by Dana Burkey
“Okay,” I grinned, excited for a reason to stay at the gym longer. Something I never could have imagined thinking even a year ago when I first joined the TNT Force gym.
The following evening I sat in front of the big screen TV in my basement surrounded by more hair products and snacks than I knew what to do with. Thankfully, I was joined by Halley and Lexi who were happy to help devour the junk food, all while forcing the many hair products on me.
“I just want to wear it straight,” I stated again. I was still trying to convince my best friends that I didn’t need to try their curling methods on my hair for the team reveal in the morning.
“But it will look really cute,” Haley begged, complete with a puppy dog face that made her brown eyes look even bigger. “You won’t even feel them while you sleep. And if you really hate it in the morning you can re-wash it and straighten it before we leave.”
Halley was holding a whole set of the blue foam curlers she wanted me to try. The plan was to wrap my hair in the long foam rods then more or less bend with into place due to the wire in the center of each one. Keeping the curlers in while you sleep would apparently give you beautiful curls when you woke up. Or at least hair good enough for things like team placements. Both of my friends explained that they didn’t trust anything but a curling wand for competitions. I agreed with them on that, since before I cut my hair going into Summit I also spend many mornings curling long brown hair. Or rather trying to curl it without burning my fingers too many times.
“What if it looks like a huge puffball?” I asked, leaning away from the hairspray Lexi was holding up to me.
“Just trust us,” she whined, giving me her best attempt at a scowl.
“Fine,” I finally sighed, knowing they were going to fight me until I gave in.
Both of them let out a squeal before getting to work. Lexi coated my hair in a thick layer of hairspray as ‘a base’ as they called it. Then, her and Halley each started twisting my hair up into the foam rollers. As they worked, I realized how funny it was that I was sitting at home on a Friday night getting my hair done while having a sleepover with two of my friends from my cheerleading gym. It was normal enough for most girls my age, but for me it was still a fairly new experience.
Less than a year before I had been minding my own business at our towns’ trampoline park when I spotted Halley and Lexi doing flips and other tricks. Thinking the various moves looked really cool, I started talking to them, hoping I could learn the flips they were performing. They were my polar opposites, covered in hot pink and glittery clothing while I stood there in old basketball shorts and a stained t-shirt. Not to mention that my messy brown hair was in stark contrast to the well styled light blond hair of both girls. But, despite looking nothing alike, we hung out all day. Then, before I knew it, I was at an open gym time at TNT that the girls, along with Halley’s mom, had encouraged me to attend.
TNT Force was a well-known cheerleading gym in Texas thanks to their teams that qualified to the World championships or Summit every year. They hadn’t been doing too well at most of the smaller competitions through the season, despite being small compared to a lot of other all star programs in the state. Although, I didn’t know all of that when I started at the gym. Instead I was much more focused on leaving the cheer gym and staying far away from anything cheer related. I was sure no one at TNT would ever accept me for the tomboy I was, so I didn’t want to stay long enough to have to deal with standing out. But, with my dad's reminders that my mom was one a cheerleader in high school, years before she died of cancer, and the added bribe of getting two new kittens, I gave TNT Force a try.
Even when I agreed to my dad’s terms, I was sure I would never stay at the gym for long. But, when I started to get to know the other girls on Blast, the gyms’ junior level 3 team I was placed on, I started to see that cheer was actually pretty fun. When competition season rolled around a few months after I joined the gym, I struggled with not winning every weekend, since I was too competitive to be happy with second and third place time and time again. Thankfully I stuck out the rest of the season, and managed to join a senior level 4 team called Fuze. It allowed me to finish my first season of cheer on a high note, what with two Summit championship wins and all. It also left me excited to begin my second season of cheer, even though I had given up a possible spot on a high-level softball team in the process. In fact, the reminder that I had officially chosen cheerleading over all other sports I grew up playing often pushed me to work even harder on new skills. Something that I was hoping would give me the edge to officially land on a Worlds team.
“So, what exactly is going to happen tomorrow at the team reveal?” I asked my friends, while they were still busy at work with my hair
“No idea,” Halley said with a shrug. “It’s different every year.”
“Well, kind of,” Lexi added. “We always get our new practice wear and bows and stuff. And then there is usually an activity or something. Last year we played this crazy new version of capture the flag in the field. It was super confusing but really fun.”
“Oh yeah,” Halley nodded. “And the year before that we played this big game of soccer using a bunch of yoga balls. The videos from that game were hilarious.”
“But how do we find out our teams?” I clarified, although the stories about the games had me excited for what the staff has planned.
“One year they read out the teams and kind of called us up one at a time,” Halley explained. “But then there was also a year we all got a scratch off card, kind of like those little lottery tickets. Only when we were told to scratch them, it revealed our team color. Oh, and last year we all had to walk down the mirror wall of the gym until we found our name on these big posters that had the different teams written on them. Whatever they do though, they send all of the e-mails tonight.”
“What e-mails?” I wanted to turn to face Halley, but since they were still working on my hair I had to stay perfectly still.
