Graduate Essay
September 8, 2009
Amanda Tonihka
Composition II
My life as a cheerleader
I can remember as far back as when I was four years old, I always wanted to be a cheerleader, I could always see myself dressing up in the little suit with the big colorful balls on my shoes and the adorable little skirt with the matching top. I remember hearing my mom tell the stories of when she was in High school and how hard she tried to make it on the squad of her cheerleading team, finally after trying out for two years, she finally made it, she became the cheerleading captain of her team until she graduated high school. I dreamed of growing up and being just like my mom. Many nights I can remember sitting in front of the television singing and dancing along with the cheerleaders on cartoons shows, and movies. When I was in third grade I was on the little Savage cheerleading team for my school, Bennett Elementary in Broken Bow Oklahoma, I just loved being in front of all people at the Lil league games. I really thought I was a star on the sidelines of the football field. I continued to be cheerleader through Junior High. I attended cheer camp for three years in a row and learned a lot of cheers and cheerleading stunts and tumbling.
In high school, I experienced the most competitive years of my life. When I was going through a transition from junior high to high school, I realized my love for Cheerleading. Even though I wasn't ready for competitive Cheerleading, cheerleading was all I knew from middle school. In my ninth grade year, I tried out for the high school cheerleading team, I had been attending cheerleading camps and clinics to learn all that I needed to know to hopefully make it the squad, I had remembered what my mother had said and how hard it was for her to get on her squad. I did not let that discourage me, I gave it my all and to my surprise my hard work had finally paid off. I was so excited that I made the
Amanda Tonihka
Composition II
My life as a cheerleader
I can remember as far back as when I was four years old, I always wanted to be a cheerleader, I could always see myself dressing up in the little suit with the big colorful balls on my shoes and the adorable little skirt with the matching top. I remember hearing my mom tell the stories of when she was in High school and how hard she tried to make it on the squad of her cheerleading team, finally after trying out for two years, she finally made it, she became the cheerleading captain of her team until she graduated high school. I dreamed of growing up and being just like my mom. Many nights I can remember sitting in front of the television singing and dancing along with the cheerleaders on cartoons shows, and movies. When I was in third grade I was on the little Savage cheerleading team for my school, Bennett Elementary in Broken Bow Oklahoma, I just loved being in front of all people at the Lil league games. I really thought I was a star on the sidelines of the football field. I continued to be cheerleader through Junior High. I attended cheer camp for three years in a row and learned a lot of cheers and cheerleading stunts and tumbling.
In high school, I experienced the most competitive years of my life. When I was going through a transition from junior high to high school, I realized my love for Cheerleading. Even though I wasn't ready for competitive Cheerleading, cheerleading was all I knew from middle school. In my ninth grade year, I tried out for the high school cheerleading team, I had been attending cheerleading camps and clinics to learn all that I needed to know to hopefully make it the squad, I had remembered what my mother had said and how hard it was for her to get on her squad. I did not let that discourage me, I gave it my all and to my surprise my hard work had finally paid off. I was so excited that I made the