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Welcome to MintLand Review- From Dana Burkey

~ Welcome To Mintland ~ 1 Comment

Hey everyone! Welcome to Mintland is officially one year old this week!!! As I reflect on the growth of the mini team that could, I can only smile as it has been quite a journey. This morning when I woke up, I noticed a tweet from author Dana Burkey. To my surprise, she did a review of Welcome to Mintland and did a great job summarizing the essence of the book. I was honored she took the time to read it, and floored that she completed a review. I know many of the Mint alumni are going to love seeing this review.

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Some of you may have heard about Dana’s amazing fiction series about the Allstar Cheerleading team TNT Force Cheer. The first book Learning to Fly is a fantastic read and as a father of a daughter who loves to read, I can tell you she absolutely loved it! I encourage everyone to check out the series. The second book is Reaching the Summit  she also has two more books Center Stage and Top of the Worlds to round out the series.

This series an extremely fun read for fans of Allstar Cheer. You can view the entire series along with her other great works HERE .

We all know that Allstar Cheerleaders don’t like to read. Remember that quote? If you don’t I can  refresh your memory by having you read  THIS

Here is the Welcome to Mintland Review from Author Dana Burkey!

Thanks Again Dana!!!

The blessings of taking risks and trying new things.

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One year ago today, encouraged by some special parents, I released the book trailer to Welcome to Mintland. I remember being so scared and intimidated to share it with everyone. It was important for me to set the tone of what the book was about and the magic I hoped to capture. I still even now agonize about the details of everything. I knew once I released the trailer there was no turning back, the book would have to be released. It was a very scary time for me.
The day I released the trailer. Welcome to Mintland was over 3/4 of the way completed. I had no idea what I was doing or how I would actually get this book published. I still to this day do not know what compelled me to write it. I needed to take a break from writing and decided to create the book trailer (again a first for me). It took me many many hours to get it right in my head and then transferred to video. After I created what I thought captured the essence and tone of the book. I gathered up enough courage to share the video with a trusted friend. After watching the video my friend said nothing, she just covered her mouth and broke down in tears. It was then I knew, the story of this magical team needed to be completed. Her reaction validated my instinct that this team and this story was something that may not happen ever again. The team being so young and naive had no idea what they had accomplished together. Looking back it all just seemed like a blur as everything simply fell into place as it was meant to happen.
As this story ages, it will continue to live on. My hopes are a few kids and parents read the story and are inspired to try new things. Hopefully, the message they take from the book is that if you believe in yourself and others you can accomplish ANYTHING no matter what your age is. Set a goal and go for it. If there is a bump in the road set a bigger goal and go for it! If someone tells you every day that you are special, that you can be the best in world and you dare to believe it, special things will happen.
The Finished Trailer From the Book Welcome to Mintland
For the next few weeks, we are donating all proceeds of sales of the book to the Louisiana Cheerforce GoFundMe Campaign. If you would rather donate straight to the cause in lieu of purchasing the book please do!
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Many of the former Peppermints ask me every day how many books we have sold for the flood victims. As I mentioned earlier, my hope was that the story would live on to build life long memories and create inspiration. I always tell them every little bit helps, but they will never know the devastation that happened. They feel good knowing their little story is helping people and that was the intent, as the spirit of the book will live on through them for many years to come.

Helping the Flood Victims in Louisiana one book at a time.

~ Welcome To Mintland ~ 2 Comments

As we all know, Louisiana has been ravaged by floods as the area was hit with unprecedented rains that exceeded over 25 inches in 48 hours. I’ve seen limited news coverage on this event but was learning the extent of the flooding via social media. As I was scrolling through twitter. I stumbled upon something that hit me directly. One of the local Allstar Cheerleading teams Louisiana Cheerforce located in Baton Rouge posted a gofundme page for all the athletes and parents affected by the flooding. My heart sank as an emotional plea the cheer gym reached out to our cheer community. As I read the gofundme page I wanted to do something to help.

The thought of the families struggling to cope with the devastation of piecing their lives together is unimaginable. We would like to think that the last thing on everyones mind in a tragedy like this would be Allstar cheerleading. To children, unfortunately, that is not the case. Many in the Allstar cheerleading community understand that being with your teammates and friends in your home away from home with your coaches is normalcy.

