Differences between High School and Collegiate Cheerleading

Nathan Paris Cool. Bam, Hey, cass how are you? Um? Okay, all right, Yeah, you're gonna talk about some cheer always. I'm gonna do Spanglish from now on. Okay, So we're gonna talk about what I feel like a lot of people are coming to our podcast for a k a. The process of high school cheer to college cheer and what that all looks like the future cheerleaders of America. Yeah, America needs cheerleaders. So starting with senior year, uh, because I feel like that's when it really gets down to

make or break it. Moment Um, I'll talk about my senior year, what that looked like a combination of the past in the present. Um, So I my senior year. Football season I senior year. I did competition cheer and I did school cheer. I cheered for football season, and that year actually was the year my high school team went to Nationals for the first time. So my winter season was pretty intense. UM. But football season, you know, it was okay. I was getting the flow of things.

I only had UM all star competition three days a week, and then I had games on Fridays. Obviously, high school practices were here in there, but um, for the most part, I spent the beginning of the fall semester of my senior senior year looking for every clinic in their mother to go to. I was. I knew I wanted to fly because there's absolutely no way that I could base

at the college level. UM, but I didn't have the experience that I felt like I needed to be able to be confident enough to try out as a college flyer. So I literally signed up for every single clinic I went to combines. I went to n A A school, like, what's the word, I'm looking for prospects an ai A clinics. Sorry, I forgot what clinics was for a second. Anyways, I went to any clinics. I went to um i U clinics.

I went to produce clinics. I went to so many clinics, um so i's always spent a lot of that time doing. And then yes, this was in the fall. I went to a lot of fall clinics. I didn't I got to go to one spring clinic. But then COVID hit. Yeah, So my senior year I literally spent each sleep breathing. Cheer school was a factor obviously in there, but like for the majority of it, I was this was my goal, this is what I wanted to do. I put every last dying breath I had into trying to be a

college cheerleader. So we had so you had um college cheer, prep school cheer, and competitive chair all the same time. Okay, so how did that even happen? Um A lot of finding the time, Well, it wasn't. I wouldn't even say finding the time, just making the time for myself. The time was there. I just had to plan it out

in a way where I wasn't so incredibly overwhelmed with everything. Sure, what were something like the tips and tricks of you know, making sure you know that okay for next two hours, it's going to be more school cheer and then later time I'm gonna be working on some competitive cheer, like

how did you keep your mind about you? You know when going from thinking So I would have like school chure practices a lot of the times on days when I didn't have All Star cheer practices, which was to my luck, but also I did have days where I'd go from school cheer to All Start cheer. But on the days where I didn't, I would I wanted to be in the gym every day. That was something that

I wanted to do. So I would after my All Start practice and my All Start my school cheer practice ended, I would go to my All Star gym and they would be practicing, and I would go there find a little corner work on the skills that I knew I needed for uh college cheer. I would work on my standing tumbling, my renting tumbling, even if I had the skills, just getting the reps in and making sure their picture perfect to a t I would spend you know, two

hours there, come home. I would limit myself to leaving nine and then go home. Um. When it got to winter time though, that's when I started doing a lot of nationals prep for my high school and then you know that's the height of All Star competition time. Yeah, so I gave every last bit of energy at every

single practice. I put in so much work. I would come in early, I'd stay late, UM, just so I could get the reps in the confidence I needed for that particular season, whether it was you know, school chair where all Star, UM, I don't a lot of the college prep kind of died down at that point because I was really focused on that. UM. But that's as their competitive season too, So yeah, it is competitive season. And even at high school clinics, a lot of the

college recruits go to high school competitions. So I've been recruited out of competition before for high school because you know, they're looking for college athletes to um, they'll go to the competition. So, I mean, it's just a matter of being on your game day or your A game. Every time you go, being on your game day, you know, your game day, Ye're a version of being on your A game. So basically what we're hearing is you wanted

this from the moment you know you got into senior year. Yes, yeah, this was It was not never a question on whether you were going to cheer in college or not. This was something that you were just like, this is my thing, I'm gonna do it. I knew, no matter where I was, no matter how small how big the school was, I was going to cheer there and I would make that

my goal until it happened. Um So a lot I knew going from clinics in the past that you know, once you're a senior, that's when they coaches really pay attention to you, and obviously like are looking for like more attention towards you because you're a senior. UM So my junior year in below clinics, I cared about them.

