Ok, my team is small, only 5 people, and only 4 of us will perform. No I wont have a sassy cheer uniform… and my cheer bows are not in the mail yet!

We just have a cheer and a chant, nothing too advanced. But It is a performance nonetheless!

I am soooooooo nervous and excited at the same time!!!

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.
Norman Vincent Peale

Well it is now the last 100 days of 2011. Thus, today we all face a major decision. Do you want to fizz out in these last hundred days? Or do you want to have 2011 go out with a bang?

Well now, more than ever, is the perfect time to change your life in 100 days!

Most people would never even conceder the last 100 days as a perfect opportunity to make a positive change in their life. In fact, most people think about changing their lives only within the first two weeks of the new year; before they fizz out go back to their normal doldrums.

Well, if you are thinking about making a positive change in your life, TODAY is the day to start? Make this year different! Set a goal TODAY and make 2011 go out with a bang!

With that said, I do have some new goals myself. As an older cheerleader who started in her 30s, a true adult cheerleader per-say, I need to cheer for something more that just a sports victory. I need to help cheer you on as you reach your goals. Contact me, Tell me your goals. Let me feature YOU, cheer YOU on and share your progress as you strive to go out strong for the last 100 days!

Trust me, if I can learn to toe touch at my age, you can do ANYTHING!!

So go out there and make your goals happen!!

I did take a break this weekend and travled to Laramie Wyoming for the first time in ages to cheer on my team, the Wyoming Cowboys, as they beat the Texas State Bobcats.

Before the game I managed to meet the a few members of the University Spirit Squad.

Me with the UW Spirit Squad dancers

The Marching Band got new uniforms, marching brass and drums! They looked and sounded great. To think, I spent 7 years in that marching band…

(silly me, can’t hold the camera straight and dance)

Oh, I MUST learn the cheerleaders dance to the beer song, just because I am still a UW alum.

My team, Cheer Salt Lake, is now up to 5-6 very committed people, with hopes that more will come. If I can somehow get 16 we would be in great shape. But For now we are all very peppy and enthusiastic!

I cant wait to tell you more!

A few weeks ago I was going out for my run. I had taken only 2 steps when I felt a strange jitter and spasim in my lower back. The next thing I knew I could barely move. After crawling up upon the grass, I decided to take a break before going back home. However I noticed that after about 10 minutes, I was unable to get up. So I called my parents and they came and got me.

I didn’t realize how bad everything was until after I had gotten home, laid down for a while and tried to go to the bathroom. My left leg wasn’t moving at all!! I was stuck IN my parents bed.

Long story short I was stuck in bed for 2-3 days, and had a very bad back for over 2 weeks. Sitting in chairs was too painful for me, so I had to do my work on my lap.

I had to postpone the first meeting of CheerSL, and cheer training for 2 weeks.

I have to admit though, going to cheer lessons is what has really helped my back the most. It was the stretching that really helped make me feel good. In fact, I have found that the best thing to do with a back injury is to not stay in bed, rather you need to constantly be stretching and moving. Don’t push yourself too hard, but keep your muscles moving as much as you can. In about two weeks, you should be back to normal

If you have thrown out your back, check out this article and you-tube video for more information.

Last week, I didn’t throw any jumps or stunts, but stretched, conditioned and moved (cheers, chants and dance). As a result, I was able to jump at my cheer lesson today. Despite 2 weeks of no jumping, I managed to pull some of my best jumps ever. Granted it took some time to get some of the cobwebs off my legs, but once I got going, I got better.

I should be better from here on out!

I never thought it would be so literal…

Since I am so far away from my family in San Francisco, I decided to do something even MORE challenging. I decided to bring the PCA LOVE to one of the most socially conservative places in the world.

I am announcing the formation of a PCA team right here in Salt Lake City! I believe that this team, Cheer Salt Lake will be a positive addition to the community, which will inspire people to believe that anything is possible. Furthermore, we will be raising money for local HIV/ADIS and cancer charities!

All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is to – act as if it were impossible to fail.
Dorothea Brande

Frustration, although quite painful at times, is a very positive and essential part of success.
Bo Bennett

First I must say congratulations to the 11 new teammates of CheerSF. I hope you all bring new energy and excitement to what is already an amazing team. Most importantly, I can not wait to meet you all in the near future. Honestly, I am happy that so many talented people showed up and gave it their best. CheerSF is a great team, and new faces always brings new energy to the mix. I am sure that each and every year they will get better and better.

What about me though? It is a well known fact that I have been wanting to attend these tryouts for over a year now. I have worked very hard and even moved half-way around the world to make it happen. Yet by some twist of fate I was not there.

