Cheerleading is a real sport.
Those girls throw down, go hard, tumble with a fierceness that is unmatched, and at every practice and competition they leave it all out on the floor. The only thing that might be more stressful then a cheerleading competition in a national venue is a tryout for “that” team. The team they have been trying to get on for the past three years. The team they want to make more than anything!
This month I watched one of my dear daughters friends give it her all as she ran, tumbled, fell and got back up; sweating, stressing and crying but never giving up. Hoping against hope that this would be the year she would make the top tier team in the city. She had been working hard to improve her level of fitness and her tumbling skills, all in preparation for this tryout. Each week getting a little stronger a little more confident but there was one thing that she felt was slowing her down. No matter what she did, her glasses kept sliding down her nose. Frustrating and distracting to a girl trying to up her game and make “that” team!
This is when this determined little girl decided to take one more step to up her odds and place that cheerleading dream within reach. She could no longer stand her glasses slipping down her nose when she was working out, she couldn’t tolerate her coach getting mad when she adjusted them, and she didn’t want to be responsible for the team losing points when she did! This athlete spoke to her parents about the possibility of contacts.
With the help of her parents and a trip to see some eye care professionals, it was decided, Bausch + Lomb Contacts were a great option! Contact lenses would indeed give her the edge she needed to perform to her best ability. No more glasses to slow her down. Contacts were a perfect choice for this little athlete.
At the next set of practices there was no stopping to adjust glasses, no slipping of frames down noses and no fear that those glasses would be lost all together during a tumbling line. There was just confidence. Are contacts the reason this athlete eventually made her dream team? Maybe not, but they did give her the confidence she needed to chase her dreams.
*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in a series of posts for Bausch + Lomb, however all opinions reflected are my own.
It certainly is a demanding sport,not for the weak of heart!
Good for her indeed! Glasses do get in the way of many things that one with an active lifestyle do
Good for her, glad to see her dreams are coming true!
I just wish they didn’t wear so much make-up and would have more athletic looking uniforms. I think that would go a long way to have it taken more seriously as a sport in its own right. Also it really should be called team gymnastics as they are actually not really cheering for the most part…
I’m happy to be able to tell you my daughter’s team is one which wears athletic shorts and long sleeve shirts. No belly in sight!
There is definitely some bling in the make-up, but we’ve learned to embrace it as just part of the fun. You are right about the gymnastics part. I would guess that more than half the team has a gymnastics back ground, they are all such amazing little athlete’s!
Thanks for your feedback 🙂
You are an awesome mom! Hope she continues for many years.
They dedicate a lot of time to their craft.
Wow!! Love this story!! Love those pictures… Congrats to her for working so hard for what she wants and for so long!
I love those pictures. I had never thought about the contacts + sports issues, but I’m glad her parents were supportive.
This looks like such fun! I admire their strength!!
Things have changed since my cheerleading days – my eldest wants to get into this and we will support her decision 100%.
Cheerleading really has changed! The stereotypes are no more, these are some talented athletes out there and it is so much fun to watch!
ahhhh to be young again! *sighs*