I suppose that’s what today is about. Instead of wallowing in bed like I want to, I’m doing a broadcast segment on cheer.
After I make sure I’m presentable, I rehearse the questions one more time and then haul all of my recording equipment out of my car.
On the way into the gym, the smell hits me, and as strange as this sounds, it feels like home.
Debbie spots me and waves. “Roxy! It’s so good to see you!”
We hug, and she asks to see pics of Marley. After we catch up for a few minutes, I track down Paige.
This squad is one of the most highly decorated teams in the country, and yet they rarely get any media coverage. At a school this size, it’s easy to get overshadowed by football and other popular sports, but I’m hoping my coverage gets them more recognition.
Paige stretches on the mat while I set up the camera I borrowed from Professor Fowler. No one tells you how unglamorous broadcast is when you have to shoot all of your own footage. Broadcast is not just sitting at an anchor desk in an air-conditioned studio.
I’m interviewing her in a spare room off the main gym where the squad will meet for practice later this afternoon.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about,” I remind her. “Just tell me your story like you did last spring and how cheer helped you.”
She nods.
I check to make sure I’ll be in the shot and hit record. I’ll edit out our chitchat later.
After I stand next to her, I clear my throat. “Are you ready?”
She nods, sending her ponytail bouncing. I turn to the camera with a smile. “I’m here with Paige Lewis, who’s a Bronco cheerleader. The squad recently won their tenth national championship last spring.
“Paige, I’d like to talk about your training because some people have the misconception that cheerleaders just jump around and yell. Some even claim that cheerleaders are not real athletes. How would you respond to that?”
She laughs. “It isn’t unusual for us to spend five or six hours training.Every day.Because those of us in cheer eat, live, and breathe the sport. There’s no way to be one of the best squads in the country without that kind of dedication. It takes a high level of athleticism and stamina to be able to perform our two-and-a-half-minute routines. Most of us are also gymnasts, and many have been training since we were kids.”
“What exactly do you do on the squad? What’s your position?”
“I’m a flyer. That means I get tossed in the air.”
“Are you ever afraid up there? Because sometimes you’re being tossed to the top of a very tall pyramid, correct?”
“It can be scary, yes. But you have to prepare yourself mentally, and you have to learn to trust your teammates, in your bases and spotters.”
I keep my face serene even though I’m grinning on the inside, proud that she’s taken my advice to heart. “It’s been a long road for you to get to this point. Can you describe some of the challenges you’ve faced along the way?”
“Gymnastics and cheer are expensive activities, and my family could never afford them. When I was about nine or ten, I started helping our coaches clean up the gym equipment after practice and do odd jobs so I could keep taking lessons.”
“Why was it so important for you to stick with it?”
“I’ve always been a shy girl, but when I’m out here on the mat? When I’m flying through the air? When I’m at the top of the pyramid? I know I can overcome any obstacle. I’ve overcome bruises and fractured bones and financial hardship to be on this mat today. All of that has made me tougher.”
“What would’ve happened if you hadn’t had this activity growing up?”
Her head tilts as she considers my question. “Honestly? I’m not sure I would’ve graduated from high school, much less gone to college. Being in cheer made me care about school because we couldn’t attend events if we didn’t have the grades.”
“How did it feel to win nationals in Daytona last spring?”
“It was amazing, but knowing that my family and old coaches were back home watching on TV was definitely a highlight of my life. I’ll never forget it.”
“The squad cheers for the Bronco football team, which also won a national championship last year and was widely covered in the media, whereas the cheerleaders did not get much recognition. Do you ever resent football for getting so much attention?”
“Not at all. I love our football team. I just think there’s enough room for all of us to shine.”
That was a great answer. “Do you have any parting words for the naysayers who don’t think cheerleaders work very hard?”
