This thread made me bawl, I've only been through one season...but it's what I live for.
1.) The feeling as your walking onto the mat, Where your like "what'd I'd get myself into?" but then the routine starts and all the worries and fears go away.
2.) NCA 2011 was my first HUGE competition...I was so scared before performing, I said "I don't even wanna go on." One of my coaches looked at me and said, "You go out there and do what we've seen this team do a million times, I believe in you, I believe y'all can hit, Don't say you don't wanna go on, Live every routine like its your last because one day, it will be your last." He then told me he would do anything to switch places with me. Let me tell you after that, We hit.
3.) that leads me to the feeling when your routine HITS! not even holding your ending because your already on the ground hugging your teammate balling, screaming "We did it!"
4.) fighting for the routine. I am a backspot..The feeling when your team trust you to catch them and not let them come down, I'll tell you I am a fighter on the mat...
5.) I had horrible asthma, I started competitive cheer, i was told I couldn't make it through a routine, I can, & i haven't had an asthma attack since. I believe it may have saved my life<3.
6.) stress reliever....It's what i do when I cannot even keep my head on straight.
7.) Tumbling, I had a mental block, & the way my coaches didn't give up hope, I am now doing my full again & progressing like crazy.
8.) when you step on the mat, and you see the whole crowd standing up for you, SCREAMING. This is what i experienced this season, at ACA nationals, I was walking behind some cheer athletics level 5 athletes just in downtown ft.worth and I heard one of them go have you seen that woodlands j5, they were SICK!!! little did they know I was behind them, me and my friend started laughing, they turn around and go "are y'all on Colonels?" we said yes, and they said "You guys are amazing." I went to my hotel to see facebook status' and twitter updates from people from other gyms about my team, this made me feel on top of the world and it meant the world to me. They made my year worth it<3. The practices I would go home with no hope that i'd tumble again, the nights i spent at the gym to be better, the extra practices, the bonding, the competitions, the tears, sweat, pulled muscles, sprained ankles, and more that I went through were all made worth while, when your hard work is recognized.