I Flunked the Cartwheel Test
In high school, I flunked the cartwheel test and so never became a cheerleader. I wasn’t as disappointed about not making the team as my older sister Kathy was when she didn’t make it two years before me. Dancing at the Surf Ballroom on weekends and marching in the CYO Drill Team filled the gap that cheerleading would have and gave me the same healthy outlet. I wasn’t very athletic and knew I didn’t deserve to be a cheerleader. But my youngest sister Tricia was made to be on the top of cheerleading pyramid, and she was.
I’m not one to care about football, but I recently went to a game. I went to cheer on a cheerleader, my great niece Samantha, who cheers for Floyd’s neighbors, the Auburn Eagles JV football team. I have never understood the game. A few have tried to explain but I quickly lost interest in following the description. Unless my sons are playing I don’t tend to follow any sport. But I feel pretty accomplished today because I made a big breakthrough in understanding the rules of football. My niece, Samantha’s mother, Chrissie explained them to me, and what-do-you-know it sunk in.
The pom poms, the night lights, the smell of popcorn, the clapping, the stomping, the cheering all gave the evening a certain nostalgic charm. The game was close and went into overtime and my niece’s team won. Having my camera on hand kept me busy.
Post notes: I’m going to remember this cheer every time I’m about to spell psyched wrong. P-S-Y-C-H-E-D … PSYCHED IS WHAT WE WANT TO BE. GET … PSYCHED … ALRIGHT ALRIGHT … GET PSYCHED. See it in action HERE. A short cheerleading clip in which pom poms are involved is HERE. Check out Chrissie’s blog on the same topic HERE.
September 13th, 2008 3:50 pm
I didn’t understand the game either Col but I could do the cheers and that’s what mattered to me. That and my best friend Marilyn made the squad. Oh how I cried when I didn’t make it.
But Trish did, as you said. And my Molly (Colleen’s niece) did too. And now Sam. So I’m over it…finally. Teeheee.
One more thing…Go SAM.
September 13th, 2008 4:51 pm
I never tried out for it………..I liked Drama and basketball.
That’s right…………GO SAM!!!! xo
September 13th, 2008 7:22 pm
I never made it and my heart was broken too! I like Sherry, was also in Drama.
September 13th, 2008 8:48 pm
Those cheerleaders, those sounds and football players. It reminds me of my own high school days 50 years ago. Some things haven’t changed that much.
September 14th, 2008 8:22 am
I was never cheerleader material either; I always had (and still have) my nose stuck in a book.
Plus I was in the high school band, and football games always make me think of that. I think some of the worst Friday nights of my life were spent on a bus at 12 p.m. trying to get back to our high school after a ball game!
September 14th, 2008 12:10 pm
We didn’t have cheerleading here… although I could never have seen me being one anyway! hehe.
I hope you’re having a good weekend 🙂
Michele says “Hello!” 🙂
September 14th, 2008 4:00 pm
you were probably lucky not to become one- you probably experienced more otherwise..sk
September 15th, 2008 12:38 pm
I was good at flips, cartwheels and splits but didn’t have the cheerleader personality…well not in my later high school years. Unfortunately I had adopted that “too cool” attitude. Looking back I think it would’ve been fun. My sister was a really good cheerleader, great dancer and very spirited. Isabelle is already a cheerleader in training and was picked up as the young mascot cheerleader for her elementary school. She will cheer for the big kids though she is only a 3rd grader. But the girl has got some moves!
You niece looks like a beautiful young lady…I look forward to the boys playing football. Caleb is in a bigger league this yera. I think I have some games coming up. I’ve also go some soccer games to go to. It is more fun when you’re following someone you love. But I do actually watch NFL here and there and know most sports rules except soccer. I just don’t know that one at all.
September 15th, 2008 3:45 pm
hm, I wouldn’t have guessed you’d love a football game. A camera helps pass the slow times when we watch sports. Wonder if a girl’s football team is upcoming. At my high school the cheerleaders were mixed gender and only one girl made it onto the boy’s football team.
September 17th, 2008 8:56 pm
I somehow got a passable cartwheel together and I could do splits so I actually made it on the squad for 3 years. I was tall and certainly not a size 6 which was very unusual so was on the bottom of the pyramid! No wonder I have a bad back now! I loved cheering and it kept my sugars down. I cheered right beside my sister for 1 year. Two tall ones in the middle!