I meannn… I was a cheerleader.
I can’t remember the first time I realized I wanted to be a cheerleader. It might have been the time my parents took us to an East Carolina University game when we lived in North Carolina. I was around seven years old at the time. It might have been noticing the cheerleaders on the sidelines while my dad was watching sports on TV. I just remember that it became a “thing” for me for many years to come, just short of an obsession.
I was that kid that watched as many Varsity Spirit competitions on ESPN as possible, sometimes asking my father to record them so that I could watch them over and over again. Oh the days of VHS! I was memorizing the cheers I saw and practicing some of the moves. I idolized some of the faces that became familiar and I knew which teams would be in the championship categories. I marveled at the stunts that were absolutely breathtaking and recalled how the danger level continued to rise year after year. And I was absolutely amazed at how these humans were able to pull an entire crowd into their orbit and lead the energy that their team needed to win. But even if their team lost, they were still so excited to have been given the opportunity to try their best.
Throughout my childhood and adolescence, I took every opportunity given to me, and even lobbied to create some others, to BE a cheerleader. Those cheer teams were so wide-ranging! One year, as a member of the Girl Scouts, our troop created a cheer routine and competed at the local mall with dozens of other troops. We even designed and crafted our own uniforms. And I think the topic was selling cookies?!?! HA HA! Those were the days!
There were more highlights in my cheer career as well. During the summer before my senior year of high school, I was invited by Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) to participate in the London’s New Year’s Day Parade. (Don’t tell anyone but I still have that uniform and it fits!) During my freshman year of college, I auditioned and earned a spot on the University of Iowa Cheer Team (that’s a photo taken from practice before a big game). The following summer, I toured the Midwest teaching thousands of young cheerleaders at UCA cheer camps. Throughout all of this, I was learning to lead.
Learning to lead is an important part of this story because while I was always excited to share my stories of being a cheerleader, I also was ridiculed and teased. You see, there has been this underlying stereotype that cheerleaders aren’t that intelligent and that they just want to get close to the “jocks” on the football team. I could point to a variety of examples in the media that reinforced this stereotype and the ways in which the patriarchy has tried to minimize women. When I was younger this commentary hurt underneath the surface even though I did my best to laugh it off. I knew that I was NOT that stereotype and neither were the overwhelming majority of my teammates and other cheerleaders that I knew.
It took several years to harden myself against the jokes, but these days I reflect on the better leadership lessons learned through those experiences.
Galvanizing energy towards team goals
Resilience
Public speaking
Creativity
Discipline
When and how to take risks
Dealing with high pressure situations
Giving and taking criticism (admittedly, this one continues to be a work in progress)
Standing up for myself
Standing up for what is right
I have taken all of these lessons into my ongoing evolution as a mother. As a member of my family. As a colleague. As a friend. As an individual in this society. As a leader. I am so grateful for all of the skills I acquired while putting in hours of practice… and sometimes flying through the air.
Listen, cheerleaders are BADASS. Remember that the next time you have even the slightest inkling of a belittling thought about them.
Looking back, while I wish I had been better at clapbacks, I wouldn’t change a thing else. Wellll…I do wish I had been able to nail those standing back tucks.
