On bringing it on...

Often I forget that I was a cheerleader.

No no no.. I don't mean that my high school days were so filled with popularity and partying that I can't keep it all straight. I think it's more that sometimes it's difficult to remember that I was a kid once, and that I bopped around the hallways of my high school on game days in my uniform, my ponytail flapping, and froze my butt off sitting in class seats with really just my briefs covering my rear.

How's that for a mental image? You were thinking Sandy from Grease the whole time until we got there, weren't you?

One of the women I supervise had a meeting with me this morning, and as we got through business and talked about her weekend, she shared the details of the cheering competition she attended this weekend. She's an assistant cheer coach at the high school where she was a cheerleader, herself, and I often find myself envious that she maintained such a connection and is able to still be involved.

What's great about this particular woman is that she, like me, is hard to peg as "cheerleader type". Despite my award winning good looks and beaming personality, people are often shocked I was a cheerleader. My colleague would fall into that boat as well.

So it's fun to have people walk by as we talk about the need to be fearless to stick a back tuck, and see our eyes light up at the thought of doing a routine on a springboard floor.

Being a cheerleader was one of the toughest things I ever did. People can laugh, but it requires a great deal of athleticism if you want to be any good at all, and mental toughness as well. Nothing like working your tail off the entire week on stunts and routines, only to get up in front of the crowd and have everyone immediately start making fun of you and your squadmates.

Honestly.