I did try at them, but also I knew when I got to my senior year, like those clinics meant the most and I made the most impact on them because I was a senior UM So every clinic I went to, I just really wanted to be prepared for uh no matter what the school was, I was on

my A game. What's really cool about coming into cheer in college is like I never had to experience all these crazy commitment um levels in high school, at least in cheer obviously because I wasn't in cheer later and so what I find and from your stories is you gotta want it, you know, and this is not something that you know you can kind of do haphazardly and then just kind of hope it works out. You're either

all in or you're all out. And I think that's great because it it kind of makes everyone who is a part of the program obsessed with your right, Like the everyone's commitment level is on tent the entire time. Um. So like what I would say, and this is this is with any sport in high school, right, Um. Growing up in high school, I was planning on playing college ball. Uh, college baseball. So like you said, it's year round. It's not just your school season. You have travel ball, you

have lessons, you have private instruction. You know, you buy into this completely, um, because it'll be worth it on the other side. Right, So, you know, the best advice that I could give, um, two people looking for college here is buy in completely. Buy in. UM. If you know that there's a specific school that you want to go to, buy into not only that school, but buy

into the culture of their program. You know, um, because it's a big deal and it's fun and it's so great to fully invest yourself into something and then see that come to fruition on the other end, right, you know, that's what makes it all worth it. Um. So you know, don't be afraid to be obsessed with this one thing. If it's your thing, go for it. That's what I would say. Um. You know, these recruiting processes are not easy. They're not supposed to be easy. If it was easy, ever,

I would do it. But that's what makes the other side that much sweeter. Yes, um Uh. The one thing I will add on to that is I think I was like on one even more just because I went to a D two gym my senior year. I was on a level three team, and I'm going to these clinics where there's a whole bunch of girls who you know are level six team has been a world, has done this and done that. I think my one piece of advice is to not get comfortable with where you are.

You know, you can always be doing something to you know, make it even better. Um and have like having fun with that about you know, working hard and doing what you love. You should never be at a point in your senior year of like the whole recruitment process going to these college clinics where you feel comfortable. I think that's the one thing that's so great about college cheer.

You're always getting out of your comfort zone, and college in general, UM, it's always taking out of your comfort zone. And there it's never a point even in the past practices that we've had for co ed, I mean, like those skills that we do, like it's intense and it's a lot, and you're gonna be uncomfortable, but it's a way for you to learn how you deal with that change and with that growth yourself. It's all about finding the pressure and just leaning into that pressure. Thanks selling,

you know UM. So when we come back, we'll talk a little bit about that pressure and in the form of clinics, it's the one thing that UM coaches seem to do the most in college chair It's the best way to get everybody in one room and find a talent um. So when we come back, we'll talk about what recruiting looked like for us, what clinics looked like for us, and then we've got some more things to share with you, guys you're listening to beyond the megaphone.

I'm Nathan and and this is the college Athletes Network. Welcome back to Beyond the Megaphone on the College Athletes Network. I'm Nathan and I'm Cassidy. Subscribe to our podcast so you never miss another episode. Okay, so clinics, let's talk

about it. Clinics and recruiting. Um, Cassy, why don't you take them through what recruiting looked like pre COVID and basically what has you know, what it looked like then, and then you can talk about kind of what's changed, what was happening during COVID, and what's kind of gone back to normal and what's kind of stayed from then. It's funny that recruiting is the word now because like

my senior year, I was packing a list of tryout dates. Like, recruiting was very, very low when I was a senior. They were definitely colleges who were recruiting because they were smaller UM and wanted to offer you know, athletes a spot right there and then so they could get them to come to their school. But for a lot of like bigger programs, it was not recruiting. It was you know, oh well we noticed it tryouts or at clinics, but

