So....cheerleaders aren't athletes you say....

Its a never ending battle in our house at times.  That is what happens when you raise two girls who have very different attitudes, philosophies on life and sports that they are passionate about.  In our house its Soccer vs. Cheer!  Ugh..

This is my soccer players' take on cheer.... its rather funny if you have both a cheerleader and soccer player in the family....





We are know what soccer players do, how they train, how rough games can be - and to be honest - girl soccer players are ten times rougher than any boy soccer players, purposely take out their opponents, and are more likely to come home black & blue or worse.  Most people don't think about cheerleaders in the same level of intensity, athleticism and competition.

Do people really get that today's cheerleaders are more than just the pretty girl on the sidelines? With the popularity of All-Star Cheerleading exploding into towns across america, more and more girls and boys are embracing cheerleading more as a sport than something that is for the popular kids at the local high school, tumbling and stunting has become more advanced and more risky which as put cheerleading in the top most dangerous sports.  It is more than just smiles, glitter and short skirts - its is about skill, training and muscle strength.

A typical cheerleader will practice a minimum of 4 + hours a week on tumbling, dancing, and strength training.   Practices sometimes resemble Army Boot Camp rather than cheer practice with the focus on strength and stamina.  Routines are constantly changing, sometimes weekly to adapt to the strengths and weakness of each team member on the squad and what competition they may be attending.  They are constantly learning, working, striving for the perfect 2 minutes and 30 seconds of their life.  These teams compete against other teams of the same level all for the pride of getting 1st Place and even advancing onto other competitions - all trying to advance to the "superbowl" of cheerleading - Worlds, or The Summit.

Anyone who has a child who is involved with an All-Star Cheer team knows it is all about the 2.30! For those who are only familiar with high school varsity cheerleaders that everyone grew up watching on the sidelines of their favorite high school - this is way much more.  It is 150 seconds of high energy, fast paced, music-pumping, dancing, stunting and gymnastic style tumbling.  There are no pompoms or megaphones.  They perform pyramids where girls and guys are balancing each other and flipping cheerleaders into the air with grace and strength while being able to catch them like they are light as a feather.  There is tumbling that make you think that they are able to defy gravity.  It is breathtaking to watch them fly through the air.



So what do these dedicated girls and guys give up for their love of cheer?  More than most think. Cheerleaders must eat healthy, workout daily, and practice, practice, practice.  Cheerleading is a year-round activity.  Once one season ends the next quickly begins.  These kids give up family vacations during the summer for practice. Most give up a social life - between team practice. extra tumbling classes and homework, there isn't much time for much else.  It also takes commitment with the family as well traveling multiple times per season to different states.  It is not a cheap activity by no means. It is just like an other sport - it take times, dedication, skill, determination and passion,

With all that being said, people still say these girls and guys are not athletes.  According to the dictionary an athlete is someone "who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility or stamina".

It is more then the bows, the glitter, and the music

       and these girls and guys are most definitely "athletes"!

1st Cheer Competition of the Season

Well here we are . . . another cheer season starting, new team . . . new start

Our first competition - Mardi Gras in Tallahassee.

It was weird.  New faces, really didn't know what to expect from the new team and new gym.  I found myself missing my cheer moms.  I miss my texts from Mechelle or Angie reminding us of this or that.  I miss the hour long makeup session before each competition - because you know I just finally got the hang of all the makeup by the last competition last season.  Even doing Cailin's hair wasn't that much trouble since she cut off most of her hair.  It took me 25 minutes to do Cailin's hair and makeup - what????  I found myself with time on my hands before we left.  Normally I am running around like a chicken.

We got to Tallahassee, and realized that Cailin was wearing her sneakers.  Guess where her cheer shoes were.  .   in her old cheer bag sitting on the bed at the house.  Great place for them right.  Excactly.  In all the years that Cailin has been cheering we have never forgotten anything!!!!  I am so OCD about remembering her uniform, makeup, bow, shows, socks etc Wow...epic failure as a cheer mom - first competition of the new season with the new gym.  Great.

Thank God for Jordan and him locating a pair of shoes for Cailin to borrow and a hug and a its going to be ok smile.

The girls did great.  All the teams did great!  The girls did better then great!  They hit all their stunts.

