Countdown: 20!

Today, while rummaging through stupid applications and pointless photos on Facebook, I ran into this super long message between my co-ed cheerleading members and I including several inspirational messages, countless reminders, and the best part: a practice countdown to Nationals! Last year was my first year with the Iowa Elite family and my first experience with a national cheerleading competition, taking place in the first couple weeks of March in Disney World, Orlando, Florida. I gave a picture of me in my uniform inside my room with my mickey hat sign! Besides the fact that we got to go to the parks, swim at the hotel, and get super tan, we got to compete at a national level, which is one of the most invigorating and great things I've ever done! I can't begin to recall all the memories from that week that will forever be engraved in my memory. Knowing this, hearing that the National competition of 2010 is approaching quicker than it seems, is absolutely thrilling! The official countdown is 20 practices. It may seem like not alot, but when you practice only twice a week for two hours a piece, it can stretch itself out. While we have three months, we haven't been practicing like it. Alot of the team members, including myself, find little to none motivatio at practices and therefore lack the practice makes perfect attitude. I know that I've been feeling depressed about cheerleading because our routine is very easy to all of us and it sucks knowing that the difficulty level could be so much higher if we actually applied ourselves. I was told that this happened last year. That Co-ed buckled down the last month before Nationals and that didn't add up for them because they placed second. For the super seniors and seniors on our team, this is their last year to win a national championship and on my part I'm going to give it all I've got and make this year the best one yet. With that being said, I've decided to start attending some more tumbling classes every opportunity I get. I know that if I can apply myself, I can make it happen. Before I broke my ankle in the Spring, I practically had my round-off tuck (which for those of who don't know is a tumbling skill requiring a back flip), when I hurt my ankle I lost alot of what I had and still lack some of it today. Recently, I got an ankle brace for my left ankle, which I seem to have some problems persist, and that has seemed to work miracles. The big issue for me is making it to classes due to my busy schedule. Don't get me wrong, my mother has always said; the busier I am the happier I am and to the full extent this is true. When I don't have something going on, I get bored. Being bored is me being lazy and usually requires me eating and being in a bad mood. So I know that while I'm very busy, it's for the best. Tumbling classes do require about an hours worth of time plus a half hour driving time, most of which I lack on weekdays and which I lack on Saturday mornings due to my work schedule. I think I might request a couple Saturday mornings off to be able to go to classes and get myself back into the game. I know that if I get my tumbling skills back, my coaches will be proud, and I will be proud and I can begin to be put in to the tumbling section of our routine. That in itself excites me! But I've realized recently that I don't have all the time in the world. I have three months give or take. Plus we have holiday break coming up, meaning the gym is going to be closed and I'm going to be S.O.L. Over break, I plan on working out alot. I have started going to a gym with my friend Cassie and it's benefited me thus far. I want to improve my health and I want to run alot so that I can be in the best shape possible and more active at practice. I know that being at practice is a mindset. I either wanna be there or I don't. And lately, it's been more of a pessemistic attitude for me, which I know is unfair to my team. So, I'm making an oath. A somewhat early New Year's Resolution for myself that will hopefully benefit my teammates and it is this:

I pledge to make every practice count. I pledge to work my hardest and give it my all everytime. I pledge that the second I walk into the gym, I leave my negative attitude at the door and put on my happy face and go out on the mats and give it my all. I pledge to never let my teammates down and do whatever it takes to hit my stuff. I pledge to start coming to more tumbling classes and to work on stretching and working out at home, instead of just at the gym. But finally and most importantly: I pledge to ROCK IT at Nationals and never forget that every moment spent in that glorious gym, that every drop of sweat I produced, that every second I worked was meant for the day we hit the Nationals floor. I'm gonna sell it, work it, and own it. And we're gonna go out there and show the cheer world Iowa has got more than just corn. They've got cheerleaders. Awesome cheerleaders. National Championship Cheerleaders that own their title and for a reason.

In preparation for the funnest week of my year, I usually do alot of tanning and some last minute shopping for some stuff I just must have down there including lots of yummy food. I have to begin saving up my money and my paychecks so that I can have some sweet spending money for the cheer clothes I ad0re! And, I gotta make a couple bows to encourage myself. It always gets me super pumped up.

So in these last few words before I leave, I wanna give a shout out to my Iowa Elite family. We Rock guys! And first place has come easy for us this far, but not because we've been working as hard as we can. Let's all continue to try our best and make every practice count, because as I stated earlier we've only got 20 left with this amazing dream team. We can do it! We can be the best! We can win a National Championship title! Because we are:

I-O-W-A! IOWA ELITE!