Our Time to Shine

Question: How will you enrich our community?
Our Time to Shine
The crowd went silent and the announcer spoke. All fifteen of us run out onto that ugly blue mat spiriting to the crowd. Our first time going to a national competition and our faces appeared as if we had just gotten out of the shower from the nervous sweat. Before this we performed at the state competition and nailed it. Not one stunt fell, everyone hit their tumbling passes, and the crowd loved our cheer. So even though we were a little nervous, we were ready. I felt ready to go as well but little did I know…

An advanced sequence of stunts shot into the air followed by our most extreme tumbling passes. After finishing my round off back handspring I could hear my mom in the audience, “Keep it up girls, you got this!” Sprinting to my next position I just make it in time to set up for Chloe’s liberty (a fully extended, one legged stunt).

Once the spin was finished I look at Brittany before the cradle and smile, she mouths to me, “Pop one, two,” and we were almost there. Now it was time to get the crowd involved. Completely exhausted, I yell as loudly as I can to be sure that the crowd can hear us. To finish up the cheer- a toe touch back handspring. Perfect toe touch and…SPLAT.

There I am…lying flat on my stomach in the middle of the floor. That second of my life couldn’t have gone by any slower. But knowing that I have to keep going I look over at Maya, “It’s okay, come on!” Hoping that my face isn’t as red as a hot chili pepper, I get up, show my stuff on the dance, and finish strong. We may not have won that day but performing there was one of the most outstanding experiences of my life.