If it seems like the blog has been taken over lately by all-things-cheer for Kaitlynn, then you can probably imagine how hectic and CHEERful (haha) our spring was going. Between the intense practices, travel, and competitions for her Phantom all-star team, Kaitlynn was also staying busy preparing for the upcoming cheer tryouts for her 8th grade school year at WoodCreek Junior High. Tryouts were held much earlier this year in March, and when the time came, the girls participated in a full week's worth of afternoon practices to prepare them for the Saturday tryout. Kaitlynn was invited to join one evening with a group hosted by a local cheer coach, who had cleared her home's furniture to accommodate the intense practices with several teams of girls. I was intimidated by the setup but Kaitlynn fit in just fine and really enjoyed the extra practice with her friends.
Last year when Kaitlynn tried out for cheerleader, she really had no expectations and was just going through the experience as an opportunity to try something new, make friends, and have some fun in junior high. At the time, I was traveling heavily and didn't have much time or energy invested to get her prepared for tryouts. Coach Dad stepped in and did a great job taking her to some extra practices and helping to coach her on jumps and cheers at home. I recall going to her tryout and feeling a bit nervous for her, because the competition was strong and there were a lot of girls trying out.
This year's tryout felt quite different, because she was fully invested in making the squad and we knew the strengths and skillsets that the other girls brought to the table. I was quite a bit more nervous for Kaitlynn compared to last year, but she was ready and confident. She even wore the EXACT same outfit - white t-shirt and black shorts - from last year's tryout as a token of luck for the full day ahead. With her A4 tryout number stamped on her leg, it was showtime!
At a local high school, the teams were called in one by one to perform their cheer, dance routine, and jumps with "spirit" in front of the judges. When Kaitlynn finally came out, she reported that she messed up on one part of the dance but otherwise felt good about her performance. Phew, all done! Several of the girls and moms went out to grab some lunch while we waited on the results. It was a nerve-wracking couple of hours for the girls and moms alike! As we sat at the restaurant waiting for our food, the results were finally posted....
And congrats to our #A4, one of the newest 8th grade cheerleaders for WCJH. Woohoo! We breathed a sigh of relief, celebrated with friends, and then we all drove straight back up to the high school for the uniform and spirit gear fittings. It was a super busy and fun day for these girls, and Kaitlynn was so excited and hopeful for a fun year ahead with her new team. We capped off the day with Kaitlynn's favorite ice cream treat, Freddy's! Way to go, Kaitlynn!
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