Tuesday, July 27, 2010

“Champions do not become champions when they win the event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely the demonstration of their championship character” - T. Alan Armstrong

I was a cheerleader in highschool and in 1991 I was the Canadian Individual Cheerleading Champion.  I always found it interesting that I ever became a cheerleader because becoming a cheerleader was something I had never considered for myself. You see, cheerleaders were always pretty, popular, muscular, athletic, coordinated individuals.  I was never any of those things. 

The summer before I entered the tenth grade, my brother was at a rugby match and I was cheering my head off for him when I was approached by the highschool cheer coach (she was married to the rugby coach - welcome to Anytown, Alberta) who insisted that I tryout.  I didn't give it much of a thought until she stopped me infront of the school the day of tryouts.   I went and actually made the squad.

My first year as a cheerleader I went to Nationals and competed as an individual.  I placed 22 out of 23.  Not bad right?  Well if you consider that I placed second last next to the girl that broke her leg in the middle of her routine, yeah, it was bad...

But, I practiced and I perservered.  Every day I would work on my cheers and jumps, I would stare endlessly into the mirror perfecting each move.  The second year my squad competed as a team and I once again signed up for individual competition.  In my second year I placed 7th out of 15. 

Again, I practiced and perservered and In my third and final year of highschool, I competed in individual cheering and placed 1st out of 35.  It was an amazing journey and I will never forget how it felt to win, but what still remains amazing to me, is that it wasn't the victory that meant so much.  What I missed was the opportunity to always improve and always get better.  I don't think that there is anything that I have done since as far as competition and physical activity that meant as much to me as those three years.  What I discovered that was more important than a four foot high trophy, was that I was just as good as all those girls I never thought I could be.

There is no quit in me.  I can be the woman I want to be.