{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-story-js","path":"/story/becoming-a-cheerleader-s/","result":{"pageContext":{"data":{"id":"-8b77fb22-df36-5531-8067-13db34046972","authorFirstName":"Sarah","storyTitle":"Becoming a Cheerleader","photo":{"asset":{"url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/nr9digz2/production/ebd8272e251f19c681bf45dd508e39b3768cb0c8-1500x1000.jpg"}},"audio":{"asset":{"url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/files/nr9digz2/production/e93e1c3c9e121b6dc9ab3cd72efba233b2052737.mp3"}},"secondLanguageAudio":null,"school":{"name":"Greendale Middle School","city":"Greendale","location":"Wisconsin"},"tags":[],"_rawText":[{"_key":"f4fd621992d4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"e11e3feca52a0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"When I was growing up, I tried many sports. I played basketball, did gymnastics, played soccer, and many more. For a long time, I thought that soccer was going to be the sport I played for the rest of my life. However, I eventually decided I just did not want to play anymore. My parents were very supportive of my decision, but I knew that we were all wondering the same thing. What would I do next? Would I ever find something I would stick with? Eventually, I did come up with something I wanted to try next: I wanted to be a cheerleader."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d2d23db10cb0","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1d8b404087d70","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e2993d62b579","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"1aac8753f4d70","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"When I was in fifth grade, a bunch of my friends were planning on joining the cheer team. At first, I was hesitant, but I wanted to do it because all of my friends were. I signed up and then waited for the first practice. I remember getting all ready and being pretty excited. As I pulled up to the gym, I was still looking forward to it, especially because all of my friends would be there. However, that all changed when practice started. I hated it, and all I wanted to do was go home. Learning the cheers was just so difficult. I had no clue what I was doing, and I just thought the whole scene was overly peppy and ludicrous."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"db42d181c7a5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9870c10cdf850","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f2d634fd18f5","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"497b50a9fa490","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Once practice was over, I climbed into the car where my mom was waiting for me. While I stared out the window, I told my mom how desperately I wanted to quit."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"bfaa8d90f71f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"77e69497647c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2ae6e718554d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"02e6eef2c91d0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"I remember saying something like, “I hate cheering! I never want to go back!”"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"76441f7eb83f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a10dcd18ee740","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"fe7a08e87080","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"81b44e5d2f0b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"My mom, however, refused to let me quit. When the next practice rolled around, she forced me to go. This practice went much better, and I realized that cheer wasn’t as bad as I thought. Our first football game, however, was what truly changed the way I felt about cheer."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"6b516a209fed","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"bf021f8e1b550","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"089b2b4f3350","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"eb7b4b0e75b10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"When I walked up to the tall, silver gates in front of the football field, I felt a little nervous, but I was also super excited. Standing on the sidelines in my bright orange uniform, I felt so accomplished. It was such an amazing feeling to be standing in front of a crowd cheering, tumbling, and performing stunts. For me, hearing the crowd cheer while we performed was like being on top of the world."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f798ca55f555","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2d2b326573d60","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"785150677dc4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4a821e8f8d1b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Once I experienced that feeling, I was determined to try my hardest at everything I did and to reach every goal I set for myself. I keep that attitude with me today, and I think it has shaped me into the person I am today. While I struggled, I am truly grateful that I found something I am truly passionate about. Cheer is something that I want to carry on with for as long as I can, and I am glad that I finally have something like that."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ae9c04fd3573","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"74d66b6c319f0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]}}},"staticQueryHashes":["3309388390","890781507"]}