Growing up, football season meant games under the lights on Friday nights, wearing our letter jackets, cheering our team to victory. We also had a great marching band that was sure to please at halftime. But cheerleaders? Pffft... Not my thing.
Well, guess what? I've got a cheerleader of my very own. If that's not funny enough to you, here's more: I am her coach. That's right. I grew up playing basketball, and softball, and the piano, and singing in the choir, and I am now a cheerleading coach. Go ahead and laugh; it's pretty comical.
Cheerleading practice started a month ago, and my girls have been hard at work, learning thirty cheers and a very detailed halftime dance. These girls are dancers and gymnasts and tennis players and soccer players and swimmers, but cheerleading is all new to them. So we learned together.
Earlier this week, the girls got to meet their football team for this year. We met them after practice and I'd have to say there is nothing cuter than nine tiny cheerleaders handing out treats to 15 first-year tackle football players, who I'm sure all have hopes of the NFL in their future. The night was filled with giggles and shyness and whispers and very little conversation between the boys and girls.
Our season officially starts next week, but tonight was a special night. Tonight was our Kickoff Classic, where all 14 football teams got their chance to play on the varsity field, and our cheerleaders were there to cheer them on.
Pre-game Excitement:
The Halftime Dance:
The "Hello" Cheer:
The Football Players:
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!
My girls might be tiny little third and fourth graders, but tonight they were ten feet tall.
