your words, your style, your way

What is blogging to you? Blogging to me is your words, your style, and your way. This quarter I was assigned to start blogging for the first time. I got to choice whatever I wanted to write about so it would be interesting to me; it was my words, my style, and my way. I chose to write about my passion, which was cheerleading. I knew I would never run out of things to say and it turns out I found other bloggers who felt the same way.


Blogging can sometimes really put someone out there and sometimes take you out of your comfort zone to talk about things that can be hard to talk about for some people. However, at the same time it could have a good experience because it lets other bloggers know that there is other bloggers writing about the same subject matter they are writing about for themselves. For example, a girl in my class is pregnant and she chose to talk about that. I’m sure that wasn’t easy for her but at the same time it could be helping her get things off her chest. (Paige. “A Student 18 and Pregnant.” It’s a girl. Fri. 13 Feb. 2009.) For instants how she writes about how she is so scared for her child after reading stories about other children that came out unhealthy and this makes her hope nothing but for her child to be healthy. There are so many young bloggers out there that are writing about the very same thing.


When I first started blogging I didn’t really understand the purpose or goal of a personal blog, until I started to search for a blog to follow on the same subject I was writing about. I found a very special person, Pamela Enders, who is very big on blogging and she always tries to us her blogging skills to try to help other cheerleaders with their problems such as myself. (Enders, Pamela. “Confident Cheerleading.” Cheerleading Can Ruin Your Day – Part I. Web. 16 Feb. 2009.) There are even other cheerleaders that write her questions because she is so good at what she does. Commenting on other blogs gives bloggers a inspirational feeling because they think they are helping others by what they right, this could make some ones day! The advice she gives is so helpful and they way she writes is so calming. If one was to read her blog they would notice that she doesn’t write to tell people what to do, she simply writes to try to help them. She would give advice threw her blogs, like how to get over mental blocks and who to better your performance. To me I think this is one of the best ways to blog, other than keeping in touch with family and friends.


Blogs are everywhere and I think everyone has read a blog at some point, maybe without even knowing it. Blogs are not only one a blogging websites; they are also on very popular websites such as facebook, myspace, and a lot of chatting cites. So even if someone was to think they have never read or even wrote a blog before, they are most likely wrong. There are so many different blogs out there, even just my class alone; everyone had a different type of blog they were writing about. Although, when blogging you have to be careful to not affined anyone because there are some mean bloggers out there as well. If you affined someone, bloggers are known to criticize your grammar and the way to write just for that reason. So because of this it sometimes it makes it hard to bring up things like other peoples culture, religion, or faith. These subjects are very touchy subjects even in the blogging world because a lot of people have strong opinions on the matter.


When you enter your blogging website there are so many different things you can be, say, do, act, accomplish, and pretend, really anything! When you sign in you can do anything! Change who you are, what you look like, how you feel, and what you want to be. No one really knows who you really are so sometime you have to be careful because it is known that the blogging world can draw you in and become addicted to who you are when you sign on and forget the real world. Blogging website is its own world alone, it can be good or bad depending the way you go, just because you can be whoever you want to be and say whatever you want to say because no one knows who the person is behind the screen!

My personal feelings on guest blogging.

I thought it was so fun to have someone voice coming out from my blog. To read someone Else's views on my topic was very interesting to me. . I would say this because it helps me realise that not everyone thinks cheerleading is pointless. I love coming together as a class to try to see how much we really know about each other.

I guess in some case if you are blogging about something really personal you could feel that your space is being violated. However, in my case i did not feel that way at all. I think that guest blogging was a good idea because it lets others know how there are so many people out there blogging about different things that can be really interesting.

I would encourage others to do this and see what they think about it.

advice

Cheerleading has always been my passion, but I have never been able to write down my thoughts and feelings about it till now. There are struggles each and every person goes through when it comes to their passion.

This week I am going to be talk about giving up ones dreams. I know someone who loves cheerleading and has been doing it for some time now. However, lately she feels like she just isn’t good enough. She told me that she looks around and sees everyone having a good time. And then she looks at herself and sees a fake smile that she just can’t seem to turn real. She has been faced with so much stress that it has seem to get in the way of her even enjoying what she loves to do. She asked me if I thought she should just give it up? Now, I asked her if it would be alright to write about her and she said that’s fine she just didn’t want her name to be said.

