Two minutes and thirty seconds. Three rounds. That is all you have to make it count. That measly two and a half minutes can knock you down from first to third by a fraction of a point. The world of cheerleading is not defined by how well you practice, it is defined by those few minutes you have to let all of your hard work pay off.

The weeks of hardcore training are finally going to pay off all in the span of a few minutes at a competition. The judges do not see the hours of work you have put in to make these rounds flawless. All they see is how you perform that one time in that exact moment. Those judges spot absolutely everything down to the tiny miniscule flaws.

Competition day is full of stress and the constant butterflies in your stomach, but it is the good kind. The nerves and adrenaline fuel your fire even more than you would think. At a competition a goof round can become great almost instantly because everyone has a newfound energy that still shocks you every single weekend.

There is no words to describe the rush you get while competing on the state finals mat. No words. The indescribable feeling is like no other. The amount of people you are surrounded by cheering you on is absolutely insane. That huge uncontrollable grin on your face is like no other and it refuses to leave under any circumstances.

The one thing that will ever top the rush of competing is the moment you step off that mat knowing you hit a flawless round. The hugs, the dogpiles, and the tears of joy just come flooding when that last foot leaves the mat. Knowing that you did absolutely everything you could do to make that last performance of your season perfect and without error.

The world of competitive cheerleading is not something to just dismiss. It is a sport full to the brim with powerful and determined athletes that are all clawing for that top spot, and I cannot explain how proud I am to be one of those athletes.