you know, you should try out, not nothing more than that. UM. So, I went to a college combine my senior year and that one was a full recruiting process, like that was strictly recruiting, no like tryouts or anything like that. It was in Ohio and it was through USA Cheer. They will host clinics or like cheer combines throughout you know, the Midwest region and everywhere else. But it's just basically

like a whole bunch of schools there. So they were stunt schools, cheer schools obviously um an outgrown tumbling and uh, you know, there were smaller schools and then there was some big ten schools, and there was some just random schools that I had never even heard of that you know, we're looking to build their program more. Um and I actually really enjoyed how it was ran it. You know, you come in, you get a number, and you get to show your tumbling, your jumps, your stunts, and you

get a stunt with all these different schools. And then as you're stunting with these schools, because that's the last thing you do, all these schools will come around, you know, pull you aside and be like, hey, we're really interested in you, and like here's a little bit more about my program and stuff like this. Um So, I liked how those are run. That's more of like the recruitment type deal. Um But then I also have been to schools where it's a tryout process. So for example, I you,

we have done tryouts for majority of our time. I don't think we've ever been at a point where we've recruited. But obviously times are changing, so it could change this year. I don't know. Um. But so for like I, you you came in, you put your name on a tag, and you know, you get to stunt, you get to tumble, and then that's pretty much it. There's no like pulling aside of anyone and being like we're really interested in you, um or there's no like we have a spot for

you for next season type of thing. It's very one for all whoever you know comes in on the day of tryouts. That's the that's what it is, you know, try I think those type of clinics are a good way to make an impact on you know, yourself and your presentation to the coaches and stuff. Um So, by all means, go to those if you're the school you're

interested in. Is a strict tryout program. But I think the recruitment process, like going to clinics who do recruit are one very good for like your confidence and to just good to see how they work and see how you work in that type of environment. That's true. And then you know, along comes COVID flips everything on stead right, Yes, um, so recruiting kind of was that a standstill for a year or so? Um only very you know, select few teams were able to continue recruiting if they already had

previous um connection to athletes, you know. But other than that, it really wasn't widespread. It really wasn't like a full nationwide activity. It was really just for those select teams, um, you know. And so what came along was video tryouts,

you know. So and now you have an electronic portfolio of your of your talent, right, you have old videos, you have new videos, um, you know, and you put all this together in this online format and now you have this piece of footage, piece of media that you can send to every team you want. You know, it's on the web. Anybody who wants to know about you or wants to know about this athlete, it's now on

the web. So that's kind of opened up a lot of opportunity for some some athletes who might have been on a smaller program, or maybe not as a successful program, um, maybe a smaller gym if they don't here at school. You know, there's a whole lot of different opportunities now. So what we have found is utilize those resources. Utilize social media, utilize YouTube. You know, there's plenty of places to put your talent out there so that people know what you are and and so you know, going off

of that into that's how it looked for COVID. For males, it's a lot of hands off. You know, there's not really a place where high school males will go to get widespread recruitment, right unless, like we said, and those select teams. Um, obviously you go to those combines will get attention. But for all those guys who join in college, you come to cheer in all different ways. You know, we have on our team right now, we have a couple of guys who used to tutor some cheerleaders and

that's how they found it. Me I was in the band. I used to just watch the cheer team as we were performed with them. You know, um, you transferring and you're related to a cheerleader and they say, hey, just come and give it a shot, right, um, you know, and then you bring in more people the next year because you're friends with other guys. So all this to say, it's a really random UM thing, which is male recruiting. But the biggest thing is having a confidence that you've

done the work, you've done the practice. I think that's what people will see more so than you have the most skills the room, right, Like if you have a presence when you perform, when you have UM, when you let cheer, be an extension of your personality. That's what UM programs are looking for, you know. So for for males it's it's it's a lot different for for females UM, but it's the principles the same. You want to find that personality that you can have and be comfortable with

while you cheer. Okay, story time, right, why don't you tell them about your craziest, funniest not so funny? Is the worst best clinic experience? What do you got? Um? Oh boy? Okay, So clinics have always been super intimidating. Just as a girl, you know you're it's it's scary. There's girls literally fighting to the nail for you know, a spot in this program or just to be seen by the coaches and stuff, get some recognition. There's your year, um, and a lot of the times you're like, you go