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That being said,  as I mentioned earlier I wanted to help. What I would like to do is donate ALL REVENUES made from book sales of Welcome to Mintland in the next 30 days to this cause. I wrote this book to make sure the story of childhood dreams and perseverance when faced with adversity, were shared with all. I know that this will not make even the slightest dent in the help needed in Louisiana, but if we can help give a little bit of hope by sharing the amazing story of the 2015 Stingray Allstars Peppermint while raising a few dollars to help flood victims get back to normal. I am all for it! I know the team that was featured in this book would love to know that their story could potentially help others. My hope is to raise funds while inspiring a few people or cheer teams by reading about a Mini Allstar Cheerleading team that achieved their dreams by overcoming challenges in the road. It only seems fitting.

If you are reading this and have a friend who Cheers or know someone who would love to read a fun story about Allstar Cheerleading I would be honored if you share this info with them.

Here is a brief trailer for the book.

If you would like to learn more about the book, or purchase a book for the cause you may do so here : Welcome to Mintland 

 

Remember all proceeds over the next 30 days from book sales will go straight to Louisiana Cheerforce GofundMe page. Hopefully, this will be a Win/Win for all involved.

If you feel compelled to donate directly to the gofundme page you can do so HERE

Thank you for taking the time to read this and we are praying for all victims of Louisiana flooding.

Welcome to Mintland Site Launch

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The number one request I’ve had over the past couple of months is how is the team doing, or where are they now?  I have done my best to keep up with the team and sharing stories and updates but unfortunately, the information has been all over the place.

Between the Welcome to Mintland FB page HERE, the Blog (You are currently reading) my YOUTUBE channel and my twitter handle, information was kind of tough to find. I wanted to let everyone know I have finally got around to creating a site where you can access all the information you would like about the team.

I have included some special parts of the season I was not able to share in the book. Including the video I created for the team before they went to Summit . I also included a video of Peppermints final performance together as a team at the Summit finals along with the book trailer explaining Welcome to Mintland. I have also included a ton of pictures that were cut from the book.

Ok i’ll stop rambling you can find the new site HERE. I hope you enjoy!

Remembering your moment in time in Allstar Cheer.

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It is so great to have many of the Mintland crew back together on teams at Stingrays. I know a few of the original Mint crew are scattered amongst a few different teams and it is amazing to watch them blossom and grow. Since most of what happened in Welcome to Mintland happened at such a young age for most of them, it got me thinking. Do they remember that time? Will they remember the connections? Will they understand the scope of what they accomplished? Will they remember including everyone in the fun and the little things that made that team so unique? That is what made our moment in time so special. We will never get that moment in time back again.
 
It has been so fun to see the leadership and relationships from our time blossom and show up on all of our current teams. This week has been especially fun, as I am noticing the kids maturing and their personalities are really beginning to shine. I am noticing our Mints encouraging others when they are struggling. I am watching teammates pick each other up emotionally when things are not going their way. I see teammates ecstatic when one of their teammates learns a new skill. Basically, what I am saying is I am seeing  the pieces that made the original Welcome to Mintland team so special happening again. What makes the culture so fun is that they are sharing and including others in it. That is what it is all about. 
 
I personally had a moment this week that touched me. It was simple, no one noticed it except my wife sitting next to me (who was hitting me because she though I was instigating it) but it gave me hope that they will remember their moment in time.
Let me explain. In between stunt drills at practice, a few of our goof ball Minnie Mints currently on another team aka: “usual suspects” saw me sitting up in the fishbowl at Stingrays like I always do. (I will not release the current team or the names to protect the innocent as they should have been paying attention to their coaches:) .
They were attempting to get my attention and began to do some silly things. To most, it was probably just normal funny things kids do with downtime. To me, it was a reminder of the connection we had. It was some of the silly things we used to do backstage waiting to go to warm ups or while waiting for awards. I will not release exactly what was done, as break dancing and knocking out killer dance moves during practice is not Stingray policy :).  It was a little gesture, but it meant the world to me. They remembered the fun and more importantly, the place in time.Mint Xmas
The Crazy Personaities of the Welcome to Mintland Crew Dec 201413095823_10207915036305971_4143313258946286090_n
Growing Up and Making New Friends as Red Rays at Summit 2016
This is a tough time of year in allstar cheer. Teams are trying to learn the routine and downtime can be challenging while coaches figure out what is best. It was neat to see them make the most of it, and include a few other new team members in the moment. I was very flattered that they thought to include me. 
The jackets and medals in competition are nice but the connections and remembering the special moment in time during the grind of summer is what each allstar cheerleading season is all about. I am going to predict some very amazing things from our Mintland crew this year. They will continue the Mintland culture and tradition and be amazing because they are.
Many of the youth teams have figured out their goal for this year. It is a big one, it spread like wild fire once they figured out this “special thing” has never been done before. Will any of the youth teams achieve their goal? We will just have to wait and find out…..
 

