What cheerleading has done for me?

To everyone that says cheerleading is not a sport, guess what?…… I don’t care, have your opinion. Cheerleading has been a part of my life since the seventh grade and I wish I had started sooner. Although, I realize that that was not the plan God had for me. Cheerleading became my life in high school and I practiced for it harder and any of the other sports I played. I just knew I was going to cheer at the next level at Clemson University. During the fall of my freshmen year of college I tried out and was devastated when I did not make the team. Honestly, it was the first thing in my life that I tried out for and was told “NO.” I made every other athletic team, academic team, and any other team that I had tried out for and I was so hurt. I now, almost four years later, realize what God had in store for me and it is greater than anything I could have every imagined. Here is what God allowed cheerleading to teach me:

1. Teamwork – Cheerleading is the ultimate team sport and requires the most amount of trust. Would any other sport allow a teammate to throw them fifteen feet in the air and trust them to catch them? Probably not.

2. Hard work, determination, and perseverance – God actually used the absence of cheerleading in my life to instill these traits in me. By not making Clemson’s squad the first times I tried out (actually three), I learn the value of hard work, determination, and perseverance, which also made for an extremely awesome personal statement for medical school. I may post that later. This leads me to number three.

3. Medical School – WHAT?!?! How on earth do I think that cheerleading got me into medical school? Easy medical schools desire a diverse class and how many division 1 cheerleaders do you think are applying? Not a lot, not that they can’t they just do not have the desire to. Cheerleading was actually the topic of my personal statement for medical school, along with my medical mission trip to Panama and Costa Rica. I have no doubt that my cheerleading personal statement and God were the only reason that I got an interview at all eight medical school I sent a secondary application to and was either accepted or wait listed to all seven that I interviewed at, I couldn’t make my interview at the University of Miami. No, rejection letters for me, I got enough rejection trying out for cheerleading at Clemson. I am not saying any of this to brag or make anyone jealous. I am simply letting people know what passion about something and faith in God can do for you.

4. Elite Cheerleading Inc. – Last, but certainly not least cheerleading has provided me with a job. I have wanted to be an instructor for cheerleading camps since my senior year of high school. Although, at first I did not know how to go about doing so and once I found out I did not have the time. This summer I wanted to be an instructor so bad, I had the time for it and I wanted a fun job right before I started medical school. So, I tried out for one company and they said……………………. NO. Again for me it seems like cheerleading=rejection. No, no, no, no, no, not quite. I prayed about my summer job and asked God to lead me to where he wanted me. Searching online one night I found Elite Cheerleading and the deadline for applications had not passed, which was an important part of my pray. When God closes one door he opens another. I applied and I got the job. I was so excited and nervous about working for this company based out of Pittsburgh, PA. Of course anyone who knows me knows I love being challenged and being put in new situations. This job has provided me with amazing opportunities that might not have been possible with the other job. I have met so many amazing people and created friendships that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

I thank God for everything that he has done for me and apologize for ever doubting him. I did not always understand how by telling me “No”, he was just waiting to tell me “Yes”. So, I guess the last thing cheerleading has done for me lately, is strengthen my faith in GOD.