I admit, I have been frustrated. Trust me a combination of natural disasters, job losses, empty savings accounts and being forced to move from the city you love to live with with your parents after the age of 30 is extremely frustrating. To add injury to insult, applying for “jobs” has been excruciating. Even though I am in a “hot” industry where “everybody is hiring left and right,” I get am getting zero replies from all those cover letters and resumes I have sent out.

When you are as frustrated as I have been, there are two things which you can do. First of all, you can have your frustration eat you alive as it tears you down to a state of continuous self-destruction. Or you can take your frustration and turn it into happiness and bliss.

Although you may believe that “this is easier said than done”, and rightfully so. When you are in a negative state of mind, you are always attracting more negative situations around you. So where do you begin?

The first thing you need to do is to get yourself into a better frame of mind. You need to calm down, relax, breath, go running, or get some sleep. Despite going through the worst hardships, your mind does have a natural tendency to rebound back to a normal state (what phycologists call “adaptation”). People who have become disabled, or have developed a life threatening illness all have learned to adapt to their situations. You too can learn to adapt to whatever is frustrating you.

Once you reset your mind through adaptation, think hard about what is it that is making you so frustrated? Is it something really that bad? For me, not being in San Francisco and not getting any responses to my job hunt was the biggest source of my frustration. Were these two things going to kill me? Obviously not. Next I decided to try to make something positive of my situation.

I am not in SF right now, but I do have affordable rent. I am far away from my team, but I am 5 min away from an All-Star Gym that has open gyms and lessons. In fact, once I get more money coming in, I will be able to practice cheer in the gym 4 nights a week. This is a golden opportunity for me to improve in the sport I have come to love.

What about the job? Well, I have decided to stop waisting my time applying for the chance for somebody to give me money by the hour because the process obviously does not work. I was spending 8 to 10 hours a day writing out cover letter after cover letter and not getting anything. I did everything I was told. I researched the company, I crafted each letter to the requirements and keywords in the job descriptions. I have more “experience” than an art school graduate, and a masters degree. Yet I was getting nothing. Thanks to Spy Pig, I knew they were not even opening my emails.

Now I no longer care about “getting a job.” In fact good riddance. I need to turn this frustration into something positive. This may be the best thing that has ever happened to me. There are so many better things I can do than be an endeavored servant for a company. I am going to use this chance to make something BIGGER and BETTER than slaving away for somebody else for a mere $10 an hour.

Once the cloud of frustration lifted, the opportunity to make something bigger and better of myself became apparent. So now, with success in site, I must continue to push myself forward as I reach to make my impossible dream possible!

If I can sum up the sport of cheerleading in just one word, it would be confidence.

I made it to the Utah Xtreme Cheer gym again this week for my second cheerleading lesson. This week the actual instructor, a brillant young cheerleader for the University of Utah with a sharp toe touch, reminded me of the importance of confidence in the sport. During her first cheer tryouts she jumped and fell flat on her butt. However it was her confidence that pulled her through.

The funny thing is I have fallen flat on my butt as well. I lived through a large 9.1 earthquake, Lost most of my work, ran out of money and was forced to live hundreds of miles from my team.

Worst of all, today was the second of two tryout camps needed for tryouts.

It is no secret that have been training to tryout for CheerSF for well over a year now. I have ran hundreds of miles, lifted thousands of pounds and forced myself to get flexible just for a shot to make this team which has guided me throughout this journey. Yet tryouts are hundreds of miles away and due to unforeseen circumstances I am unable to attend.

I admit very little has worked out as planned this last few month. I have gone through every negative emotion out there. Fear, uncertainty, sadness, guilt, I have been through it all. Yet confidence remains as the shining star guiding me on my path to making my dreams come true.

I am confident that I WILL make my team. There is no doubt whatsoever. I am confident that I WILL have a beautiful toe touch, and an awesome pike! In fact I am going to be an amazing jumper! Jumping is the one skill I think I can excel at most in this sport, and I want to make it happen.

I understand now, more than ever that when the winds of change throw you off course confidences is first thing to go. It is also the first thing you need to get yourself back on the right track again. If you have fallen off course yourself, check out this amazing read to help you get back in the game. Also think of these 16 rules of life whenever your confidence is shaken (thank you Nina for sharing these with me).

Thank god I had my team and this sport to help me through what has been the most difficult time in my life. Granted I am so far away from my PCA family, and I am 20 years older than all the other girls who take cheer classes with me. I tell you, I am still going to make it happen. My toe touch is getting better, and I have broken out of my comfort zone and began working on all the other advanced jumps as well!