by yourself. I went to all my clinics by myself, and it was I saw a couple of girls, you know, together who probably came from the same gym, or like I'd see other girls who came by themselves. You know, you had people coming from I went to a clinic where was from Texas. She came to Indiana for a clinic. Like, there's just a wide variety of people who are coming for a spot and there it's intimidating. It's so so intimidating. So I remember the first clinic I went to my

senior year, which was a rival school, Purdue Country. This is in West Lafayette. Oh, this is going to be so good, and um, I walked in. I had no interest in going to Purdue. I will say that flat out. I have been an eye you girl from the start. My coach cheer to eye you, and her husband cheer to eye you. So I was going to eye you. Okay, I went to Purdue of the experience that I needed experience at you know, different programs, stunting whatever. So I

did both clinics. They had a CODE clinic and then they had a separate all girl clinic, and code clinic was fine. I did my skills, killed my tumbling whatever. Stunting you know, did fine. I had a decent experience with coded stunting, and it was less intimidating for me for some reason. I don't know. I think because the all girls stunting when did you start cod stunting my first year of chier eighth grade? Really Okay, well, that's awesome.

So I had I was comfortable with all that they were just doing, you know, qps, libs, stretches, all that stuff. I was fine with that. All girls stunting I have not been confident in ever. Yeah, it's it's just a whole new realm of stunting. Um. So I was really nervous for that all girl clinic and I get to it's time for the all girl clinic and I'm stretching, you know, don't I don't have to tell again because I did the code part. So I just got stunned the whole time, which I thought would be fun in

the long run, UM, but actually it was not. It was terrifying. It was the like scariest clinic I've ever been to, just because the dynamic of that program was a lot different than like other programs I've been to. UM it at that clinic at that time, it was very much filled with worlds athletes and a lot of talk about when I was on this team and I cheered here and I won this title and I did this contest, yes basically, and I literally went to a

D two gym. I had just finished the season cheering Level two and went to the D two summit as a base, not even as a flyer. So I was I felt so much imposter syndrome. I felt so out of place. My confidence was down here. I was like terrify. After that, I was like, I'm never going to a college. I'm never going to make a college cheer team ever, Like all these girls are so much better than me, and they've done so much more cheer related and it was just, oh my gosh, she was so scary. But

I did. After I went to that one, I went to the Ohio one and my confidence just went straight back up. So I mean nothing against the program. That's just like the environment that it was at the time with those class of incoming seniors. That was just how

it was. And my mom was at that clinic and she sat in between these two parents who went to an all star gym here in Indy that competes at Worlds, and the whole time they were just chatting back and forth about, you know, when they went to Worlds and when they went to this competition and when they went to this and how their kids are on this team now. And like, my mom isn't very involved in my cheer life. I've like, I like making my own compositions by myself.

I don't like having my mom, you know, like have to be my voice for me and cheer. I think proving myself should be enough. But some true moms can be a lot. But that's not what we're talking about today. But my mom was just so out of place too. I just like it was just a lot. It was an insane clinic. Well, and either of us would be the first one to say Perdue is an incredible program. We know many people from Perdue who are just yes, um, So it's really just depends on really the luck of

the clinic. Yes, it definitely does because I've I'll say it first, I've been to some i U clinics where I was like, I'm never going to be a part of this program. I'm terrified. Like it's it's just I think it's just the realm of clinics as a senior in high school looking at a program that you're really wanting to be in and just getting intimidated from the start. You want to talk about intimidation. Um, My clinic experience

was terrifying start to finish. UM. Like you said, walking out of there, I'm like, there's no way, there's no I'm gonna be a part of this. That was fun, mildly embarrassing, but yeah, there's no way. UM. So February UM fully band kid right. UM. So you know I had this big old beard, long hair. UM walk in. Somebody asked, UM, are you a football player? And I

was like, ye, no, definitely not a football player. UM. I don't know if she was just trying to be nice because I definitely don't look like a football player, but it's okay. Um. Yeah, so I walk in. I remember getting up so early because I was so nervous. Um I had to just like breathe for like an hour when I got up, because I was like, I don't know I'm doing. I'm going, but I don't know

