. It has only helped to make me stronger and better in the long run. I can't wait to see where you will take me the next few years of my cheer career. Even when my cheerleading time is over, I will always be a cheerleader at heart.

Love Always,

Stephanie