Perfect Practice

Today my cheer squad had after school practice, for the first time so far this year. It was awesome! All the girls were so focused and I think we accomplished more in the thirty minutes we stayed extra after school today, than we did the whole week of class (5 hours total) last week! We worked on stunts and got several new stunts, that I am excited about showing off at games. I have freshmen, so the stunting is not as elite as the Varsity girls I worked with last year. It was hard to go from doing bigtime stuff, back down to working on the basics, but maybe that is why I am so excited about things today! I know that a very small percentage of the population (and the people who read my blog) are cheerleaders, so let me explain something...Stunting is not just about strength for the bases, and balance and flexibility for the flyers (the girls on top). It is about trust, teamwork, and it's a huge mental thing too. Emotions are always high and the mood is usually tense. It is so exciting to get a new stunt and see it hit consistently! I won't say that it feels better as a coach than a cheerleader, beacuse I remember those practices when I wanted to run out because things weren't working and then all of a sudden, everything clicked and it worked, and then it worked again, and then we were hugging and bouncing up and down hugging, because it was the best feeling! Today, I was pumped, but not that kind of pumped. I will say though, that watching stunting and working on new stunts as a coach is MORE nerve-racking. The girls know I take it really seriously, and luckily they have been too.
Here are a few of our new stunts...(I will be posting pics of MY girls doing them, as soon as I take pictures! YAY!)
Arabesque

Liberty

Scorpion

Scale

And we are working towards...a heel stretch,

and a basket toss.

Haha, if you look closely, that is ME in the air in the Basket Toss, and in the Liberty! :) Sigh...back in the good ole college days. Oh wait, I am still in college. I mean, back in my "younger, cooler" college days!

Anyways, I know that I probably vent alot about being a cheer coach, and sometimes maybe even whine or complain. However, today was one of those days that makes the moms, and the drama, and the gossip, and the administration all fade away. The girls left practice on Cloud Nine, and so did I. It was this indescribable feeling. Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling, on this magic carpet ride. (haha, I got sidetracked by that Aladdin song when I said "indescribable feeling." Sorry, it's late.) But it was just the best, and this day made all the bad days worthwhile! :) BIG PROUD COACH SMILE.