what I'm doing. Um. I remember going to Walgreens that morning because I always saw they had all this tape, right, they have all this athletic tape all around their hands and their wrists. And I was like, I need some of that, clearly, need to at least look the part um, even if I can't do the stuff. So I grabbed like three different kinds of tape. I think they were all wrong. Um. And so I get there and then I realized I was like I don't even know how

to do this. Um. So thankfully these guys um from Kentucky high schools were there and they were like four times my size, just absolute animals, and they were like, hey, man, what's up. And I was like, hey, do you guys know how to tape your wrists? And I was like and they were like, yeah, yeah, we we can help you out. So um. So already high imposter syndrome right Like I was like, I don't belong here, this is

not what I'm supposed to be doing. Um. But we get started, we get set up, um, and I remember it playing his day like it was yesterday. Um. Here comes Sam Conrad walking up to me. Uh, He's like, what's up man? Uh you want to learn how's done? I was like, absolutely, I have no idea what I'm doing. It took like two hours to get hands once, you know, um, and it took like thirty minutes to get it again. Um. Poor Abby. I think I dropped her like fifty times that day, her and t J. I was just dropping

left and right the whole day. Um. But it was fun, you know. And I was like, this was so bad as as a performance and I probably won't ever make it. But at least I tried right, um so and then it worked out right somehow. Um. But yeah, I think the biggest thing about clinics is confidence. You just need go in there, go for it. Whatever they say. It might not be what you used to, it might not be um the norm for you or your program or

you know anything like that. Go for it. Dive in head first that day you are a part of that program. That's what your mind mindset should be. Start to finish. Um. You know that day that you were in West Lavayette, you were a produce, cheer leader, start to finish. That's what you have to think. The days that we were there at the i U clinics we're part of were

the Hoosiers Let's go, you know. UM, So that's what That's what we would I would say, UM is the biggest thing is your confidence, your presence and just being a part of the program that you're at. UM. So we're gonna take a break and then we come back. We're gonna talk about what it looks like on the other side of recruiting. Once you finally made the team. You're there what life has called cheerer looks like um, everything like that, and UM, how awesome it is to

see all of your work pay off. You're listening to be on the Megaphone. I'm Nathan and I'm Cassidy. And is it the College Athletes met h Welcome back to Beyond the Megaphone on the College Athletes Network. This is Cassidy and I'm Nathan. Subscribe to our podcast. You don't miss this show. Okay, So we are past recruiting. We are on the team. Best day of your life. You get that phone call. I remember, Oh my gosh, the day in April. We made the team. Been locked in

the house for like five weeks. I'm going literally insane, and UM, I get an email and Julie's like, hey, we'd like to meet UM with all the guys UH to talk about moving forward in the tryout process. And I was like, oh, sweet, I've made it to the next round of triuns. I made the team. UM. We get on the phone and Julie's there and she's like real serious before she starts talking UM, and I'm sweating.

I'm like in the corner of my house, like just trying to like have like the most professional background as I can. UM. And so we get on and she's like, Okay, this is everybody. She looks around. She pauses, and I was like, oh my gosh, maybe I didn't make it. I don't know. And she was like, all right, you guys are looking at her. Two teammates congratulations around the team and I flip out, dude, like it was so

so amazing. UM. I remember like having to like turn my camera off and I was just like going nuts. My parents were in the other room. They were like, yeah, yeah, were you on. I was like yes, I man, we're good. So we're all freaking out like on mute. But um, yeah, best toy ever. So fast forward. What is life like as a college cheerloderm? Okay, so we'll take you through

a little bit about what it is, what it all entails. Um. What I was always super interested in was, um, all of the perks that you get as a college athlete, you know, growing up wanting to be a college baseball player. I always had that in my mind, like, oh my gosh, you know, you get to do all these things. You have the weight room, the meals, you know, all the

cool clothes. You know. So as at what I what it looks like at I you is, Um, we have athletic dining halls Tobias, which is amazing food, uh, lunch and dinner, and it's super super helpful for me to keep my weight in check and keep make sure that I'm eating the right things to fuel myself for practice for games, you know, everything like that. Um, the weight room, Oh my gosh, I love it. Um. I sound like

