The Time Is Now
by Jazmyn C. Boulware-Wilburn

The noise is unbelievable. Cheers and chants from every direction. No matter if you're in your hotel room, the bleachers, the warm-up area, you can hear the cheers and spirit of the National Cheerleading Competition. This week cheerleaders from all over the United States have invaded Orlando, Florida. Boys and girls from over 100 different squads have arrived for the 2003 Pop Warner National Cheer & Dance Championships held at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

They have all arrived full of energy, spirit and pride, determination, fear, success, and even anxiety. And I am not event talking about just the cheerleaders and/or the dancers. However, many of the coaches admitted that their girls/boys "...were handling everything just fine..," but they on the other hand, found themselves anxious and even terrified. I spoke with the assistant coach of the New Jersey Howell Lions Pee Wee Small squad, and she was so excited, as well as worried, that she couldn't bear to even watch them perform their routine. She looked at me nearly the entire performance and would say, "how are they doing?" She admitted to me as the girls were setting up their first stunts in front of the judges, "I know they can do it. There's no doubt. I just can't help to be worried for them!" At the end she looked at me and said, "Well?" I responded, "Flawless." It was determined in the end the Howell Lions took first place in their division. She waved to me across the mat as they were handing out the awards.

For these kids, this competition is something they've been endlessly working for, and looking forward to for months, and for some even years. To reach this far in the finals is something to be unbelievably proud of.

Now is when all of it counts. This isn't a practice, or just a fun field trip with your team to Orlando. This is the Main Event. The time when everything must go smoothly, flawlessly, as well as, "...be right on the money."

Most, when watching a cometition, never really have a complete understanding of waht everyone went through to get to this point. The hard work and determination far exceeds the fundraising to get your team to nationals.

Throughout Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex you witness the odd smells of hairspray, added to the flying (removal) of curlers and final prep of the perfect curls, with the occasional girl having a headache as she slept half the night with a "4 inch blob of curlers on the top of her head." You see plenty of plastic bag covers over sneakers to keep them that perfectly clean white. Water bottles and good luck charms are passed about and stumbled upon more than found pennies in a fountain. This is not something any person can understand. What goes into making all this happen is something another cheerleader can have sympathy for. (I am laughing right now because I completely understand!) Even being a cheerleader myself, I still find it amazing how it all comes together when you step on that mat.

Some call it a "sisterhood" or a "bond" that develops over months of daily preperation, or maybe having just traveled hours in the same plane or car, cheerleading isn't just about a trophy or a title...It's working for a common goal, achieving it, doing your best, learning skills, as well as, creating lifelong memories and friendships.