One of the biggest challenges as a parent or athlete is explaining the sport of Allstar Cheer.
After trying for many years to articulate what these kids do on a daily basis. I figured it would be better to capture the experience.
I was fortunate enough to follow the amazing Stingray Allstars Black during their journey at the Cheersport Nationals in Atlanta back in February. This is a raw uncut version of their quest to earn a summit bid.
If you have ever struggled to explain or properly articulate what parents and athletes experience at Cheersport, this will be a great video to share. If you have never been. Take a look at this post about surviving Cheersport
Out of respect of the program and team, I waited until after Summit to release as the full routine was in the documentary.
It’s that time of year again. It’s a few weeks before Worlds and Summit. You either have a bid or you don’t. Those that don’t are struggling with that fact. Those that do are pushing themselves to the limit after an exhausting eight-month season. The school work is piling up, spring break is imminent and people are out having fun.
If you have a bid you are doing multiple full outs, you may even be in the middle of school tryouts on top of practicing for Worlds and Summit. Tryout packets are already being turned in for next season. A few others are getting a head start on tryouts. They are perfecting their new skills and passes for next season and you are stuck perfecting the same routine you have performed for the past 7 months. You are still not hitting every time. The coach is making final tweaks, squeezing out every once of points to maximize the score sheet. You are reaching a breaking point. You are using every ounce of energy and focused on not letting your team down….. and those oh so precious Worlds and Summit rings. It’s getting really really hard.
In the back of your mind, you are asking yourself the questions you don’t yet know the answers to. Your parents are pushing you to make a commitment or at least declare for next year. You are running through all the scenarios and asking all the questions you seem to struggle with every single year.
Is the sacrifice worth it?
Do I risk losing everything I worked for if I take a year off?
Would I be able to listen to all of my friends doing incredible things next year in Cheer?
Will I miss the adrenaline rush?
Will I miss my teammates, the struggles, the successes and the bonds?
I am so close to achieving my next skill should I give up now?
What would it be like just to be a normal kid with free time?
My family is here at the gym, would I miss them?
I am tired of getting coached and “yelled at” but I know it is for our own good.
I mean…. I can still tumble right?
Will my parents and coaches be disappointed?
The questions keep coming in your head and then we drop a stunt in practice. The conditioning starts again and it hurts. More full outs come, the questions in my head are becoming easier to answer…. or are they?
Allstar cheer is big on showing all the “look at me” moments. For every award ceremony showing the winning announcement there are 8-15 other teams that do not get the glory. No one shows the video of the agony and crying going on in practice. The stunt and choreography camps, the hours upon hours of sacrifice during tumble and stunting classes. Do you want to do all of that again for one more year?
Your parents are torn. They struggle with the pain of you choosing not to do this again next year, but hoping and praying that you do. They know that you love to do this but would love the extra 6-8 hours a week back (not counting drive time or multiple siblings in a program.) They understand you have no idea the value of the life lessons you are learning but continue to throw thousands of dollars at your dream. The choice is yours (or at least it should be)There are a few weeks left, what are you going to do?
It’s time for Worlds and Summit. You are at ESPN WWOS and the energy is electric. You have one more shot with this squad you have called family for the past 8 months. It is time for one last quest together as a team to capture the dream you have worked for all year.
Is it time to quit Allstar Cheerleading? There is going to be a time where you have to answer the question, “Am I going to do this again next year?” We hope you will but you will make the right decision for yourself when that time comes. The one thing you will absolutely know many years from now is that the routine you worked so hard on for the past 8 months only lasts 2:30 but the memory of that routine, the journey and the team that you called family will last a lifetime…….The choice is yours what will it be?
There is nothing more painful than hitting your routine at Summit and not advancing or making it to day two, hitting and losing. It will happen to almost every team that sets foot in the ESPN WWOS. Specifically, about 95% of the teams that are fortunate enough to earn a bid will not get the ring.
As I reflect on the 2017 season, it is a bittersweet moment. It happened again, we competed, hit zero both days and lost…. this will be the third time. It will probably happen over and over again if we are lucky enough to make it back. I use the term “WE” on purpose. As you know, your entire village is part of a trip to Summit. The coaches, the athletes, the parents. The cycle of emotions after you come back from Summit and lose goes something like this. exhaustion, anger, guilt, reflection on what went wrong. After you make it through all of those emotions the final and most important stage
You begin to smile, you begin to understand the magnitude of what you just went through with your entire squad. After you make it through all of those emotions the final and most important stage hit you like a ton of bricks. The inevitable question. Was it all worth it?
Typically, if you are like me, it’s the third day. I start looking at all the amazing photos of the weekend. The smiles, the anticipation, the preparation, the tension the amazing time with friends. The pain, the tears …I review it all.