The results:

Tiny Level 1 - 1st Place
Mini Level 1 - 1st Place - Grand Champs
Youth Level 2 - 1st Place - Grand Champs
Senior Level 2 - 3rd Place
Junior Level 1 - 2nd Place

Grand Champs - What??????   There were 4 teams in our level - some of them pretty darn good - but the girls pulled it off.  Did a great job and took home the prize!

Not a bad way to start off the season  - ACE!!!!

MTTD . . .

What is MTTD????

Meet the Tribe Day - Birmingham!

We are so excited to experience Meet the Tribe.  What is it you ask?  It is where all the Ace gyms get together to perform for each other before they enter the cheer the season.  It is a way of getting the kinks out of the routines and a chance to see the other Ace teams!

Man . . . there was some incredible cheerleaders.

 

It was an incredible experience to finally see the girls routine and it was awesome to see all the other teams from the different gyms.  This is a whole new ball game.  . . to be a part of something huge . .  .

Can't wait for our first competition in Tallahassee. .  . bring it on!

Skills Camp Birmingham

Skills Camp .... Birmingham . . .

Ace Cheerleading is like a movement. . . a way of life . . . being a part of something greater. .   I don't know how to really explain it.

For a weekend we traveled to Birmingham to meet up with all the other Ace gyms for a weekend of nonstop cheer.  I have never seen anything like it before. . . ever!  Picture hundreds of cheerleaders all dressed alike grouped together in age and level with summer camp/cheerleading activities all weekend.  They learned what it is to be an Ace cheerleader, worked on tumbling skills, learned parts of their cheer routines, worked hard and had fun!

Cailin had so much fun.  It was a great team building weekend and it was also a great weekend to see that we are part of something big....something awesome.  I don't think Cailin stopped smiling the entire weekend.  Although she was off working hard, and we were off seeing the sights of Birmingham, she was one worn out smiling little cheerleader.

Cailin said the best part of the weekend was getting fit for her new uniform.  She went off by herself and came back with a new uniform and new spring in her step.

Bring on the new cheer season!  We are ready!  A - C - E ! ! !

A New Year, and New Changes . . .

I have always wanted my kids to be able to make their own decisions.  I never wanted to be "that" parent that lives through their children and decides what they will and will not do in life.  My parents never pressured me to do anything, and sometimes I wished they encouraged me to take a leap of faith and try things outside my comfort zone.  I look back and wished when I was in high school I tried different things. . . so I guess because of that I don't want my kids to grow up with the gee I wish I coulda woulda. . .

After the end of the cheer season Cailin was feeling a bit disappointed.  I think mostly because she felt like she was just a body at the gym and was not improving her skills any.  She wasn't the newest kid at the gym or didn't have the coolest skills, so she was just another average kid.  Cailin,  even though she is young, never acted like her age.  At the beginning of the cheer season she was disappointed that there was not a team for her level and rather than jumping ship to another gym she felt like she needed to be there and stick it out even though she really wasn't happy.  She learned some great skills and had the opportunity to be a flyer, but she didn't feel like she fit in any longer.  So, she asked me if it was ok to go check out the other gyms in town.  I encouraged her to be open minded and so we visited the other two gyms in town.  After meeting the coaches and kids, she really had a good idea of what all three gyms in town would offer her.  She tried out for her old gym and was happy she made the Junior Level 2 team but was also very disappointed at the team and decided that she would very much like to change gyms.  This was a huge decision and I was really proud that she made up her mind herself.  Her biggest worry through all this was that her coaches at her old gym would be upset with her.  I told her that if she felt that she would be happier at another gym and that she felt it was the best decision for her cheer life, that they would support her.

The new gym is called Ace and them are a member of a larger gym organization that has gyms in Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.  She was placed on a Youth Level 2 team made up of girls all her age.  The best part is that some of them even go to school with her.  For Cailin that was huge.  No longer was she the oldest or youngest on the team.  The coaches really did everything they could to make her fell welcome and a part of the family.  Most of the girls on the team have cheered together for a few years, so she was one of a few new girls on the team, but the best part was that she didn't feel like "the new girl".

So, we start the new cheer season at a new gym, new colors, new people, new cheer moms, new drama, new start . . .  and the best part.... see the huge smile... that's the best part!

More to come. . .