Meeting The Team

Kamryn Dockery

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Once you make the team, you have to become close with your teammates; this all starts at your very first practice. As a returner, you have to be a leader and make sure everyone feels welcome. We normally start by playing a “Get to know you” game to learn some fun facts about each other. From there, getting closer as a team takes off. Being a new member of the team can be stressful and intimidating, but soon you'll realize that we are just a big family. We all have to go through the same steps at one point, so we know what you're feeling, and we know that the awkwardness will go away. We get closer as practices go on. We see each other probably two or three times a week and we ride together to practice sometimes. This is also a good way to get to know the rookies, because when taking them to practice, they can open up to you a little bit more. Shortly after we start practicing, our coach splits us up into cheer groups for the summer and we are expected to meet up with our group and teach the new people cheers and band chants. When having to meet with your new girls, as returners, you grow close with them and take them under your wing. While this is a good time to bond, it's also kind of stressful. By the end of summer, if you and your group do not know all of the material, then every single person within your group sits out until all people know all material. In stressful times, you become closer with your teammates, and before you know it, you feel like family. We all have each other's back and the team is closely bonded faster than you know it.