9 Life lessons that Cheerleading has taught me
an article written by a hardcore cheerleader
Practicing team sports made me learn. I learned about life, about me and what I could accomplish when putting my mind into it. It has taught me a lot about myself. Through cheerleading, you’re picking up traits that will help you throughout your life. Cheerleading is a life changing sport.
I started cheerleading 3 years ago in Paris France with the Paris Cheer Royals club. I started not that young, at 15 years old, but this sport helped me to be the person I am today. I’m not going to talk about the fact that thanks to cheerleading I know how to perfectly put on eyeliner nor the fact that, because trainings are in English, I mastered counting from one to eight in English… These are the 9 personal life lessons that Cheerleading has taught me.
- Master in time management
Classes, work, practices, whatever that may be you have to manage to do it all. One cannot be late or absent to practice (unless they have a very good excuse like being held in custody or more drastically dying.). Being a Cheerleader, you learn how to manage your time within the week and overall during the year. Being on time and organising yourself are skills that will help you for the future and that employers are looking at. Organising is a key point in life, I’m personally doing to-do lists and dead-lines. Through Cheerleading, and if it wasn’t the case already, one learns how to organise their time accordingly.
2. Achieving goals and not giving up
“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.” — Pablo Picasso
In Cheerleading, coaches as well as athletes set goals. Personal goals and team goals. One want to get this particular skill yet everyone wants this trophy, everyone wants to win. The same self-drive is transferred to life outside of Cheerleading. Nothing will stop a Cheerleader from their goals. If they want something, they will do anything to get it because what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. In the case of the challenges you have to face in life, it’s the same. I constantly want to get better and increase my skills by pushing myself. And no matter how many times you do it, how many times you are trying, you can’t give up.
3. Team work
“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” — Michael Jordan
In order to get this routine done at the end of the season and to achieve your goals, you need your team. In Cheerleading, if you are not working together, things will not be achieved. You have to trust your teammates in order to succeed because there is no « I » in a team but rather a global « Us, We » that sacrifices for each and everyone in the club. You need the support of your teammates and be responsible for them. For instance, you can’t skip practice because it will be like surrendering to your teammates and letting them down when they are working so hard to get closer to the ultime goal of first place in competitions. Setting communication and cooperation in the team is the key. Working as a team, understanding each other will help for the future. Team work makes the dream work!
4. Focus and determination
“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.” — Paulo Coelho
“You don’t get results by focusing on results. You get results by focusing on the actions that produce results.” — Mike Hawkins
Concentrating, breathing… Before and during the performance you will be putting on you have to calm down and be focused on the routine you prepared for. Focus and determination will help you reach your goals and will reveal how you can resist distraction and temptation. By focusing your are saving your time and your energy because you are mentally preparing for things you already know, things you already practiced all season long. You’re preparing to put on the very best version of yourself out there, on the competition mat.
5. Confidence
“It is confidence in our bodies, minds, and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures.” — Oprah Winfrey
Where would you go in life without believing in yourself? I developed my confidence skills through cheerleading and this will help for my entire life. It is Confidence with a capital C that helps you accomplish difficult tasks and challenges. Mostly because those tasks and challenges demand that you believe in yourself and your capacity. People who are self-confident attract successful people to them, they speak better, get the good jobs, and effectively win in every area. By being confident you’re also not focusing on what everyone else is thinking about you, so you’re living better and happier.
6. Be fearless
“The best way to be successful is to be fearless.” — Janelle Osido
Do you know a lot of people flying in the air, defying all laws of gravity? Most of the time, they’re cheerleaders. There is no time for second guessing yourself when you’re flipping in mid air. We need to be fearless to do all required skills. Thanks to cheerleading I’m not scared of anything in the daily life.
7. Taking criticism
In order to progress and advance in your daily life you have to accept and take criticism. People may see something in you that you can correct in order for you to be a better person.
8. Dealing with high pressure situations
Competitive cheerleading has taught me to stay grounded during stressful situations. Indeed, you have exactly two minutes and thirty seconds to showcase a routine that you practiced for hours on and on throughout the whole season. You can’t leave room for pressure as the several months you spent preparing for competition days represent would mean that the blood, sweat and tears you shed might have been in vain. Same goes for every day life, you can’t let anxiety ruin the presentation you had to give in front of your boss that you prepared for weeks!
9. Sacrifice
“Great success requires greater sacrifice.” — Sachin Prabhu
« Sorry I can’t I have practice » might be one of the things I say the most to people. All the sacrifice you’ve done will be paying at the end when you reached your goals and place top three in the podium. This is something you can practice for life : discipline. Sacrificing means that you choose the things that are your priorities, you choose what you want your attention to be focused on and what goals you are trying to achieve. Rather than going to this party, it would be preferable to stay home and study hard to be at the top of your school promotion.