Hi everyone, welcome back to my blog! Today we are going to dive into the sport of cheerleading. One of good friends, Alexa has been cheerleading for thirteen years. She started cheerleading in middle school and continued in high school. However, cheerleading was not all pom-poms and flips. It was a very mentally draining sport as the competition was stressful and super competitive, and there was an ever present social pressure to be the "perfect" cheerleader"
Cheerleading is a lot about presentation and how you look. Alexa personally struggled with body image. Some girls on her team were super thin, and she believed that she had to look like that to be a successful cheerleader. For the competition, having perfect makeup and hair felt crucial. If the look wasn’t “perfect” it was a constant thought of failure. Alexa also felt pressured tumbling-wise, as she was always comparing herself to the other girls and their skill level. Comparison was a big struggle for Alexa and her cheerleading career.
Another important thing about any sport, not just cheerleading, is a supportive coach. Alexa had a very positive and uplifting coach. Cheerleading is a very high-energy sport, and a coach with high energy is a must. Alexa had a very supportive coach that helped her with her mental health struggles and supported her on being the best cheerleader she could be. In all sports, a good coach is a key to success. Without that positive and support system, it is very difficult for athletes to succeed.
Alexa learned a lot from cheerleading, and she is pursuing a degree in psychology to learn more about mental health and to potentially help athletes, especially cheerleaders. Alexa has also made her own Instagram account dedicated to mental health (@603.optimist). Even though Alexa is not cheerleading anymore, she learned many important lessons from cheering. One of the things she struggled with the most was confidence. There is no “perfect” body to be a cheerleader. Anyone can cheer, no matter what body type! Everyone is different and brings something unique to the team. When I played field hockey, I was not the most outgoing person, but I was fast and was able to help my team score goals. One of the biggest lessons I have learned from playing sports is to value your personal skills. You may not be the best on the team, but you can contribute a lot more to a team than just skill.
Alexa cheerleading in high school!
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