Then there is that moment when you find a social media post from a few years back that puts everything into perspective. You were new to cheer, maybe a little less jaded, some may say a little nieve. I would say it summed up the biggest gift you can get from a Summit loss. It goes a little something like this……
Pardon me capturing this moment…..
The most treasured gifts one can receive in life are lifetime memories. Sometimes these are good memories, sometimes bad. As we got home from Orlando last night. As we always do, Kaitlyn and I snuggled and we talked about her 2nd place finish at The Summit.
While she was disappointed in not winning. I explained to her that as she goes through life this experience is a gift that she will be able to hold in her heart forever. As a 7-year-old she did not exactly understand what I meant.
I proceeded to tell her that what their team accomplished will never be taken away. She would be able to take this experience with her for the rest of her life and share the incredible journey with others. “It is a gift”.
As we walked through the entire journey. I also shared that Coach Ashley believing in them and giving them this incredible opportunity is something she should never forget. I also told her that the team overcame so many things to get as far as they did. She seemed perplexed. “What did we overcome? We were only doing our routine as we always do.” I finally told her that many people did not think they would do as well as they did. I finally was able to put into perspective exactly what they accomplished.
1.People stated that Peppermint was “too small” to compete in the Youth division. People said there was no way this team would be able to compete one time and get a bid, it was too much of a long shot. They should stay the course and go for the Triple Crown points race.
2. Some people said ” They would never give a Mini team a ” Youth Level at-large bid to the Summit.” They were right, your team did NOT get an at-large bid. They were awarded a “Full Paid bid instead”
3. People were nervous when Peppermint changed the routine they had all season. I was a risky change going into Summit. It was a huge challenge and at times did not look so good in practice. They said maybe it was a mistake to change it. You hit it flawlessly both days in competition.
4. People said there would be no way they would let a Mini team move on to day 2 at the Summit in the Youth Division. You made it to Day 2 Final and Finished in Second Place in the Nation in the Youth Division.
Kaitlyn then asked ” Why did our coaches not tell us all this stuff?” I responded well Kaitlyn that is the the Gift that I was referring to. Coach Ashley, Kelsey and Rupert believed in you so much that they knew you could do it all along without any doubt! That is the true gift! Coach Ashley told you all year you were the best Mini Team in the world all year and she was right….hold that in your heart forever. #miraclemints
This post was the inspiration for the book Welcome to Mintland. It is featured on the Welcome to Mintland Facebook page HERE.
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!
It’s that time of year again. It’s a few weeks before Worlds and Summit. You either have a bid or you don’t. Those that don’t are struggling with that fact. Those that do are pushing themselves to the limit after an exhausting eight-month season. The school work is piling up, spring break is imminent and people are out having fun.
If you have a bid you are doing multiple full outs, you may even be in the middle of school tryouts on top of practicing for Worlds and Summit. Tryout packets are already being turned in for next season. A few others are getting a head start on tryouts. They are perfecting their new skills and passes for next season and you are stuck perfecting the same routine you have performed for the past 7 months. You are still not hitting every time. The coach is making final tweaks, squeezing out every once of points to maximize the score sheet. You are reaching a breaking point. You are using every ounce of energy and focused on not letting your team down….. and those oh so precious Worlds and Summit rings. It’s getting really really hard.
In the back of your mind, you are asking yourself the questions you don’t yet know the answers to. Your parents are pushing you to make a commitment or at least declare for next year. You are running through all the scenarios and asking all the questions you seem to struggle with every single year.
Is the sacrifice worth it?
Do I risk losing everything I worked for if I take a year off?
Would I be able to listen to all of my friends doing incredible things next year in Cheer?
Will I miss the adrenaline rush?
Will I miss my teammates, the struggles, the successes and the bonds?
I am so close to achieving my next skill should I give up now?
What would it be like just to be a normal kid with free time?
My family is here at the gym, would I miss them?
I am tired of getting coached and “yelled at” but I know it is for our own good.
I mean…. I can still tumble right?
Will my parents and coaches be disappointed?
The questions keep coming in your head and then we drop a stunt in practice. The conditioning starts again and it hurts. More full outs come, the questions in my head are becoming easier to answer…. or are they?
Allstar cheer is big on showing all the “look at me” moments. For every award ceremony showing the winning announcement there are 8-15 other teams that do not get the glory. No one shows the video of the agony and crying going on in practice. The stunt and choreography camps, the hours upon hours of sacrifice during tumble and stunting classes. Do you want to do all of that again for one more year?
