First off, to my five loyal readers (you know who you are), I owe you an apology. Life got a little hectic, and I took an unplanned blogging break. But don’t worry, I didn’t completely fall off the wagon. I also took a short break from walking—not out of laziness, but because North Idaho decided to turn into an arctic wasteland, and I wasn’t about to risk getting sick just for a few steps. Instead, I entertained my dog by flailing around with one of those weird hula hoops with the ball attachment. Picture me in my living room, non-existent hips awkwardly swinging, trying not to whack the furniture, while Odin stared in mild concern. Actually, scratch that—he didn’t just watch. He flew too close to the sun and got beaned in the head multiple times. Good thing his head is made of steel! But hey, it worked! I’m happy to report that even after indulging in Alexis’ birthday pizza, cake, and today’s sushi lunch, I’m still down to 230 pounds. Thank goodness my diet allows for all of that—because let’s be real, I wasn’t giving any of it up.
Oh, and in other exciting news—I went ahead and bought a new shirt from Torrid, next size down! Just one (because let’s be honest, it was on sale for $10 and I’m not made of money), but I just wanted to see how it fits since all my shirts are starting to feel a bit too big. Progress, people!
Now, let’s get this debacle off my chest so I can be absolutely done with it—so long as they keep their word to not tack on additional rules for our team and future teams: the latest round of Cheer Chaos 2025: When Sidelines Get Savage.
Districts: A Win with a Side of Disappointment
The team—yes, including their one fearless male cheerleader—went into districts with fire in their eyes and enough hairspray to glue a small bird to their ponytails. They delivered an incredible performance and secured a WIN! But, because cheerleading can never be just a straight-up “Yay, we won!” moment, they lost the Grand Champion title to their biggest rival. You know that one team that’s always lurking in the shadows, ready to snatch the title out from under you like a thief in the night? Yep, them. The team wasn’t exactly thrilled, but they dusted themselves off and took the victory where it mattered—they earned a spot at STATE thanks to their sideline win!
And Then… The Drama Bomb Dropped
Just when we thought we could have nice things, the cheer gods decided to shake things up. Without diving too deep into the nitty-gritty, let’s just say a situation exploded within the team. The fallout? Two teammates out. Gone. Poof. And with them went a chunk of their carefully choreographed routines.
The situation? A gut-punch: their trip to STATE was ripped from them. Just like that, all the hours, sweat, bruises, and sacrifices seemed to vanish into thin air. The heartbreak? Immeasurable. The frustration? Through the roof. But these kids? They weren’t about to just roll over and let it happen.
Parents rallied behind them, pushing back against the injustice. Meetings were held, voices were raised, and in the end, they fought tooth and nail to get back what they rightfully earned. And guess what? THEY DID. The trip to state was back on, but not without a cost.
Picking Up the Pieces
So here they are, minus two teammates, plus extra stress, and with just enough time to glue this whole thing back together before state. But if I know anything about these girls and boy, it’s that they don’t back down. They thrive on chaos, feed off the adrenaline, and somehow always find a way to pull off the impossible. The hits kept coming—they had been banned from practice for three whole days. THREE DAYS. Do you know what three days of no practice does to a cheerleading team that just lost two teammates and are heading to state? It’s like trying to teach a cat to fetch after it’s spent a week napping—it just doesn’t go well. So, to make up for lost time and to rework their routines, they are squeezing in morning practices because, well, what’s high school cheer without some early morning exhaustion?
And something incredible happened—this entire situation pulled the team together in a way that nothing else could. Every ounce of drama from the year? Gone. It was replaced with an unshakable support for one another, a sense of true camaraderie. They weren’t just teammates anymore; they were family, bound together by resilience, determination, and the will to prove everyone wrong.
And it wasn’t just the kids—us parents, who had tried all season to be a united front cheering in the stands, suddenly found ourselves truly bonded. We weren’t just cheering wildly at competitions anymore—we were meeting up at the Mexican restaurant for chips, salsa, and margaritas, rallying together like a squad of our own. Because if our kids were in this fight, so were we.
Back to Normal (Whatever That Is)
As for me, after all this madness, I finally got back outside tonight for a 3.37-mile walk. And let me tell you, it felt so good to get back to my version of normal. Sometimes, all it takes is a long walk, some fresh air, and maybe a little less cheerleading drama (just kidding, that never happens) to make everything feel right again.
Until next time, my dear five readers, stay warm, stay moving, and stay out of high school sports politics—it’s a jungle out there.
Cheers,
Tara Ann