All-Star An Athlete's Statement To The Fierce Board:

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Jan 15, 2012
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An Athlete's Statement To the Fierce Board:

Hello. My name is Maddie Gardner, I am a cheerleader for Cheer Extreme Senior Elite and this is my first time posting on this forum. In fact, it is only the fourth time I have even visited the web page. I try to remove myself from some (not all) of the behavior on this board. It is sad that there are a few people who make our sport (that some work so hard to promote) something it is not. It almost seems unfair to we, as athletes, who put in countless hours on the mat, to be bashed by "cheer followers" on a website. So here I am, as one of these athletes who has received her fair share of support and negativity, and as a fan of our sport to post a challenge to the "fierce boarders".

I challenge you as a group to refrain from negative commentary that targets athletes both as individuals and as a team. I challenge you to not just discuss our sport, but to help it grow and make it a place where we can do what we all love to do, without being scared of judgement by anyone other than a judging panel. Finally, I challenge you to encourage rather than make hurtful comments.

I believe in this sport and I love this sport. I want to depart in April knowing that this activity, that I have dedicated fourteen years to, will continue to exhibit the qualities that I fell in love with when I first began. Cheerleaders accept challenges everyday. As you all know, sometimes we overcome, and other times we fall short. So let's do this together, as a community of people who care about this sport. I understand that by placing yourself in the public eye both good and bad comments are inevitable, but I also understand that this sport defies all boundaries and I know that together we are unstoppable. Let's make cheerleading a place to grow without apprehension, a place to overcome with the support of everyone, and a place that we can love, now and forever.
 
You go Maddie! Sure you're a high profile "cheerlebrity" bc you're a phenomenal athlete, but more importantly, first and foremost, you are a phenomenal person! We love you for who you are as a person, and in my opinion that is the most important thing. Dignity, kindness, poise, intelligence, class, and a big heart are more important qualities to possess than being perfect on the surface and ugly on the inside. I'm proud of who you are a person first and foremost; person who is not only a great athlete, but beautiful on the inside. We love you and are still and always will be proud of you. <3
 
It's ok not to hit all the time. Things happen! You are human and we should all understand that! None of us like the feeling of falling or busting. The mean comments are unexceptable I agree. Keep that chin up girl:) we don't love you for just your stunts, but your personality and how good of a role model you are. Things happen and everything happens for a reason! Stay strong:) go senior elite!!
 
Nobody deserves to be hated on and nobody is perfect. But with all the fame and praise and CNN specials comes an expectation to be great, and that may not be fair but it happens. I know a lot of people who feel like she's been forced at them and talked about way too much and it has annoyed them. The thing is it isn't her fault! she's not building herself up or constantly tweeting about herself, it's her fans that do it and I honestly think the haters are annoyed with the obsessed fans and not Maddie. I think everyone respects her and knows she has great talent and is a great person.

When people say she's overrated it doesn't mean they think she's bad, you won't find one person out there who can honestly say she's not a really good cheerleader. They just think she's overrated compared to the hype she gets and that's why they are so quick to jump on her every mistake. There is no such thing as a perfect cheerleader, it does not exist!

At least that's how I see it. I certainly don't hate her, she's great at what she does. But I'm not an obsessed fan, I'm just a fan of cheer.
 
Future UNC Morehead Scholar and the kid who loves Cheerleading more than my staff put together, sometimes
We love so much we can't be the machine we need to be on our hearts. I'll take the kid with compassion and the one I teach to love head over heels. I love you Maddie .. You taught me to believe. And in the end it will all be a stepping stone in the greater plan
 
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