a meathead right now. No. Um, but I do like having space, you know, like you know, you go to like a planet fitness and it's just super crammed up, especially in January every year. UM. But UM, you know, it's just it's just nice to be surrounded by cream and Crimson while you're working out. You've got other athletes in there, which is super cool. Like you have a whole wall of windows facing the football stadium. UM, and like me, being a sports geek, like baseball will come

in and I'm just over there staring at them. I'm like, oh my gosh, they're so cool, you know what I mean. UM, So that's just been really fun. And then you get to go work out with your teammates, which is nice too because they're also your closest friends. So it's kind of like a win win there. UM. State of the art equipment, you know, it's just super nice to have. And you also get plans, right, you have UM workout plans,

you have regiments that you're supposed to follow, um. And all of this is just getting you in a position to perform the best that you can. And it's a really good thing to buy into early and go often, you know. Um. And then you've got all of the the merch the gear, the backpacks, the sweatpants, the you know, the the zip ups. You know, all of this is just in my opinion, fruits of your labor. Right, you've sacrificed all throughout high school. If you cheered in high school,

you've sacrificed all throughout your training. If you join in college. Um, you know, these things that you've done to make the team is a sacrifice of your time, right, and so this is kind of like the reward for working so hard beforehand. And so there's all the perks. But then you have your full time job, which is not only school but cheer. Right, So what does what does practice look like? Because I'm co ed? What does it look

like for all girls? Wow? Girl? Now I don't have exact measurements because I haven't competed or done the whole thing this year yet. So based off of you know, prior knowledge, I am like I U all Girls probably biggest fan ever. So I don't know a little bit, not a little bit here and there, but basically All Girls probably the more intense team that we have. They compete and still do the game days basketball, they do women's basketball, men's basketball, and football. Um so our football

season schedule looks pretty similar. I would say, uh, still, you know we have Tuesday Thursday game on this year, we have a game on Friday. We get a Friday game, but most of them a game most time on Saturdays. UM. And then as it's starts to get closer to November ish, uh, Crimston will start Sunday practices to get prepped for competition. UH. Then over breaks. From my understanding, they don't go home

on the breaks. They stay here. They're doing two days, three days practicing NonStop getting ready for competition, which is in January. So they'll go to Orlando in January and compete at u c A College Nationals. And then once that's done, that's still in the midst of women's and men's basketball. So it's still in the midst of classes. Yes, still in the midst of classes too. Don't forget about that because I do it sometimes. UM, it's a lot

that time period I think is the most intense. After that, it's a lot of just focused on making sure we're getting the games done. UM and then March Madness and all that fun stuff. But yeah, they they definitely we have a very intense schedule in terms of time management and committing to everything that they've committed to. UM. Finding a way to balance all of that is a process as an incoming you know, freshman, it's gonna be a

lot just because it's such a big adjustment. You know, you're basically on your own, like you schedule your own classes for school. You if you're on the college team, you have these commitments that you've made to be at practices, to go to your workouts, and to cheer the games and stuff like that. Um So, finding that balance of Okay, I need time to rest, I'm gonna do this here, I go to practice this time, and then I have homework after this. Like, it's a process and it's a lot.

Um but if that's something you know you're willing to commit to, then go for it. That's why you know the numbers dropped so far down once you get to college. Um it's a it's a big commitment. It's a sacrifice. Like we talked about beforehand, once you're on the team, that doesn't mean that your hard works over really means it's just starting. It is very much just um so, and so that's what the competition aspect looks like as far as my team, um as game day, you know,

we are the hype crew of the university essentially. Um you know, we gotta be on every single game. We cheer football, men's basketball. UM. We'll do some pr stuff throughout the year. Both teams will do that UM. But really, what's in my opinion intriguing about UM, the spirit crew side of UM cheer rather than competing, is you get

out what you put in. You know, you can go and you can only practice there two or three required practice a week, and that's totally fine, and that's more than acceptable, and you will be a great athlete and have a great experience. What we've liked to do UM when you were on co ed as and as as well as some of my teammates. We go every day. You know, it's it's kind of like creating a routine for yourself. And the more you go, the more you get out of it. You know, your skills come more naturally.