I responded to that by saying, if you really love something you will never let it go. By taking away your passion would be like taking away your heart, painful and useless. This was something she can look forward to. I told her to let it be her escape zone; that when she walks through that door, she could leave all of her problems and just enjoy what she loves to do.

Now weather she takes that to heart and does that is up to her. . . I just hate to see someone who loves something so much to just give it up because of their in hard times. I wouldn’t want anyone to look back on their life and think what if I had done things different.

Guest!

I love cheerleading. I cheered from second grade until sophomore year of high school. I cheered for a competition team, I took many classes/lessons/camps. I always cheered for football because I played a winter sport. Freshman year was the last time I cheered for my school. I regret quitting because I really did love it. But, my winter sport was taking up my life and I had to make a decision. I often think about it a lot....ya know...cheering again. But, I think it is kind of too late.

Not only did I love the cheering part, I loved the whole concept...the concept that most people hate about cheerleading. The uniforms, the preppyness (word?), getting all done up. I loved it. One thing that really makes me mad is the sterotype of cheerleaders. Not all of them are stuck up or bitchy. That's not how it is with every cheerleader.

Another thing...just for fun. What do you think.....? IS CHEERLEADING A SPORT? A lot of people have a lot of different opinions on this subject. I believe anything is a sport if it involved competition. Competition cheerleading is one of the most intense things to be in, or watch. Everything has to be perfect or you might lose the chance of winning. Well, let me know what you think! Is cheerleading a sport?

cheers

My high school asked me to come back to teach cheerleading clinics, which is big because they always have some college cheerleaders to do it and they picked me. In order to do this I have to come prepared. That means I have to bring a cheer and motion to teach. I also have to bring a dance with music, ready to teach. My cheer has to catch the crowds attention. That's the entire purpose of a cheer: First, to get the attention of the crowd, and second, to motivate them. You do this by creating words that the crowd can go along with and scream loud. School spirit is what you need!

Example chant:

Hey all you hornet fans,

Lets go clap you hands.

( X. X. X.X. X. X)

AND THEN REPEAT!

This will get the students involved and get the team pumped!

Dance Vs. Cheerleading

I am going to write about someone else blog today. The blogger "Dance as if no one is watching" has always cought my attention. Maybe because i use to be a dancer and sometimes miss it.

Cheerleading has its alike and differences, just like most of other sports. Cheerleading is more of a hard hit motion count, when in dance you can just almost let your self loose. Now im not saying I don't have fun cheering cause that is not the case at all! Somethings i just miss moving to the rhythm. Thats when i hit the clubs! Although cheerleading does have its dance parts in our routines its just never the same.

However, cheerleading and dance have there similarities as well. The author of "Dance as if no one is watching" in the "Dance your heart out" part she talks about competition. Now i remember my dance competitions as well. And the was she described hers it sounds as if they are still the same. She talks about how it seems as if no time is going by as your waiting backstage, and how you have to to have big smiles when performing. Cheerleading competitions are the same way.

So maybe that's why i always look at her blogs. I still love to dance; your passions never leave you!

Things about cheerleading

1. Spirit_ Spirit is what every cheerleader has, however you don’t have to be a cheerleader to have spirit. Almost every person has some kind of spirit in something; their favorite football team, basketball team, etc. It’s when you get all dressed up for an event you can wait to see. To have good spirit is a good way to start off your day.

2. Uniforms_ Uniforms is what brings a squad of cheerleaders together. We have matching uniforms to signify that we are one as a team. Everything from our hair, makeup, and the style of our shoes, everything has to be identical. This brings us together as a squad. Even the smiles on our faces, every little detail maters, from top to bottom.

3. Tumbling_ Being able to tumble is a big part of cheerleading. No, where not gymnastics, however it looks great in a competition and it racks up the points. Knowing how to tumble isn’t just the jest of it either. It is great if you know how to do a standing back hand spring or a standing tuck; however if it is not clean it would be more points off than if you just didn’t do it at all. So there is more than just showing your talent, it’s about how clean and sharp your can make it as well.

