Striving for Goals

Ever since I was young, I have set goals. My goals have ranged from athletics to academics. Over the years, I have set more goals in athletics because they were important to and I wanted to be the best. I began setting athletics goals when I was in the fifth grade. I was a member of all of the school athletic teams and I was the tiniest one. I had to set goals for myself so I would improve, get better, and have more playing time. After a few months of setting my athletic goals, I began to notice improvement. From that moment, I knew that if I set goals and strived to reach them that I would be able to accomplish all of my goals.
Before seventh grade, I had never heard of cheerleading. I decided to try it to see if I liked it. When I first began cheering, I could not even do a cartwheel. Once we began I knew that if this was something that I wanted to continue, I would have to set goals so I could improve. I asked my mom if I could enroll in a gymnastics class, and she said I could. I started to go to the local gym, Midwest Twisters and I was so able to do a cartwheel. I was able to mark one item off of my cheerleading goals. I then began working on harder tumbling skills; I knew that these weren’t going to come to me as easy so they would take a lot more work and determination.
After cheering for one year at Holy Cross Lutheran School, I decided to change schools. I would be attending Collinsville Middle School. My mom called the school district to see when cheerleading try-outs were. That evening, she told me that she called and found out when cheerleading try-outs were. At this point in my life, I didn’t know if cheering was what I wanted to do. I really enjoyed basketball and track, and I didn’t know if I wanted to give up all other sports just for cheerleading. I ended up going to try-outs and I was certain that I was not going to make the squad based on my tumbling abilities. A majority of the girls could flip. I decided that I really didn’t have anything to lose so I went on. The next day, we went to go look at the list to see who all had made the squad. The second name on this list happened to be mine, Brianne Butler. I was really excited. I then knew that I would have to see a lot more cheerleading goals to improve so I would be right up with all the girls that could flip.
At practices and gymnastics, I gave it my all; I wanted to get my back handspring. I was then introduced to more stunting than I was at Holy Cross; I was no longer a flyer and had to learn to base. I was still one of the tiniest so I knew it was going to hard work to be able to lift people that weighed more than I did. I set goals for stunting as well, but I wanted to focus more on tumbling. I began taking private tumbling lessons to get better. I soon got my back handspring and I was then ready to move on to harder passes. As the end of the year approached, I had yet to get any running tumbling, but I figured I might as well try out for the high school team.
When the day for high school try-outs came around, I was ready. The only problem was that I was too scared to do my back handspring on the gym floor, I didn’t throw it at try-outs, but I still made the Collinsville High School JV cheerleading team. From here, I went back to flying and began to work on one leg stunts. I began stretching everyday so I would be able to pull things in the air. My tumbling improved and I got my round off back handspring.
The following year at try-outs, I did all of my tumbling that I had and I made the Varsity Squad. I was still flying and improving my air skills and then I got moved back to basing. I had to start all over again, learning the techniques. I based for the next year and a half. My basing goals ranged from basing heel stretches to being able to catch full downs. I managed to meet my stunting goals. I set another tumbling goal that year; to get my round off back handspring tuck. At the end of the year, I achieved my goal!
My junior year of try-outs, I made the Varsity squad again and did my tuck at try-outs! I based this entire year without having to start from square one with stunting again. This year, I really decided to challenge myself, I wanted to get more standing tumbling. I took a countless number of face plants into the blue mats that year, but it didn’t discourage me.
My final year on the high school squad, I had to start over with stunting skills, it was a new and young squad and I had to learn to back spot. I was use to having to re-learning different places so I took to it and told myself that I was going to be able to back all kinds of stunts.
This past May, I figured why not try-out for college cheerleading. I tried out as a back spot and did all of my tumbling. That night, the coach, asked me about my standing tumbling. I wasn’t planning on throwing it but I decided that I had nothing to lose. I took a face plant to the ground but I still held my head up. I made the squad and immediately was told that I needed to learn how to fly again. The very first practice, I began to learn how to full down from stunts. For months, I wasn't able to make it completely around. I was told, "Grab your pocket." For me, grabbing my pocket wasn't working and I would get stuck half way. In September, I tried a new technique and I made it all the way around. After months of hard work and determination, I mastered one of my newest goals. I have never set so many goals for myself in one year. I have gone from pro-back spot to a flyer that isn’t scared to fall from pyramids.
My main goal that I set for myself this year was to improve my stunting skills and to not be afraid of stunting. I have passed that goal with flying colors! I really proved this last night when we were doing stunts that I had never done before and I went in not afraid and I did what I had to do.
In conclusion, I have set many goals in my life. Mostly, my goals have dealt with cheerleading and athletics. I still am setting goals cheerleading goals so that I can improve and become a better cheerleader. I know I am not the best and that is what pushes me to make and meet goals. For me, it goes to show that hard work and dertermination will help you reach your goals!