Reflection Time: Just a look back at a
season we will remember.
As the
season draws to an end you’ve
cheered your routine for the last time. You’ve done that tumble pass for the
last time. You hear that music for the last time and so it means it is some
time for some reflection. Now this year it feels as if our season came to an
end a lot sooner than usual. That’s because it has. There has been a lot going
on in our gym. A lot of changes are happening. Some families are leaving, some
families are returning, or even joining us for the first time. A lot of changes
happen during the “offseason.” I put offseason in quotes because in the world
of cheer there isn’t a real off season. You are still trying to perfect the
things you’ve been working on all season and you are trying to level up or for
some you are just trying to make the team. So the job of a cheerleader is never
finished. The same can be said for the cheer parent. Your job is never done. We
are still going to the gym the same amount of times a week and some weeks it’s
more than that. When you think about private classes, open classes, clinics for
flyers, and tumbling the season is never truly over. In the past four years I
don’t believe there has been a week without going to the gym for something.
That is fine, for the love of the sport I don’t mind this at all.
I spoke
about some reflection. You may ask, “Well if the season is never truly over how do you have
time to reflect before moving on to the next routine, next level, next team,
and next season?” It’s actually pretty easy. This season my daughter competed
at level 1 Mini Prep. My daughter’s team
was made up of six girls of different experience levels. These six girls took
on the world. You can tell that when they went into a competition they had a
fire in their eyes. They wanted to win and they wanted to do it big. Most of
the time, they did just that. They went out and placed in the top 3 of every
competition they were in this year. Beating between 3-7 teams in some
competitions. These girls were underrated because of the size of the team and
the experience they had. My daughter was the one with the most experience on
the team she’s been doing this for four years now but this was her first year
at the Mini division. So they weren’t the most experienced girls but let me
tell you what the lacked in experience the made up with style and confidence.
This team will have at least two girls leaving this team and gym. That leaves
four girls and three of the girls will unfortunately age out of the mini division.
That would just leave my daughter who could compete a couple years in the mini
division or she could move on to the youth division. So there is going to be a
lot of change.
It’s always interesting when you move on
from something but seeing the growth of that something says a great deal about
the legacy you are leaving behind. My daughter left the tiny division after her
first three seasons. She could have competed at that level but it was time for
her to move on. She and her teammates left a legacy for that tiny team at our
gym. National Championships, Grand championships, Event championships, and many
awards for choreography, stunts, and spirit. To have accomplished so much in
such a young age and in such a short time is crazy. She was a national champion
in her first season. That tiny team four years ago was full of new athletes
similar to this mini team this year. The other similarity was the bond they
shared. They were a little family inside of a bigger family. They loved each
other like brother and sisters and this mini team…they were practically
sisters. So naturally it is sad knowing that you are going to lose teammates.
That legacy for the Tiny Team will now be carried out by some amazing athletes
that love cheer and my four year old son is one of them.
Now my son
finished his first year of cheerleading. He’s had some ups and downs. They were an exhibition team
this year. My son went from being kicked out of practices for playing around to
actually becoming a pretty good cheerleader in his own right. His team is
looking to possibly transition to a Tiny Novice team next season. He would now
be in the bigger competitions like his sister next season. That is something to
think about. They are going to be competing together and there is a possibility
down the road where they could compete on the same team. That is awesome. I’ve
written about my son in the past maybe I’ll share it here one day. As for now I
will just give you a taste of my thoughts about my son cheering. LET HIM CHEER!
I hate it when people say to me, “Hey why don’t you let him play a ‘real’
sport.” Well, he is doing a real sport
he’s an athlete who will be able to do whatever his heart desires. If he wants
to cheer right now I am going to let him do so because he wants to do that. I
refuse to force him out of or into anything he doesn’t wish to do.
You want to be able to sit back and think
about all the good and all the bad of the season. You want to be able to think
about what worked and what didn’t
work when it came to traveling and competitions. We had some ups and some
downs. We had some issues and they were resolved. Honestly I am happy with what
we have done as a gym and what the teams are doing going forward. Listen at the
end of the day you can reflect as a parent as much as you want but our children
will keep doing what they love and they will continue to get better and that is
what’s most important to me. Getting better and they will develop bonds with
new teammates and new parents and that awesome because fun, love, and belonging
three of the human five basic needs (the other two is survival and power) will
be met and that is important not only for their development as athletes but
important for their development as humans. So reflect all you would like that’s
awesome but I would say, remember it’s not about us. We aren’t the reason they
are there it’s their desire.
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| Charles Michael |