“They e-mail parents to let them know their kids’ team tonight,” Halley replied, like it was the most obvious answer in the world. “It doesn't list the whole team though, just their child.”
“What? Why?”
“So, parents can warn their kids if their team placement is super bad, or even super good.” There was a pause, then Halley continued. “If someone was hoping to get on a level 4 team, but they only made it onto a level 3 team, then they might be super upset at the reveal tomorrow. But, if the parents know, they can let their kid know ahead of time and soften the blow. Or, for the little kids, by letting them know ahead of time it keeps them from getting too hyper and anxious and everything.”
“My first year at the gym I was so afraid I wasn’t going to make a team at all my mom had to sit me down the night before and show me the e-mail before I would even go to bed,” Lexi added. “I was so stressed out until I saw proof I was going to get to cheer. I was a total mess.”
“But if parents know doesn't that ruin the surprise?” I asked, seeing both the good and bad in letting people know ahead of time.
“Not every parent tells their kid,” Halley said simply. “My mom doesn't tell me, but had to tell my sister the year she didn’t go up a level like she thought she would. Some people are okay to walk in tomorrow and find out, but other people need to know sooner so they can work on not totally freaking out one way or the other. It really depends on the kids, and the team they make, and their goals for the coming season.”
“I guess that makes sense.” And it was true, it really did. I had seen the way some of the parents and athletes could be at the gym if they didn’t get to be in certain parts of a routine, let alone be on specific squads. It made me glad that I was pretty much guaranteed a spot on a senior level 5 team. Although, as I thought about it more, I began to worry that maybe I could be one of the people disappointed by not getting on the team I wanted.
“Do you think my dad will let me know if I don’t make it onto a level 5 team?” I asked, sudd
enly nervous.
“Do I think he would tell you? Yes,” Halley began. “But do I think you’ll actually make a non-level 5 squad? No way.”
“Agreed!” Lexi said immediately. “I think the only thing that could keep you from cheering on a level 5 team and going to World this year and everything would be an injury. And you’re clearly not injured right now based on your flying and tumbling yesterday.”
I simply gave my head a little nod in response, my nerves from a moment ago already subsiding. Their support was just one of many things that made me thankful I had them both as best friends. Lexi, who was only an inch or two shorter than I was, was a flier like me. She was always ready to help me improve or push myself when I was trying something new. Halley, who had actually been in my stunt group while I was on Blast, supported me in everything. Literally. She held me in the air while I was flying on the junior level 3 team, but also made sure to give me tips and techniques so when I learned new skills I was performing them perfectly.
I was getting more and more used to having girls as best friends, although I still loved time to hang out with my neighbors Kyle and Peter. Despite the months cheering at TNT Force, I was still a tomboy at my core. I loved running around and playing with the boys next door, who were basically like my brothers. They even tried to support me in my cheer endeavors, although never quite in the same way that Halley and Lexi managed to so often.
“All done,” Lexi announced, spraying on a final layer of hairspray before scooting away from me.
Pulling out my phone I held it up to look at my hair in the selfie camera. My hair was wrapped in the blue foam rods, making strange little bumps that looked a little like buns all over my head. For a second I worried I looked funny, but considering my two friends had the same blue curlers in their hair as well helped me feel a bit better about it all. Not to mention we looked more funny than anything since we all matched.
“Selfie,” I announced, already trying to image how people would react to the photo on Snapchat.
As my friends leaned in on either side of me I took a quick photo and posted it online right away. For the caption, I added “What would I do without my best friends?” Once I had sent it out, a new thought made me pause instantly. I suddenly realized that in just a few short hours I would officially be on different squads than both Lexi and Halley. Lexi was too young for a senior team still, and Halley didn’t have tumbling skills hard enough to make a level 5 squad just yet. I had thought about it before, but in that moment, it hit extra hard. Once I got my team placements the following afternoon, we would officially no longer be teammates. Trying not to let it affect me too much, I pushed the sad though aside and decided it was time for a good horror movie to offset all the hair and makeup time.
Eating three pancakes for breakfast was not a good idea. They sat in my stomach like a brick as we pulled up to the cheer gym and I climbed out of the car with my friends. Much like during the two days of assessments, we were wearing white TNT force tank tops and black shorts that were once so short and tight I couldn’t take more than a step without pulling the hem down to make them feel longer. But now, after months of wearing the shorts, I was used to it. I was also thankfully used to wearing makeup and styling my hair around a massive cheer bow. Lexi and Halley had pulled my short bob into a half ponytail to display the plain white cheer bow we were all given on our way out of the gym the day before. It was odd to have an outfit without any of the standard TNT Force team colors on them, but we all assumed it had to do with whatever way they were planning to announcing the team placements.