The Importance of Strong Mentors and Culture

~ Welcome To Mintland ~ 2 Comments

In the first few chapters of Welcome to Mintland,  it was important to share the culture Peppermint was surrounded by. In the first few pages, I share the legacy of the 8 time World Champion Stingray Allstars Orange. In youth sports, it is important to have people to look up to. This Mini team each had their favorite teams in the gym, but the positive culture starts and ends with watching and being surrounded by the Orange team legacy.

The success of Orange has built a culture of keeping your head down, working hard to do your best, staying humble and believing in yourself. The legacy that hovers around the gym is a strong force you can feel. Not only by the current Orange teammates but also the Alumni that enter the building  and follow the team on social media. It helps drive all of the teams in the building. It is why I firmly believe the success of the gym will be driven by building the legacy of not only Orange, but all of the Worlds teams at the Stingray Allstars. Having strong mentors in life is a very powerful force. When you have multiple mentors to look up to and pair that up with an incredible leader or coach, magnificent things can happen. Peppermint was fortunate enough to be surrounded by multiple teams that were lead by fantastic leaders who extracted the most out of their athletes. To build an incredible team at the beginning of a new year, the expectation and bar needs to be set and understood by all.Mintwatching Orange Rays

Earning the right to watch the Stingray Allstars Orange Practice

Peppermint was fortunate enough to be surrounded by multiple teams that were fantastic leaders and mentors, including their own coaching staff. The acceptance of a work hard and “do your best” culture is significant in building powerful relationships and bonds that will last a lifetime. It is why I firmly believe that the relationship between Peppermint and the 2015 World Champion Stingray Allstars Peach was so strong.

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The 2015 Cheersport Champions Stingrays Peppermint and Peach 

 

In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of being successful in life is being surrounded by incredible mentors that have built a strong positive culture. This is one of the first life lessons I wanted to establish in the book.

Over the course of the next few blog posts, I will continue to outline the many life lessons in Welcome to Mintland in sequential order.  How has a positive culture or mentor shaped your life? I would love to hear your thoughts and stories.

The Blessing and the Curse of Social Media in Allstar Cheerleading…

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It’s no secret I can be a long-winded person. It’s a blessing and a curse in this day and age. I have made it my mission in life to make sure I never say “it all went by so fast” or “where did the time go.” I am sure I will fail eventually and cave to that phrase, but I will try to take in every moment. It is important to reflect on experiences good and bad. It is what builds character and develops our future. It’s a building block.

One of the main purposes of writing Welcome to Mintland was making sure the kids appreciated this time in their lives. In between practices, school, tumble classes, school projects, parties, and travel. Most of the time they do not get an opportunity to smell the roses. In the era of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat etc.. kids (and adults) are now trained to appreciate moments in the split second they take a look at that picture or meme on their favorite social media account. After that quick instance of gratification, it is off to the next piece of context or photo. There is no time for reflection or appreciation of a job well done. There are some stories that are worth more that the 7/8 of a second we dedicate to viewing our journey.

At the end of the season, one of the observations I made was  that I did not get the sense the team understood what they accomplished. I was literally scared to death that they would take the moment and their journey for granted while chasing the next skill or accomplishing more great things at school or at cheer. I think subliminally, that was why I felt compelled to write this story.

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All Star Cheerleading moves at the speed of Social Media. It is how the entire community communicates. I am as guilty as anybody.  It is efficient and necessary for a worldwide audience to stay connected as closely as we all do. We all must realize there are some stories that deserve more than just a tweet or a snap. This community deserves more than that. I hope more take the time to realize this time in your life will be amazing and not everything in your life should be broken down into 8 counts. Sometimes you need to back up and observe from the judges table and smile down on the performance in front of you, take it all in and build from it.

I would love to hear about your special moments. Feel free to share.

Eric

The Dad who wrote a book about AllStar Cheerleading.

~ Welcome To Mintland ~ 2 Comments

So the inevitable happened. One of my fears going into the Welcome to Mintland project was perception. As selfish as it sounds, I was worried what “my boys” would think after they found out I wrote a book about All Star Cheerleading.

