Cheerleading is a Sport Too

Tonight was our tri-annual athletics banquet and all of the fall teams were recognized and praised by their coaches in our school theater, without much flaw, except for cheerleading. At the last minute our coach texted us saying that she was "sick" (we're still questioning the truth to that statement) and that she wouldn't be able to make it. The role of speaking about our season to a theater full of people was delegated out to the senior captains, myself and two of my teammates. We stumbled and stuttered through a painfully unprepared speech that was absolutely cringe worthy, and it got me thinking about what I would say about my sport and my team if I had had a chance.

If I had the chance, I would have told people how cheerleading is a sport unlike any other at our school. We don't have stats or awards we can throw out as indicators of how our season went, but what we do know is that we have improved dramatically and that we grew closer as a team than we ever have in a single season.

If I had the chance, I would have told people how cheerleading is stuck somewhere between a sport and an art. We have a preseason just like any other varsity team and train and condition on a varsity level. However, we also cut our own music and choreograph all of our own dances.

If I had the chance, I would have told people how I am sure of two things about every girl standing behind me on that stage: they love cheerleading and they love football. We were there for every touchdown pass Allan threw, and for every rushing yard that Demitri added to his career total. We were there for every blowout victory, and felt the pain of a heartbreaking loss that ended our season way too early just as hard as any player on the football team. I would have told people how most of the girls on that stage have lived through many years of NA football, through "true grit" and "relentless" and "big team, little me" (or TEAMe), and how we are more proud of the men of NA football than they will ever be able to comprehend.

If I had the chance, I would have told people how I love my team, and couldn't have asked for a better way to begin my senior year. I would have told them how each and every girl on that team touched my heart and changed me for the better, and I would trade almost anything in the world for one more day of NA cheerleading. I would have told the seniors how much I love them and hope the very best for them as we go our separate ways in the future. I would have told the juniors how I know that they will be some of the best leaders in the history of our program and know that they will be able to handle whatever the next season has in store. I would have told all of our middle-schoolers how proud I am of them for finding a home in NA athletics, an area dominated by upperclassmen, and how they taught me to look at the world with fresh eyes again, and a childlike sense of wonder and naivety. I would have told my coach how much she taught me and how I am forever grateful for having her in my life.

Lastly, I would have told the audience that cheerleading is a sport too.