“You finally made it,” Connor said as I walked into the gym with my friends. He gave me a big hug and said hello to Lexi and Halley before we walked in with him to find a seat. I noticed Connor was wearing a white TNT tank top and black gym shorts, matching our look as well. In fact, as I looked around the gym while we waited to find out what was going on, I realized that the only people who were wearing color was the coaches. Sure, the parents had colors on, but they were all standing around the perimeter of the room, while the athletes were told to take a seat on one of the two mats closest to the entrance. The blue mats were a sea of white and black clothing, all worn by a mass of nervous athletes.
The coaches, however, were wearing their team colors for everyone to see. Every squad at the gym had one color that would be featured on their uniforms, cheer bows, and makeup. So, to show who would be in charge of the squads for the year, each coach was wearing their team color, or colors. I spotted Nicole right away. She was wearing a purple shirt to represent Fuze which also featured the TNT force logo in black and red to represent Blast.
Glancing around the room, I saw Tonya and Scott standing next to each other. They were coaches of two of the level 5 teams I might be placed on, so I noticed the hot pink and lime green shirts easily. I was also happy to see that Lenny was wearing orange, showing that he was going to be coaching Spark, the gyms’ junior level 4 team. Despite the rumors and talk that he would be coaching now that he was done with college, until I saw his shirt I didn’t get my hopes up too much.
I saw a few other coaches I knew a little from open gyms and competition season, but there was one person I was still looking for. Finally, I spotted TJ in his teal shirt as he walked in front of the group of athletes and began to quiet us down. He was one of the gym's owner as well as the coach of Nitro, the same team that Connor was a member of. If all went as planned, I would be cheering for TJ, Nicole or Scott for the new season, finally performing for a level 5 team.
“Let’s quiet down everyone,” TJ called out, a massive smile plastered onto his face. “We want to get started with this year’s team reveal.”
With those words the room went instantly quiet. Everyone stared at TJ, not speaking or moving at all. This was finally the moment we were all waiting for. The moment the last few weeks in the gym had been leading up to. Or, for many people, a moment that they had been anticipating for years. Would this be the year they made the team they had always dreamt of? Sitting there in that moment, only minutes before the results, I was getting more and more nervous by the second. I could feel my palms growing sweaty with nerves as my heart pounded harder and harder.
“First of all, we want to thank everyone for being here this week and committing to another great season at TNT Force,” TJ began, his smile still not flattering at all. I got the feeling he was just as excited as all the athletes were. “We have watched and re-watched all of your performances at the assessments. Then, we did our best to put everyone on a team where they can grow and learn as an athlete and showcase their skills and talents the best way possible. Today we are excited to take each squad's first official team photo and also play a fun game to kick off the season. But first, who’s ready to find out what team they are on?”
The screaming and cheering was instantly deafening, but excited all the same. I found myself cheering right along with my friends, my nervous excitement at an all-time high. I closed my eyes and took a long deep breath, willing myself to be calm. In fact, I was so distracted trying not to freak out that I didn’t even realize what was going on until Halley was handed a large black gift bag.
“What is that?” I asked her pointing to the bag for emphasis.
“Did you hear anything TJ said?” Connor asked, nudging me with his arm.
“Yes,” I lied. “But just in case, why don’t you remind me.”
With a laugh, Connor quickly explained to me that the coaches were going to be handing out the large black gifts bags to everyone. They had our names written on the bags front with silver sharpie, so it was easy to hand the right bag to the right athlete. Once all the bags were given out, we would all get to open them at the same time to reveal our teams for the new season. It wasn’t clear exactly what was in the bag, only that it was going to give everyone the hopefully good news.
At first there was a lot of talking and murmuring going on in the gym, as well a lot of parents taking photo after photo. But then, as the last o
f the bags were set down in front of athletes, the room got quiet. Clearly there were a lot of people, like myself, who didn’t get the news from their parents the night before. There was a nervous tension in the air that was building every second. It made me want to rip the white tissue paper out of the black bag and get it all over with. It also made me want to leave my bag with my friends and go stand outside to get some fresh air. Thankfully, TJ began talking again before I could race out of the gym.
“Alright everyone,” he began, his smile somehow even bigger than before. “You can open those bags in 3….2….1!”
By the time the word 1 was out of his mouth there was tissue paper flying in the air and screams erupting around the gym. It was so sudden that I wasn’t sure what to do in that moment. Instead of pulling the tissue paper out of my bag to find out the news once and for all, I froze. Suddenly, there was just too much to process for me to know how to function. But, in a way, it was nice since it allowed me to see my friends open their bags, while I sat holding the edge of the tissue paper with one hand.
“I’m on Spark,” Lexi exclaimed, pulling a black and orange cheer bow from her bag.
“Me too!” Halley squealed, an orange pair of cheer shorts in her hands.
With more squealing and laughing they gave each other a hug, clearly excited to not only be on the same squad, but also to be on a level 4 team. That meant harder stunts, harder tumbling as well as being one step closer to making it to a level 5 team and all that comes with it. The mere thought of a level 5 squad made me turn my attention to Connor who, much like myself, was ignoring his still unopened bag. Instead of checking his team assignment, he was watching me with a strange look on his face.
“What?” I asked him, having to raise my voice over the sound of athletes in the gym celebrating.