A few of my friends found out about the project and immediately called me on it. A few chuckled and teased me, a few were amazed that I dedicated the time to do it. I expected as much, I mean guys will be guys and it would not be normal if I did not get some form of teasing or ridicule. A funny thing happened when I challenged them to read the book. They actually did. At first they were amazed that is was actually a “real book” with chapters and pictures and not a neat shutterfly picture documentary about a kids team.

One of my more “macho” guy friends actually finished the book in one sitting and came back to me with a completely different demeanor. He actually apologized to me and said “that was an incredible story dude” and said it reminded him of Friday Night Lights but for cheer (maybe a bit of a stretch but. I’ll take the compliment.) I was actually shocked by his attitude. You could tell he actually read the story because he asked about specific people in the book, and went a step further by actually watching one of the teams in the story the 2015 World Champion Peach Rays on YouTube.

He finally got it. It was more than just Pom Poms and sideline cheer. The story finally helped me break through what I was fortunate enough to witness week in and week out. We discussed how cool it was that the teams trained side by side next to World Champion athletes. We also went on to discuss how hard the kids work, and that some may never become a Senior 5 athlete, but they aspire to be the best they can be. Then we began to reminisce about old sports stories about football, baseball and basketball. It was then I knew. I finally won him over for just a moment. He discussed how cool the camaraderie and connections were with the team and how the plot twist in the book was such an amazing experience for the kids.

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He now understood the magnitude of Cheersport, NCA, UCA, Summit and Worlds. He now understands why they are broadcast on CBS Sports and ESPN. In his mind, it is now legit.

The ironic part of this story; one of the reasons for writing this book was overcoming the frustration of trying to properly articulate how incredible the teams, coaches and the sport of All Star Cheerleading is. After winning over one of “my boys” I am glad I accepted the challenge.  I will chalk it up as a success at this point.

 

 

 

My first venture as an author.

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When you set your path in life. You would like to think you have a vision. Ultimately, your vision will guide you to your ultimate destination. I clearly have a blurry vision, but an exciting one. The most exciting piece of dedicating time to your children is that you get to live through their eyes, but with more experience. I have had the opportunity of a lifetime over the last 12 months to do just that. One of the many gifts that have emerged from this time is a very unexpected project.

I never thought of myself as a writer. If I would ever think of writing something, I would guess it would be about team culture or success of sales teams or advertising. Never in a million years would I ever dream I would write about an experience I had with a group of AllStar Cheerleaders.

I have been surrounded by very gifted writers for a very long time. Working at USA TODAY, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Creative Loafing in Atlanta there is no shortage of some of the best writers in the world. One thing I noticed with all of them is that they did their best work when they were inspired or passionate about something. Almost touched by a superior being. I guess that is what happened when I sat down to write about Welcome to MintLand. When you watch something magical happen before your eyes that can be perceived like an average experience to the innocent bystander, you feel compelled to tell the story. I simply told the story. This story needed to be told, if not for anyone but the team. I was also exhausted from trying to explain the exhilaration of competitive cheer to everyone. You just have to experience it. This was an opportunity to do so. To get a glimpse of the magic that is Welcome to Mintland you can view the book trailer below.

 

The book has been released for only a few weeks but I get asked a two main questions. 1.How did you have time to do this? The answer, I made time for this. 2. Why did you write this book?  This is where the passion comes in.

Welcome to Mintland is about Allstar Cheer ,but the story is much more than that. This story is a group of 6,7,8-year-old kids that became an unstoppable force founded by love and belief in each other. This is NOT a story of some incredible undefeated season. It is a story about what you can accomplish given challenges in the road. It is about recalibrating your vision to a better goal. This team supported everyone along the way including other teams. No one ever felt better than each other. This book is about the word “team” and the power of positivity and belief in others. It’s about a team that completely believed in each other and knew no boundaries to how far they could go as a group.

The book also epitomizes the importance of a strong leader who took them to new heights both as a team and as people. The coaching staff saw the determination, work ethic and heart in this team and it was infectious.

I had two goals in writing this book.

1. When people read this book I want them to take a piece of the culture and share it. Build upon this experience with their new teams, friends, colleges and parents. This spirit which is Mintland should become infectious.

2. When this team grows up and begins their larger journey in life, I want them to reflect on this time and remember the importance of surrounding yourself with incredible people, belief in others, hard work and faith. It will be handy in life.

There are too many life lessons to share, which are outlined in the book. Although the book is about Allstar Cheer they can be applied to any sport and in life. I hope you enjoy the book, and would love to know what you think.

Cheers,

Eric

 

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