There has only ever been one addiction that ever piqued my interest enough to dedicate the majority of my life to it, and that would be competitive cheerleading. Since I was six years old, competitive cheer has always had this hook in me, and even when I tried to take a break away, it always pulled me back in just like gravity. Similar to any other sport, cheerleading requires time, dedication, and a strong mentality. What I would say sets competitive cheerleading apart from other sports is the combination of physical and mental pain you experience. We cannot compare sideline cheerleading to competitive cheerleading due to the growth the sport has done within the past twenty years. The sport has recently become an official Olympic sport, which …show more content…
Achievements I have accomplished along the way include getting state runner-up in high school, being All-American, being the first girl at my high school to receive a full-ride cheerleading scholarship, competing at the National Cheerleading Association, competing at the Worlds Cheerleading Competition, and many other minor accomplishments. All these accomplishments and moments in my cheerleading career, have given me so many opportunities, memories, and lifelong relationships. Looking back, these memories and accomplishments are what made me the person I am today. The biggest takeaway I have from the sport overall is, the work is worth it. When you are passionate about something, the only option you have to be successful is to put every ounce you have into it and the results will show. There will be hard times along the journey but keeping the goal as your number one driver will always trump the hard times. There is no better feeling than when your hard work is recognized, and you get to share it with the people you love and care …show more content…
These people have had a tremendous impact on my life because of the support, love, and memories we created. As far as teammates, there were always times when you and a good friend were on the same team together and this is where it can become complicated. With cheerleading, it is strictly about how good a team can uniformly look. This includes the routine, preciseness, energy, facials, uniforms, etc. Having someone you are close with can be challenging when you’re constantly comparing yourself to the other. It is very common for cheerleaders to have body dysmorphia due to everyone always being in shorter and tighter clothes. You’re always seeing how everyone’s physique is in comparison to yourself. This is a bad habit to break because it’s your environment. I had this happen in a relationship with one of my friends and I was the one comparing myself to her. I was always wondering how she looked like that, I even went as far as paying attention to the things she would eat. This was constantly a mentally draining thing that occurred more than one time. There is always the instance of who skill levels were better. Taking a physical toll on your body to be as good or better than your teammates. Striving to be better at the sport you’re in is not necessarily a bad thing but is when it’s for the wrong