Game day feels more relaxed because you're not worrying about those skills, you know, UM being on a co ed team during game day, we're a very stunt heavy program. Not as much tumbling, UM, not as much motions. For the guys we are bread and butter is stunting, you know, So you go every day if you can, just to make sure that when you get out there on the field,

there's not a question. You know. The last thing I want to be doing in a stunt is saying to myself, who I really hope I hit this stunt, because now I've already I've already failed, right, because now we're worried about it. Like we said before, the confidence is key. And so you know, getting out there on game days knowing that you belong out there what you do UM is a is a good reminder to have that, I think.

So let's talk about reputations as a true leader, okay, because this is something that really no one has had to experience before the social media age, right, no one had like our parents. Our parents parents didn't really have to deal with the social media age. And how how much harder it is for UM athletes too, UM maintain

that that reputation. Yeah, I feel like well, first starters obviously, you know, the stereotype of at least a female cheerleader, it's, you know, we're dumb, and we're blonde and stupid and you know whatever, and we are just there for looks, um, when at the end of the day, we're obviously not just there for that. You know, we're passionate about what we do, and we're committed to this sport and we

work hard. We work incredibly hard to not only put out a good game day, but to also have other people looking at us and think, wow, they actually look really good and they do more than just yea. UM. But I think it an important part that goes into especially being a female cheerleader, UM, is making sure you're keeping up. You know, you're being kind to people, You're

representing your team well, you're representing your school well. Because at the end of the day, when you're in college, your college cheerleader, you're not only representing yourself, but you're representing everyone who wears your programs shirt. You're representing your college. UM. And you want to make sure that that reputation is being upheld to a high standard. UM. Something we always say as a program, as a school athletic department is

you're a part of something bigger than yourself. UM. And keeping that just like in the back of your mind when you're posting on social media, like you needn't think is this gonna be representing myself in my program? Well? Um, And I think once you get in the groove of you know this I'm committed to this. I am wanting to do college cheer. I want to be a part of this said program. Being held to a higher holding yourself to a higher standard is not the difficult part.

It's if that's something that you really want, um. But yeah, at the end of the day, it's just if if something is part, If you want to be a part of said program. And you see how there are other childers hold themselves on social media, in public, in a at an event for publicity and all that stuff, you

want to replicate that to the best of your ability. Um. There have been so many times where we're at a basketball game or you know, especially since this has happened, where little girls will come up to me and my teammates and you know, want to take a picture with us because they look up to you like you're not only upholding yourself for you know, your coaches and people who older, the older generations, but also for the younger athletes who want to be just like you. You are

always UM under the microscope as a college athlete. This is outside of cheer. UM cheer, especially because we are known for being leaders, right it's in the name cheer leaders.

We are seeing we are on the field, um So you know it, and it's and frankly, it's not fair, right, It's not fair to be held to a higher standard than the average person, to your peer, to your friend who's living in your dorm, who you know who can sleep until noon and you know this, that and the other who doesn't have to go to class, who doesn't have to maintain a certain g p A. It's not fair.

But it's a responsibility that's worth it, Okay, not only just for your sport, but in life, having responsibility, maintaining yourself, holding yourself to a high standard, the highest standard as possible is a good habit to have. It's a good skill skill to figure out early. Um And we're not and no one should ever be asking for perfection, right, but we ask for your best, right, That's what our coaches asked for. That's where teammates ask of each other.

Um So, just knowing that and keeping yourself aware of I'm I need to be held at a higher standard because I'm an example for others. Um So I think that's the biggest thing. And like we said, you do those things, the reward comes naturally, you know. So thanks for listening. To Beyond the Megaphone on the College Athletes Network. I'm Nathan and I'm Cassidy. Make sure to subscribe to our podcast. You never miss another episode. Thanks so much for your time, and we'll talk to you again so soon.

Beyond the Megaphone has been a presentation of I Heart Radio and the College Athletes Network.