Cheerleading is a very intense sport. Especially competitive cheerleading, whether it’s on the high school level or privately. What people don’t seem to realize is that cheerleading is basically a full contact sport, without any sort of protective equipment. It requires you to be incredibly fit and can teach you valuable lessons, particularly the importance of paying attention. Things can go wrong in an instant. Regardless of whether or not you are a cheerleader now or were one for years, there are a few things that always ring true.

1. You are so sick and tired of hearing “cheerleading isn’t a sport.”

I still don’t understand how in this day and age people still think this! Different sports focus on different parts of your physical state. For example, if you play soccer, strong legs and endurance are important; different positions on the football team focus on strengthening different areas of the body based on the position. But in cheerleading, everyone has to work on every single area: you have to have a strong core, back, arms and legs, you have to stretch to stay flexible, and you have to build up your endurance. We always spent a long time conditioning at the beginning and end of each practice, and some practices were dedicated to only conditioning.

2. Conditioning practices.

These days are spent working on strengthening muscles throughout your entire body. Arms, core, legs, even endurance. Days you thought your coach was trying to kill you. Especially if you practiced in a building without air conditioning during the summer. There’s nothing like working out intensely for a couple of hours in extreme heat.

3. Stunts. Pyramids. Builds.

One of the most fun and dangerous parts of cheerleading. I was a flyer and can honestly say there is nothing like it. There’s also nothing quite like the relationship you have with your group, you get really close to your bases and back-spot really quickly. As a flyer, you have to put an insane amount of trust in these people to not only hold you up in the air, but to throw you higher and catch you on your way down, especially if something goes wrong. Shout out to my base who caught me with one arm after I flew over my group trying to do a full down with a broken elbow!

4. The uniform.

Everyone on the team must match. You have your skirt, shell, spanks, body liner, sports bra, tank top, competition shoes, socks, warm up pants, warm up jacket and your bow. Only if everyone has every piece can it be worn. It may be 40 degrees out, but if one girl left her warm up jacket in her locker, no one gets to wear them.

5. Power tumbling.

Probably my favorite part. Running full speed down the tumble track and then throwing diving towards the ground is both terrifying and exciting. After working incredibly hard for days, weeks or months, there is no feeling like mastering a new trick. Whether that be a back-handspring, a tuck, a layout or even a full the first time you can do it without a spotter, is a feeling you never forget.

6. The love/hate relationship.

You love the sport because it teaches you about having drive and passion, it teaches you to trust others and to believe in yourself. It makes you stronger both physically and mentally. However, you hate it because it takes up all of your time. Practice four days a week, tumbling practices a few times a week and games/competition on Fridays and Saturdays. It's all worth it though and really becomes a part of you.

It has been several years since I last attending a practice, game or competition as a cheerleader, and I miss it with my whole heart.