Last month, I flew down to Florida to compete in Cheer Nationals with the Cardinal Gibbons team.

We had worked hard all season for this one routine, but the thought of going on the mats terrified everyone. The only thing that eased everyone’s nerves was going to Disney.

The bus ride to Orlando was full of chatter and laughter, singing songs together, imagining our routine, and hoping for the best.

Arriving at the competition was stressful because even though I knew I would not be competing, my heart still raced for my teammates. 

I, along with Ellie Fagge, Lyla Optiz, and Liza Prichard, were alternates, which meant I did not participate in competitions. That didn’t matter though, just being on the team was more than enough.

Everyone knew that any small mistake could cost us our shot, and that pressure was corrosive to our team. 

We tried our best, but a few of our stunts fell, which has rarely happened, indicating that the nerves got to us. 

Going into the awards portion of the competition, we knew the odds were not in our favor. 

When we heard the bad news that we were not advancing to the next round, our hearts dropped. We were so disappointed. 

The loss was especially sad for our seniors on the team who had been with us through all the competitions. They looked heartbroken, knowing that this was their last big event as high school athletes.

 Luckily we all had each other to help comfort this loss.

Even though we lost at Nationals, our trip to Disney was full of so many memories. We went to all the rides, took lots of pictures, and laughed a lot while we enjoyed the parks. 

I will never forget that trip, or the amazing bonds we made together.

Getting to go to the parks was a great break from the stress of competing, and it reminded us that cheerleading is about having fun together as a team and not just winning. 

We shared stories about our practices and joked about our silly mistakes on the mat. 

Disney helped us forget our worries for a little while and brought us so much closer together.

“I am proud of all of you because you gave your all,”  said our coach Jenny Marks. “I know how hard you all worked, and that makes me so happy.” 

But she also said, “I am disappointed because this was the most talented team we have had in years, and I know you could’ve done better.”

 Coach Jenny explained that every competition is a chance to learn, and she encouraged us to keep practicing and keeping goals. She said that setbacks are normal, and we should use them to get stronger and better. 

Her words made us feel motivated to do better not just for her but for ourselves.

In the end, we did not win at Nationals, but our trip was a mix of tough moments and wonderful experiences as a team. We learned that stress and disappointment are part of life, but how you use the stress and disappointment makes it all worth it.

 It is important for us to use our experience to become better athletes and teammates, and I believe that every loss teaches us a new lesson and we grow from it. 

Losing isn’t the end of the world, but missing out on being a team is. 

Our sisterhood means more than any trophy ever could.