Three Cheers for SB!

I actually had a different post for today, but I'm going to interrupt my regularly scheduled blogcast to brag about my youngest daughter.

My daughter is a natural athlete. For many years she played softball, but she got tired of that. She wanted to do cheerleading. I convinced her to play volleyball. She did, but she still wanted to do cheerleading. I tried to convince her to play water polo. She saved enough money to cheer for Pop Warner by babysitting (a not small sum of money, btw). We let her cheer.

She liked it and decided she wanted to try out for cheer in high school. She started gymnastics in hopes of getting her round-off/back handspring.

Last week was try-outs. They try out in April for next fall. There were 80 girls competing for 36 spots. The week before try-outs she was at the gym almost daily--she's had the round-off/back handspring for a while, but doing it on the tumble track is a lot different from doing it on the floor.

The day of tumble try-outs almost all the girls chickened out. She was only one of 3 freshmen that tumbled--and she nailed her move. I was so proud of her for doing it. She's only had about 4 months of gymnastics (although she's had about 2 years of doing all the moves on our neighbor's trampoline), so it was a real leap of faith.

The actual "try-out" day was Friday, with the list posted on Sunday morning. I told her how great it was that she did her best, she was a winner in my book for doing the tumbling when most people let fear stop them; luckily, if she didn't make it, there were other sports she could play. Not making a team can sometimes help you grow. All true.

Sunday morning came, with butterflies in both our stomachs. You all know how it is when your child really wants something; you'd really like it for them to be happy (especially when they've worked so hard).

She made it. Yay! If you've done the math you realize about half the girls that tried out did not make it. Some of these girls are her friends. She feels badly for them.

A group of the girls that did make it went out yesterday and made t-shirts to wear to school today--I made it! shirts. SB is not participating. She made the point to these other girls that this is going to just shove it in the faces of the girls (their friends?) that they did not make it. That perhaps the moment of celebration is not worth the pain it will cause.

She did not prevail, but she did make her opinion known. I think it's cool she made the squad. I think it's way cooler that she stood up for her friends.

Comments

[Cheri]

She's a wonderful girl. Apples don't fall far from trees.

[Janet]

Congratulations! You did so well with her :-)

[kcinnova]

Sounds like she is very much like her mother - strong in spirit and compassionate in her nature. <3

[Mrs. G.]

Yay. I like a girl who knows what she wants but has a tender heart.

[Stu]

Your daughter has both class and grace. Congratulations to both of you.

-Stu

[Jennifer H]

Congratulations to your girl, and also to you for having raised a young woman with such a good heart.

[Hilary]

Your daughter's heart is.. heart-warming. Three cheers for her!

[Reluctant Blogger]

Good for her on both counts.

I have always been relieved that my own daughter has never been in the slightest influenced by peer pressure. She does and says what she feels is wise - as does your daughter.

You have a blog schedule???? haha oh Jenn - I reckon you only say these things to wind me up and make me feel disorganised. I never have any idea what I will write from one day to the next!

[Becky]

YAY!!!!! Bless her - and you for teaching her to listen to her heart. For listening to her heart, trying out, and daring to tumble - and for being concerned for the feelings of others.

Put a big blue ribbon on your "Mama Report Card". Tell your lovely daughter to have fun, and that she's a great kid.

[Amy the Mom]

A beautiful girl both inside and out. Now that is something to be proud of!

[Suzanne]

Great for her.
She is a really good kid....well done Mom and Dad. You should be proud.

[Jamie]

Girls make shirts like that? Ugh. I'm complaining about not getting nap-time done right when really I should be cramming for the final -- teenage years.

Family cheer for Social Butterfly. Does she babysit? :)

[stephanie]

Beautiful excellent wonderful girl. Wow. Hope for the future, that one. Congrats to both of you :)

[Karen]

She is a testament to her great parenting!

[madge]

That is so great! I love that she cared enough about the girls that didn't make it. You should be very very proud!

[Green Girl]

You have got to be so proud on so many levels. Not only did she show she had the stuff to make a cheer team, she demonstrated quality character to boot! Great job, Jenn!

[Kellan]

WOW - Good for her for making the team and for standing up about the t-shirts - she sounds like a good girl! Congrats to her!

Have a good day - Kellan

[CircusKelli]

Yay SB! Both for making the team, and for sticking up for your friends!!

You rock!

[Julie]

That's awesome that she worked so hard and made the team. Kudos to her for standing up for what she believed in and not just going with the flow. That's a very hard thing to do!

[Fannie]

Good for her and good for you. Knowing she has good character will make for less sleepless nights as she grows older.

PS What the H$%&L is "Tumble Track"?

[Heather]

Your daughter is way classy.

[David]

I am impressed more with her act of grace than anything else. You have raised a winner in my opinion. Wow!
Kudos

[The Introvert]

That is so awesome for her to have such maturity at such a catty age. That will definitely take her far, and it will keep her from people drawing horns and fangs on her in the yearbook.

[CC]

I am soooooo proud of her!!! What a great girl you are raising. I can only hope and pray my daughter is like this 12 years from now....

[Suzy]

One of my oldest friends (we've known each other since the 2nd grade) STILL talk about how we didn't make pom-poms in the 11th grade. Some of our friends did make it and if they had had t-shirts like the ones your daughter's friends made, it would have sent us both over the edge.

[MereCat]

Cheerleading is hard work. I am proud of her for going so strong. It's a lot of fun, and sounds like she will do well.

[SuburbanCorrespondent]

I am so impressed with her not wanting to wear that shirt. She's a good person.

[IrishGoddess]

Good for her! Great for standing up for those who did not make it, and also good for her for working so hard for a goal, and still holding true to her beliefs. You have raised a wonderful person!

[Deb D]

She sounds like she is mature beyond her years. You should be proud of her. My son has played competitive hockey so I know the highs and the lows of being a sports parent very well.

[ms_teacher]

congrats to your daughter for making the team and congrats to you and your husband for raising such an awesome kid!

[mandy g.]

I'll echo many of the commenters and say that it sounds like your daughter is very mature for her age. Good job mom!

In Canada, cheering is not the phenomenon it is south of the border. I wonder if that is a good or a bad thing. Perhaps we just replace it (and its status) with another activity...

[qt]

Congrats to your daughter - and thanks for stopping by my blog and for the good wishes for my hike...I think I need them!

[Shelley]

Congrats to your daughter! I know that butterfly feeling well, you so don't want them to be disappointed. I'm so glad she made it!

[Shelley]

PS. I hope you don't mind I added you to my blogroll. I see you around quite a bit on other people's blogs that I stalk..um..read. :)

[Kristin]

You've raised a good child there... "well done", to both of you!

[JCK]

Somehow I imagine she's like her mama. Congrats to your daughter and to you for encouraging her and cheering her on.

[Angie]

SB sounds like a strong, wonderful girl. A girl that will have many of the right kind of friends.

KEEP BELIEVING

[Manic Mommy]

Exactly. On all counts; trying, testing, succeeding. She may just make it through cheering unaffected.

[HRH]

Good for her on all accounts.