Future Cheerleader?

Madison (along with a lot of other girls in grades K-6) decided to test the waters of cheerleading Friday night at the football game.  They had cheer camp from 3:30-5pm on Wednesday and Thursday this past week to prepare.  She always seemed happy and full of energy even after that hour and a half.  She did not, however, remember many of the moves, cheers, or things they had learned.  She did show us one super tricky jump where one leg goes out and the other legs is bent to the side.  (I think this is called a “herkie” from my failed attempt at cheerleading in junior high, but I could be wrong.)  Friday came and she was super excited for the big moment to arrive.

We took her to the high school at 6:30.  She was dressed in bulldog orange and black, which I thought was a great idea.  She was receiving a “free” t-shirt to wear that night; I assumed it would be bulldog orange or black or maybe gray.  It wasn’t.  It was … pink!  Yep, pink.  Maybe for breast cancer awareness month?  Maybe because they are little girls?  I do not know.  What I do know is that I felt silly that my kid would be wearing an orange long-sleeved shirt under a pink t-shirt.  Did it really matter?  No.  Did she even bat an eye?  No.  Was she the only one?  No.  I am pretty sure it was just all the insecurities in me that I battled for so long came back the minute I walked through the doors of Dalton High.  Hopefully, she will not struggle with the same things, but will have the same confidence that she did on Friday night as she journeys through high school later.  Anyway….

I left her there and joined Jeremy and Ellie to find seats.  It was a pretty good night – a little cool, but the rain held off with the exception of a few sprinkles.  After the teams warmed up, and after an elementary class sang the national anthem, and after the cheerleaders did their cheers for the opposing teams, and after the marching band was seated, we finally saw the little cheerleaders heading around the track.  There were a lot of them!  And they all looked just as excited as Madison.

So, for the full first quarter, she stood on the track and was a part of it.  I don’t know if I would say she cheered, but she tried, and she smiled, and she waved, and she had a good time.  And she looked super cute doing it!

           

We stayed to watch the halftime show.  They enjoyed this as well.  I think she was torn between being a cheerleader, a marching band member, or a majorette.  Since we still have a few years to decide, I let her ponder the pros and cons of each for awhile.