First and foremost, competition cheerleading is indeed a sport. I had the opportunity to be apart of something much bigger than a competition cheerleading team; a family. A family of close-knit teenage girls working together to do something they all love. Although the seasons have ended and my teammates and I grew older, the memories will last forever.

Here are some of the reasons as to why I miss competition cheerleading.

1. Choreography.

Those were the days, especially if you had a choreographer as amazing as Mike Blaylock. Long days filled with laughs, sweat, and hard work.

2. The feeling you experience on "comp" day.

Those comp day jitters filled your stomach. Although you were nervous, you were so excited to showcase your routine.

3. Team bus rides.

These were the absolute best. What happens on the team bus, stays on the team bus.

4. The coaches.

My team wouldn't have gotten as far as we did without the help of our amazing coaches. There were days we probably couldn't stand them and days when they yelled and made us practice over and over. But seeing their excitement after we completed our routine was priceless.

5. Team dinners.

Team dinners were the best, especially when you had the 1st place trophy sitting in the middle of the table!

6. Competition preparations.

From fake eyelashes to big hair bows, we always had music playing while getting all dolled up before a competition.

7. The competition environments.

With tons of energetic people in the crowds, cheering and yelling you on was the perfect thing to get your adrenaline rushing. Other teams who wished you luck and also cheered you on was another great part of the comp cheer environment.

8. Cheer uniforms.

We got new cheer uniforms during my seasons as a comp cheerleader, they fit us so good and they were so shiny. They were perfect for when we performed.

9. Won states back-to-back.

This was one of the biggest and best memories of my life thus far. Not only did my team win states once, we were back-to-back state champions.

Being a competition cheerleader has shaped me into the person I am today; from working hard, being dedicated, and setting goals. I wouldn't change a thing about my years as a competition cheerleader, and sometimes I wish I could relive those moments. If you are still cheering, cherish every moment because it goes by so fast.