Personal Essay: Why Cheer Was A Turning Point In A Team

Squad up by : sophie porter

The world is always turning, around it’s own little center of gravity, but more importantly, around a center of gravity that brings all of the planets together as one. When I tried out for cheer I was hoping to add a new spin in my own life, but what I didn’t realize is that I would soon have to focus my orbit around a new center of gravity, the squad.

Only after you join a team do you truly understand what the word commitment means. Making cheer was a turning point in my life for multiple reasons, one being because I had a real commitment to others. Up until recently, I was a gymnast, speak of commitment. We spent 16 hours a week in the gym training. As soon as school was over we were all straight to the gym. It took a huge amount of time and conflicted with lots of social events and sometimes even school work. The difference between cheer and gymnastics though, is the team aspect. I remember, once, last season I texted my

As soon as I found out that I made cheer I instantaneously felt a connection to high school. I discovered a newfound obligation to do well in school, and It started to seem like less of a chore and more of something that was important to my squad so was therefore important to me. The minute that I put on anything that says “Parkway South cheer” on it I signed a contract. As soon as I signed it, I no longer just represented myself or even just the freshman class; I represented the entire high school. Anything that I do, not just while in uniform, but especially when in uniform, reflects upon all of us. It’s just like a time when i babysat this little girl. I came to her house wearing my hair in two french braids, the next time she wore her hair in two french braids saying “I wanted to be just like you!”. Being on cheer makes you more than just a frequent visitor, you are looked up to, and expected to behave as