4. Games_ The games are my favorite! There is no pressure and you can just go out there and have fun. It’s about getting the crowd involved and having a good time doing it. You go out there to cheer on the team and hope they do their best!

high school Try Outs!

Cheerleading tryouts. This is one of the most intense things any girl will go through, three days of hard core clinics. No one knows exactly what this is like until you go through every unforgettable moment of it yourself. I myself have been through it and know every emotion, pain, and memory that comes out of these days.

I was a dancer; however, the school board recently took dancing out of the school my junior year, so I had to find a new hobby. It was the first day of cheerleading clinics and I knew it was not going to be easy for me in any way shape or form. At my school the dance team and the cheerleading team never got along. In fact we despised each other only because we were always competing against one another. However I was hoping since there was no longer a dance team we could all be civil with one another. So I walked through the doors not knowing anyone and unknowing of what I was getting myself into. What I saw as I walked in did not help either.

I saw girls who had already found their own clicks of girls to hang out with for the next three days and they were all staring at me. It was not the civil look I was hoping for. It was the kind of look you get from some stuck up person when you know you have offended them. I will never forget that look; where their one eye brow goes up, their eyes row behind their head, and they swing their perfect hear around to make it look not so obvious, but a blind man could tell I was getting stared down. I tried to ignore the smirks on their faces and the obvious secrete telling they were doing about me. I knew at that moment they were all asking the same question I was asking myself. What was I doing there? At that point I did not even know why I was there anymore. I signed in as quickly as possible hoping that when I turned back around all the girls would be back to talking to each other about what they were going to do for their own personal cheer.

Luckily out of the corner of my eye I spotted a familiar face. It was a girl I knew since seventh grade. Sam was her name, short for Symone. She had a big white bow holding her thin shiny long brown hair back. She looked much younger than everyone back of her freckles along her nose and cheeks, but she had been cheering her whole life and that was exactly the kind of person I needed. I ran over to her hoping that she would be nice enough to help me out. The coaches came in, and I could tell by the tone of their voices that this was not going to be fun and games.

There was only two hours of the first day of cheerleading clinics, even though it felt as if it was an eternity. However in those two hours, there was no time wasted. We had to learn a chant, cheer, dance, and motion count. They would have a cheer camp teach it to us and each time they said they would start of slow. There was no time for break and my heart was racing at the speed of light because I was trying to keep up without embarrassing myself. Even thought I already felt like a fish out of water. When I thought it was done they added on more news; they told us that we had to make up a cheer of our own as well. After we were finished conditioning with running, jumps and tumbling, I was beat. The day was finally over with, as tons of girls were running out to the gym explaining to one another what their cheer was going to look like. I had no idea, and at that point I was ready to quit. I could barely remember every motion they crammed in my head, let alone make up my own cheer.

Sam came to my rescue and invited me over to her place. She was volunteering to help me out with everything, as if it was written on my face that I needed it. Her house looked like it was out of a old country home magazine. It was a long one story home, with a handmade wooden fence to keep the horses in. She broke down every move and showing me that I had to change from being a dancer to a cheerleader. She showed me everything there was to know; everything down to the way my body should move, to the way my voice should sound. It was becoming much simpler and I began to think I might have had a shot at this.

The second day was probably the easiest day of the three. The hardest part about day two was that my muscles that I have not used in a long time, if ever, felt as if they were going to throb out of my body. Every time I moved a muscle even the slightest bit it would feel as if knives were being stuck in me. I did not want to move at all; however, I did wanted to show the coaches that I wanted this more than anything. So I did what I had to do, I sucked it up and ignored my pain as much as possible. Luckily, we did not have to learn anything new on this day. My head was already swimming with everything they have already crammed it in our brains the day before. Today was simply about going over what we learned and ask questions if we had any. To my surprise I was not the only girl who had questions; therefore, I did not look so inexperienced after all.

After the second day was over, I went back to Sam’s house to practice my cheer some more. Sam was surely tired of seeing it because she knew every motion, jump, and word of my cheer. As I left knowing that tryouts were tomorrow, she was a real sport by assuring me that I was going to do fine. Even I felt a dramatic change in my words, motions, and jumps. You would think I would have more confidence in myself and be able to rest well that night, but I did not get much shut eye that night. The image of me failing terrible in front of everyone just kept replaying in my head.

