Cheer not only involves rallying for a football or basketball team. Instead, the intricate sport involves throwing flyers in the air, hitting routines to the best of one’s abilities, and most importantly, being a well-rounded individual. Stunting has allowed me to realize the importance of collaboration. In order for a flyer to hit an extension or flip perfectly, she must be thrown, caught, and supported by her stunt group. I learned that the same applies to leadership. Without cheer, I would not have been able to create the National Honor Society and Link Crew events that I created. Starting a donation drive or a luncheon is not possible without the support and assistance of fellow leaders. If I want a stunt to hit, I have to work with my base, back spot, and flyer. Similarly, if I am planning to have a successful luncheon, I have to collaborate with leaders to create the posters, order food, and more. No base or back spot is the same, but every base and back spot, like every leader, has incredible strengths that can team up for incredible results. Now, hitting routines has taught me patience and discipline with myself and my academics. A routine is comprised of various factors, such as dancing, stunting, and sometimes cheering. But in order for a routine to look good, regulation and calmness must be involved. Before cheer, I was incredibly unorganized and constantly overwhelmed. By having to learn routines in cheer, I taught myself to have discipline, as I had to remember to practice routines and be strict with my movements. I was also patient, as I had to remind myself that I would not always memorize routines instantly. I now apply the same concept to my academics. The discipline of cheer is continuously seen when I remind myself to study for exams and complete homework with the best of my efforts. And when I do not understand a concept in math, I remind myself that I will eventually understand it as long as I continue to practice. I am so thankful to cheer for allowing me to become an efficient student that not only has discipline but is understanding of my weaknesses. After being a four-year cheer captain, I have been able to understand the difference between a leader and a boss. Cheer, especially with games and practices, taught me to lead by example rather than always instructing my teammates to do as told. The sport also made me realize that taking opinions of others can lead to greater success. I was able to utilize those skills and become president of the VMHS National Honor Society and one of the Link Crew Captains. I utilize the same wisdom to lead meetings and create events to assist freshmen. I am incredibly thankful to cheer, not only for the memories and friends I made, but for making me an efficient individual that is prepared for college and life’s obstacles.