Confessions
of an Ex-Cheerleader

By Chelsea, 17

In seventh grade, my friends and I jumped at our first opportunity to join a high school sports team. I decided to try out for cheerleading. I made the cut and became one of 20 girls chosen (out of approximately 100) to be on the team. Little did I know that this was to become my life.

Let's Hear It for Beginner's Luck!

We had practice about four times a week for three hours a day, not including gymnastics classes, sports events, and cheerleading competitions themselves. Whew!

When I entered high school, I was eligible to compete on either the prestigious junior varsity or even the "worshipped" varsity team. Much to my surprise, I was pulled up to the varsity level, along with three fellow freshmen.

V is for Varsity…and Victory

Being on the varsity cheerleading team during high school was extremely exciting. We competed at Nationals in Orlando, Florida, and in my sophomore year I was privileged to be a part of the team that placed second against teams from across the country, including California, Kentucky, and Hawaii.

It was exciting not only because we placed second at nationals, but also because we were featured on the CBS Travel Channel, MTV's TRL, and ESPN.

Despite all the excitement that I was experiencing throughout these years, I still felt a pull towards change. My social circle revolved solely around the other girls on the team. With all of our practices, competitions, and games, we had no extra time to meet anyone else who wasn't within the cheerleading world.

Give Me a C (for Change)

By the end of 10th grade, I began to realize that I wasn't enjoying the intensity of my team as much as I used to. I wanted the chance to really get out and explore the plethora of opportunities my high school of 4,000 students had to offer.

Noticing my desire for change was one thing. Acting on it was a completely different story. Although I knew that I wanted to quit the team, I was scared about what the transformation would actually be like. I knew from previous instances that girls who quit the team were not exactly welcomed in the team's social circle any longer.

Additionally, all of my time spent cheerleading (roughly 20-30 hours a week—sometimes longer) would now be freed up. I worried, "Am I good at anything else and is it too late to start trying new things in high school? What if my plan backfires and I can't make any other friends or join any other activity I love?" Beside the fact that it would look bad on my college applications (as people frequently reminded me), I wasn't sure if quitting would end up to be a huge and irreversible mistake for me.

Go Team Chelsea!

In the end, I decided to go with my gut and resign from my position as a nationally ranked varsity cheerleader (leaving the position open for another girl who truly wanted to be there). After explaining the situation to my coach and teammates, I was surprised that they understood; they even invited me to join them at nationals the following year as a spectator/fan!

Everything turned out better than I could have expected. With all of my new free time, I met so many different and interesting people I never would have known existed in my high school. I also joined some fun and less intense activities like the swim team and student council.

Without cheerleading, I now had time to get a job, mentor and tutor younger students, and become more involved with my Girl Scout troop. I'm so glad I didn't give in to my feelings of fear and uncertainty; instead, I was able to leave my comfort zone and embark on new adventures. It has truly been an experience of growth that has helped me to learn more about my true potential and myself. I anticipate many similar experiences ahead!