Your parents are torn. They struggle with the pain of you choosing not to do this again next year, but hoping and praying that you do. They know that you love to do this but would love the extra 6-8 hours a week back (not counting drive time or multiple siblings in a program.) They understand you have no idea the value of the life lessons you are learning but continue to throw thousands of dollars at your dream. The choice is yours (or at least it should be)There are a few weeks left, what are you going to do?
It’s time for Worlds and Summit. You are at ESPN WWOS and the energy is electric. You have one more shot with this squad you have called family for the past 8 months. It is time for one last quest together as a team to capture the dream you have worked for all year.
Is it time to quit Allstar Cheerleading? There is going to be a time where you have to answer the question, “Am I going to do this again next year?” We hope you will but you will make the right decision for yourself when that time comes. The one thing you will absolutely know many years from now is that the routine you worked so hard on for the past 8 months only lasts 2:30 but the memory of that routine, the journey and the team that you called family will last a lifetime…….The choice is yours what will it be?
It is that time of year again. Almost a year has past since the amazing Mints did their thing at The Summit. If you are not familiar with Summit it is where the top 10% of the best (Level 1-5 non-worlds) Allstar Cheerleading teams from around the country are invited to the ESPN Wide World of Sports to compete in one of the most prestigious and competitive events in Allstar Cheerleading. It is an exciting time, and a time where lifetime memories will be made. The amazing event was one of the inspirations for writing the book Welcome to MintLand
Our family is very fortunate to be attending Summit once again this year with a new team The Stingray Allstars Red. It will be a very emotional time for many of us who had such an incredible time last year. I wanted to take this opportunity to address a few topics that have come up since I have written the book. Those outside of the Cheerleading world always ask me two questions about the book before they read it.
1. What does “Welcome to Mintland” mean?
2. What is the significance of the cover?
Of course, I always reply, “Well you will just have to read it and find out.” but I have thought a bit about that response and wanted to share a bit more to help people understand the significance.
Welcome to Mintland was the opening voice over in the Peppermint music. As many Allstar Cheerleaders will tell you, the team music will become your anthem. You remember each team you were on, every single motion and 8 count, your teammates and the significance of the season all by your music. Most will remember the music for the rest of their lives. It defines you, the team and the team persona.
In the book, I attempted to describe Welcome to Mintland as a culture that developed over an entire season. It began with the team formation and the bonding process of the kids. It took shape in the form of a cheer routine and overflowed with love and belief from the coaches and parents. Welcome to Mintland is indeed a state of mind. It is a living and breathing thing. Welcome to Mintland is not exclusive to Peppermint or The Stingray Allstars. This state of mind comes from the passion and love that develops over the course of the year. It was built by hours upon hours of hard work and solidified by faith in one another, and some would say fate.
As the voice over continues “The greatest place on earth has blue and green turf.” The culture was built upon everything magical about our special program. It probably has another name or significance in other gyms or other sports. Some would like to call it similar to “being in the zone.” Either way, that will give a little more insight into the significance of the book title.
As far as the book cover is concerned, many in the Cheerleading world will understand the significance at first sight. I will break down the significance of the cover for others to understand.
Hopefully, I explained the significance of the title of the book. We will move on to the bow. The cover photo of the bow is the exact bow that the team wore to Summit. It was made especially for them, for this competition. The new bow signified a new attitude and a bond with the new Mints added for Summit.
Just below the photo is the red mountains. Of course, this has many symbolic references. Since the team colors were red and white, I wanted to capture the theme of the team on the cover. The mountains also capture the maturation and growth of the team along with the long journey and challenge of the season. Finally, the mountains represent the Summit competition and the celebration of how far the team went in that competition. As you can see below, the logo for the competition is represented by mountains as well.
I thought long and hard about the cover. The obvious choice was to put the team on the front cover to easily explain what the book is about. That would have been a simple choice, but as I explained in The Dad who wrote a book about Allstar Cheerleading I wanted to share a bit more and hopefully explain what Allstar cheer is about. The term “never judge a book by its cover” played a big role in why I changed the cover so many times before deciding on this one. You see at Summit last year Peppermint competed as a YOUTH level team.
When you judge a book by its cover you can be in for some big surprises. Similar to what is inside the book Welcome to Mintland. If you know anything about Cheer you know that Peppermint is known as a Mini age level team. You also know that at Summit, the youngest age group allowed is a Youth level. How did a Mini team end up in one of the most prestigious competitions in the nation competing as a Youth team? You will just have to read and find out! I hope to see many of you soon at ESPN Wide World of Sports for Summit. If you can dream it…. you can do it ..and Welcome to Mintland proves it!
This post is a fantastic overview of how Summit works. This also put into perspective how incredible the run of the MinnieMintsandMickey actually was. This 2015 journey to the Summit was the inspiration of Welcome to Mintland Hope you enjoy!
Allstar Cheerleading, Life Lessons and More 