In the end, this is what confidence means to me:

Cheering
Onward
Never give Up
Finish hard
I am strong
Endurance
No regrets
Can do it
Enthusiasm

Last… Ok, so my cheer instructor now cheers for the U of U. As with all other collegiate cheerleaders I have met in my life, I have a great deal of respect for her and her athletic ability. I don’t care that the U left the Mountain West and is now playing in the Pac 12… HOWEVER as true alum from the University of Wyoming, I will NEVER be able to say “go Ut…”

LETS GO COWBOYS

After surviving the Japan Earthquake, loosing my job and basically stopping a lot of my cheer-specific training, getting my toe touch up to an “acceptable” par was a lot easier than I had imagined. The reasons are 1.) I had continued running and stretching everyday and 2.) I applied good use of tips and visualization techniques.

I have learned three great tips for throwing a great toe touch.

First, my dear friend Coach Julie told me the faster you swing your arms, the higher you will jump. I must attest that this is indeed true. So as I am prepping I am always thinking “swing fast” right before I jump.

The second tip I learned from the Utah Xtream Cheer class I took last week. That is, look up. If you look straight ahead your back is going to be bent. If you look up your back will be nice and straight. This is great for cheerleaders, because you often need to look up to the stands and smile. I take what I learned from marching band during my prep. Chest out, shoulders back head up 10 degrees. Does it work? so far so good!

The last tip is one I kind of found out on my own. This one helps me with hight. Whenever I try a toe touch I never think “touch my toes.” If I do, my back would bend and the jump would look ugly. Rather I am always thinking kick my hands This visualization technique alone has helped me break my legs away from a glorified jumping jack to something resembling a toe-touch.

These three tips are working well for me; they have helped bring my jumping to the next level. Like a lot of cheerleaders out there, I still need to work on getting it higher, and keeping my toes pointed a bit more, but I am sure it will come in time!

So remember, Swing your arms fast, look up and kick your hands. Keep on working at it and you too will have a nice toe touch as well!

For more information on cheerleading jumping, check out this great blog post by Michigan Cheerleader

Best of luck!

I would prefer to work for non profit anyway. I think my experience with CheerSF has shown that!

Anyway, it turns out that the Trevor Project is hiring.

Can we say perfect? After growing up in harsh Wyoming, living through the Matthew Shepard murder, Being involved with LYRIC, teaching in Japan and now CheerSF, I think I would be PERFECT for the Trevor project.

I have lived through the worst, and I have survived to be who I am today, I can’t imagine a better fit for me. As a cheerleader it would be an honor to cheer for a community which really need cheering up. LGBTQ youth who are having thoughts of suicide. It would not be easy, no… but saving lives would be so rewarding.

Funny thing is, the Trevor Project was the grand marshel of the SF pride this year.. and they followed the cheerleaders!

Yes, I NEED to get back to this soon!

How fun is that, my birthday is on Friday, and tryouts are on Saturday. I should be so excited!

I have been training for to make this team for over one year now. I have ran mile after mile, done countless sit-ups and pushups, and am constantly stretching. I have suffered through dance classes, and have given up so much chocolate.

I know I can be good enough to make this team. I don’t have any doubts at all. My heart tells me I have what it takes to make it happen.

I have been training. My body is constantly sore. My legs are constantly bruised. I have learned to push through pain. I lived through a major natural disaster. I lost all my work. Yet I know I can make this team.

Tryouts begin this weekend.

And there is another wall.

I am still Jobless, and applying for jobs online has been the most futile of futile efforts. I think I proved my ability to work hard and do a good job to the PCA. They all know.

I have very little money left. Less than $1000. Unless I get a job in San Francisco Tomorrow, not an interview, but a job I wont make tryouts.

Applying for jobs in web design, which is suppose to be an anti-recession BOOMING industry, has proven to be absolutely futile with only one great lead which died because I was NOT in SF. The fact is, I realized that writing cover letters and sending out resumes is NOT going to work. The only thing I can do now is the only thing I know how to do well. That is MAKE it happen by myself. I have to make my own company, period. There is no other way, nothing else for me to do.

With that said, I am starting to sell t-shirts. For now, I have opened up a few t-shirt design sites. I have opened up a shop on spreadshirt. You can find it here: http://geekygraphicgirl.spreadshirt.com/ I am going to do a lot more cheer-related designs!

Now what about tryouts? I dont know… It is a big downer for me I admit. I can’t even begin to count the times I have just broken down and started crying because of the fact that I am stuck in Utah. I feel like a failure to be honest with you. This is Me! Ms. Positive, Ms. I can make it happen. Yes. I feel like a complete failure at times. I have worked so hard to make my dreams come true this past year. Yet loosing most of my employment after the earthquake, and then loosing my contract as soon as I moved to the bay area, made me feel so bad. I HAVE literally been on shaky ground since the earthquake.

Yet the only time I feel good, the only time I feel happy and accomplished was when I was with my PCA family.

Please please please pray for me. I really need help because I have never been in such a rut in my entire life.