Tryout day was the most nerve wrecking day of them all. On the way to the school for tryouts I was going over everything in my head. I left an hour before we were even supposed to be there; I was expecting to be one of the first people there. To my surprise I was wrong. As I walked into the room, there were girls everywhere. Everyone had a big white bow, black shorts, and some kind of cheerleading short on. I on the other hand had on all black shorts and an all white shirt; I do not even think I have ever owned a bow. To my good fortune Sam had an extra bow and was kind enough to let me wear it. I did not know how to tie it into my hair so she stood on the wooden chair to tie it into place on my hair. Time was not itself on this day. What was a min felt like hours, what was hours seemed as if it was an eternity. Time was against me and the longer I waited the more that image of me failing terrible kept replaying in my head.

The time had come, it was time to start. The judges handed out numbers to each of the girls so they did not have to identify us by our names. They were going by grades so I was one of the last people to go. I got closer and closer to the door as my palms were starting to sweat. I did nothing but go over the motions again and again, but it did not seem to be helping. It seemed as if I was going to have a heart act because my heart rate was so high. I was reaching closer and closer to the door as my forehead was starting to sweat and with each wipe of my head I saw my makeup was removing. Just one person away I started biting my upper lip and twirling my figures, in hope that it would clam me down before I had a heart act.

Finally it was my turn; the door opened and I felt as if I was going into a room where there was no coming back out of. There was a long white table, were four judges sat. Two were younger, looked as if they were cheerleaders themselves, they had on big smiles to great me. The other two were old with glasses on and pencils in their hands, looking as if they were just waiting for me to mess up. One by one they would name off things that they wanted me to do; however, it was going very fast but for me it felt as if I was in metric time and it was not moving at all. This was it, the part where I show them my talent and do my cheer that I have made up. I messed up! With everything that was going on my mind just simple went blank and I was not even sure what I was doing. I words and motions were coming out but it was not the same cheer I made up. To my benefit I remembered that they did not know what my cheer was supposed to look like so I kept going. I just yelled as loud and sharply as I could and spirited as hard and bouncy as I could. It was finally done and I ran out of the room faster than a rabbit on speed.

The next day I rushed to the school. I found all kinds of girls gathered around the door trying to see the same thing I was looking for, my number. I could tell the ones who did make it and did not only because if they were crying, or jumping up and down screaming at the top of their lungs. As I squeezed my way through all the girls I searched the list frantically for my number. I had done it. I was one of the girls jumping up and down screaming at the top of my lungs. It was the first day of my very intense cheerleading career.

Sick Days

My week started off alright. I had what I thought was a small cold and little did I know was going to be my worst night mare of this week.

Monday I had a game; I notice that I was feeling a bit off, so I did not tumble at all that game. Later that night I could not sleep and was breaking into sweats. I felt as if I was running a marathon and I could not breathe. I was tossing, tuning and confused on exactly how I got this sick.

The next morning when I had gotten up for school I have noticed that I had the biggest head ache, along with no voice. I could not even lift my head from the pillow. So I decided my body needed rest and I should take the day off.

The next day I became more frustrated at the fact that I have not gotten any better. A WHOLE DAY GONE TO WASTE! Being sick now days is not like your childhood days; where you would just get the day off. Oh no! Each day you miss is more work that builds up and the more stress you will have on your shoulders at the end of the week.

I was starting to get nerves that not only might I miss group pictures on Saturday, but the last game as well. So I did the last thing I wanted to do. Go see the doctor. Now that they have me on medicine I am hoping that I have not fallen behind too much in practice.

Passion

Everyone has a passion. It’s what you do to get away. It’s what you can do all day and not get tired of. If someone was to ask you what your passion was what would you say? Do you know?

Cheerleading isn’t just a hobby or something people do to stay active to me. It’s more than that. It is my passion, my focus, and it is something I do to keep my mind off something else. It’s what I do when I want to escape something; as if I am running away from the world, my problem, my fears. When it is taken from me I am forced to face those problems and it makes me lose focus that much more.

