So, I guess you could say I’m ready for this competition.
I’m ready for the thick makeup, sticky tight hair, itchy uncomfortable uniform, sweat and tears, heavy breathing and facials.
I’m ready to see my team, I’m ready to look just like them.
I’m ready for dirty looks from other teams, screaming crowds and tons of gossip.
I’m ready for mark through warm ups, to full out backstage.
I’m ready to throw my pass on a tiny warm up mat.
I’m ready to stand in line and watch the teams in front of me put on a smile and walk onto stage.
I’m ready to hear someone yell “Austin Cheer Factory team gold!”
Because then it’s my turn.
My turn to put on my smile.
My turn to go out on a giant blue spring floor, and see hundreds of people starring at my team and me.
To see judges with intense looks on their faces, with something inside of me saying “Impress them. Just impress them.”
To look to the side of the judges and see my coaches, my coaches with huge smiles, jumping up and down, waiting to see what we will do.
The music starts playing.
“Smile! Don’t forget to smile!”
“Walk clean!”
“Eye contact!”
“Breath! Please don’t forget to breath!”
You see your coaches, they’re counting.
You see the crowd, they’re screaming.
“Impress the judges! Impress the judges!”
You’ve been doing your routine for two minutes and twenty seconds.
You have ten seconds to show the judges that you deserve first.
So you fake it if you have to.
You suck up all the pain.
And you finish your dance with a loud and proud “AUSTIN”
But you’re not done yet.
You find your best friend.
You cry and smile.
But you’re still scarred.
Because next is awards.
But before you can have time to get too nervous, your coaches run up to you, they have huge smiles which lets you know everything hit.
You walk off stage.
Now you’re backstage with every other ACF team jumping up and telling you how good everything looked.
It’s time to watch the video.
You only can watch yourself, hoping, praying, that you did everything right.
While you watch, your coaches tell you what you did right, and what you did wrong.
You walk up to the stands.
Family and friends hug you.
Tons of pictures!
But before you can sit down, it’s almost time for awards.
You find your team, then run through the halls trying to find your way down to the stage.
Then you’re there.
You’re whole gym finds an area to sit on the mat.
First, they stall.
They play music and tell everyone to dance.
Then it’s time.
When they finally get to your division, you hold hands with your teammates, and close your eyes.
They start calling out places, every time they don’t call your name for a lower place, you know you can breath a little bit better.
Now they’re down to first place, and second place.
And when they don’t call your name for second, you stand up and scream.
You won!
But now it’s time for high point.
Who was the best team in your level?
And when they call your team’s name, it’s like first place all over again!
You scream. You cry. You laugh.
You run up to your coaches and hug them so tight!
You get your picture taken with your team, then you get your trophy.
It’s the best feeling in the world.
You look at the judges one more time before you leave and think, my team did it.
We impressed you.
-Leslie Sansom-
