When I was in middle school I began to cheer and dance for the middle school football and basketball team. I was what was called “Sprit Team” with all of my friends and Spirit Team was what I looked forward to. During my school day, I would think, “if I get through the day then I get to go to dance with all of my friends and my sweet teacher.” I thought I was a decent dancer, it was difficult for me to pick up the moves, but I loved what I did. I got to watch the eighth graders that I looked up to try out for the dance and cheer team as they entered high school.

It soon became my turn to see if I wanted to try out for the dance or cheer team. I decided to start taking tumbling classes and lessons from instructors and older girls. All of my friends at the time were trying out for cheer and it was all I wanted. I was doing well in all of my tumbling classes and I finally got my back handspring and was so excited to start trying out for cheer and getting into the process. I was placed in a group with two of my good friends and we learned the tryout cheer together. It was now the day to get my cheer shoes on and hair done for me to show off my jumps to the judges. I was very confident going into the tryouts and I walked onto the mats with so much spirit in me I felt it radiate throughout the entire room. My mother was even there to watch me do my cheer and she told me she was so proud of me; I loved hearing that from her.

The coach sent out a mass email to the girls who made the cheer team that night after tryouts and I never got an email. My friends called me and told me they made the team and I had to be so excited for them, when really I became even more disappointed the more of my friends that made the team. I waited the entire next day and I thought it was just implied that I made it. I then went out to dinner with my entire family and as we were all sitting there having a fun time I got a call. It was the head coach and she apologized for not having me on the email list and told me I had not made the cheer team. I could hear it in her voice that she felt so sorry for me. I started to cry at the dinner table and we had to go home. My family tried to comfort me as I cried, I felt so disappointed in myself.

Now, I look back on it as a lesson because the week after I did not make it I tried out for the high school dance team and made the team. I have created bonds with these girls; they have become like family to me. I cannot imagine how different high school would be for me if I had made cheer, but now I am so glad I did not make it. Everything happens for a reason and now I see why I went through it all because dance team is now one of my favorite things about high school.