When I am held back from working at my passion I feel frustrated inside. I have fallen behind on this week. All this week I was snowed in and now way out. There was a inch of ice on my car and there was no easy way on getting it off. So never the less I missed a lot of my practice and have fallen behind on my work. When someone goes without practicing for a while they start to lose the progress they have made.

I have a game Saturday; therefore I was hoping to start putting my new moves out on the floor. Now that I have not worked on it for a week I feel as if I am moving backwards instead of forwards. Like when a star basketball play has an awesome game one week, then has the worst game ever the next.

Control my weaknesses

This has been the worst week ever, and it has shown in my progress. I have had a lot on my mind; therefore my tumbling progress has not progressed the way I have wanted it to. So much has happen to me this week that seems to block my concentration of everything.

Last Friday was the worst! I had my personal trainer this day and he always works me. Since I was off in some different world thinking about everything but what I should have been thinking about I failed miserable. Not only did I not land my tumbling correctly, but I also fell, hit my head, jacked up my knee, and rolled my ankle. I also started my tuck, this did not over pretty.

After taking a break for a few days and try to clear my head; I was back on my feet come Monday. Monday at tumbling I was very upset with myself on how I let my personal and home life get in the way of something I love. So I was determined to land my running double back handspring clean.

Towards the end of my practice I felt a lot better with myself; however, I was still in pain from Fridays train wreck. Yes, I accomplished my goals and landed my double standing, along with my double running, however I now know that my personal life could mess with my goals of cheerleading. I just have to learn to control my weaknesses and leave my troubles at the door when I start tumbling. Otherwise I could end up with something more than just a scratched up knee.
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My Personal Trainer

I just started my personal training. My trainer cheered at The Ohio State University, and he is in no way shape or form easy on me. We have a goal by this time next year i will know and have mastered everything it takes to become a cheerleader for Ohio State. He has faith in me and has told me i am going to start flying and have my full down. I know this is going to take a lot of time and effort but i know when i put my mind and soul to something it will come true.

Friday

The Pain That Comes With Cheerleading

You would think that cheerleading is all fun and games, but in reality it is not. Its like any other competitive sport that any athlete goes through. I have dreams and things that i wish to accomplish but like any other person I have to work long and hard at accomplishing my dreams. I have recently been working on my tumbling witch involves knowing how to work and control all of your muscles in ones body. I have just landed my standing double back hand spring and can also land my running. However i wish to go further. I am planning on starting to work on my tucks, to put that into my running as well.

From all of this I have encountered more bruises and pains through out my body than i have ever felt before. After a long, hard day of work i feel so tuckered out but at the same time I get this great feeling that makes me feel so good about myself.

The other day i worked out from four to ten at night with an hour break. I felt great at the end of the night but when morning came I realized that i was going to pay for my hard work that i put in the day before. My muscles did not want to move an inch that day and i had to ignore my pain because i had school. So as i got up i thought a nice hot shower would get my day off to a better start. When i forced myself out side to clean of my car to be on my way. It was hard enough to clean off my car let alone thinking about having to work out after class. But with competitions coming up and me being out of shape, I had a lot of work to do. I am just hoping that he more i work out the less my muscles will be of a pain.

My Journey threw cheerleading

Hi..My name is Tracy and I am a freshman at Ohio State University at the Newark branch. I am a Titan cheerleader here and have grown to be very passionate towards my time and effort I have put into being an OSU-N. I am new at this blogging thing but I want to share with everyone how exactly it feels to be a college cheerleader. Do you know the feeling of extreme adrenaline rush? Like when you are getting on the world’s highest rollercoaster and you hear nothing but the sound of the changes going click, click, and click; knowing that each second you are becoming closer and closer to the top. The further you go up the more your heart starts to race and your palms begin to sweat, knowing that any second now your stomach is going to go to your throat. That sudden burst of achievement when it is all done and over with; you can finally say you had accomplished the scariest ride of your life? Well that is the feeling I experience when I am flipping through the air. This is the exact reason why I have decided to make my blogs about my experiences and journey along the road of cheerleading.
As a college cheerleader it has been such a change in my life. There is such a change from high school cheerleading to college cheerleading. I work just that much harder to achieve my goals. I am now tumbling and stunting, things I have never done before. I have had more broses and more sore then I have ever been before. I cannot wait to show and tell people about my journey in cheerleading.