Cheerleading has always been more than just a sport to me. It is my passion, my escape, my life. Ever since I was about 3, I dreamed of becoming the best cheerleader, performing in front of a crowd, leading my team to multiple world championships, and feeling the adrenaline of a hit zero perfect routine. By the time I was 15, I had worked my way up to being one of the top cheerleading teams in the world and had become the cheerleader I dreamt of being. But, one wrong landing changed my life forever.
It was the start of my 10th season. Our team had been practicing tirelessly for months, perfecting our stunts and tumbling. We were gearing up for the biggest competition of the year, one that could determine our futures in the cheerleading world. Going for our 3 consecutive world championships in Orlando, Florida. I had always been a strong, powerful tumbler. My dream was so close I could almost taste it.
The incident happened during our 4th hour of practice in San Marcos California one week before Worlds. . We were working on a pyramid, a challenging stunt that involved multiple girls lifting many cheerleaders up while doing various skills, high above everyone else. After catching my flyer I felt a pinch in my back which I did not think much of. I could not stop even though I was in extreme pain. As I am going for my round off whip double full which is a skill I have done countless times since I was 10. I punched off the ground feeling weak in my knees and my back. For a split second, I felt the weight of my body shift and like I was flying straight back, before I could control my core and try to control my landing I came crashing down to the ground and landed right on my neck and back.
The world seemed to slow down in those few moments. I remember feeling the air rush past me as I fell. I instantly knew something was wrong. The pain in my back was excruciating, but the worst part was the silence that followed. My teammates and coaches ran and hovered around me, and the concern in their eyes made my stomach turn. The worst part was seeing my mom run into the gym in tears. I tried to move but couldn’t. Thinking I was paralyzed wasn't even the hardest part, it was knowing that I had let my team down. I could feel the tightness in my back, and panic started to set in. Was this it? Had I just finished my cheer career?
An ambulance was called, and I was rushed to the hospital. The diagnosis took forever. I soon began to feel more pain in my back as it traveled to my lower back. I had pinched 4 nerves in my back and had fractured my vertebrae in my spin. The doctors were cautious, telling me that with such an injury, I might never be able to cheer again. Those words until this day remain in my head. My only thoughts were “how could I have let my team down?”
For the next few weeks, I was in awe. The pain was intense, not just physically but emotionally. I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving cheerleading behind. It had been my entire life, my friends, my teammates, my sense of purpose.
The week after, I watched my team compete in the 2022 Worlds finals. They did absolutely amazing. As happy as I wanted to be for my team I just wished I was the one who was able to take the floor with them. Fortunately, we did pull off that 3 peat win and got crowned as the level 6 all girls gold medal winners.
The hardest part was the recovery. It was the physical pain of having to relearn how to walk and having insane mental blocks as I started to slowly return to the gym. It was more of a mental battle. The process of being able to walk came quickly thanks to my amazing doctor team but the struggle of relearning all my skills felt draining. My body was healing very fast, but my mind was fractured, full of doubt and fear. There were days where I felt like giving up was the best option.
But then, one day, I had a breakthrough. I was sitting in the team room, watching a video of my past performances and looking at all of our team trophies and I realized something that I hadn’t been seeing before cheerleading was more than just the stunts and tumbling. It was about dedication and fun times, not about giving up. It was about pushing myself through all the mental blocks and with hard work I was going to be able to overcome my mental fears. I understood then that my injury was not the end, it was just a minor setback and I would overcome it with determination and hard work.
That realization was the turning point. I started pushing myself harder in my physical therapy sessions and in private lessons at the cheer gym. Every day, I worked a little harder, focused on my dream rather than on rebuilding. It most definitely was not easy. There were days when the pain was unbearable and days where I wanted to give up. But, I kept fighting because I knew this could not be the end of something I worked so hard for.
One year later, I was able to be my full self again. I took a year to recover. It was a hard decision to come back to cheerleading after so much mental damage and physical damage but I did it. I had an amazing support team. My family, my coaches, my teammates and of course an amazing medical team. Taking a break after 14 straight seasons was rough. Not having practice everyday, not seeing my friends, working out, and doing the sport I love so much was very hard. This year I have returned to cheer full time better than I was before. The recovery process was long, but I am now doing what I love and am happy to be back in a sparkly cheer uniform with glittery bows and big hair.
The injury that almost cost me my cheer career ultimately became the catalyst for my growth. It didn’t break me; it helped shape value in my life. It made me a stronger, more determined person, not just in cheerleading, but in every area of my life. I came to realize that not everything in life is guaranteed. I came to understand that a failure or a tragedy can be hard but the most important thing is to stay positive and never give up. Life will throw challenges and hardships, but it all comes down to choose to face them and handle them. Not to let the challenges handle you, you handle them.
After everything, I am grateful to know that I am fully recovered and fully mental block free. I take precaution in all my skills and once I feel pain I choose to sit out and let it pass rather than continuing in pain. This was a long recovery journey and it took a while. Now I will be going back to the 2025 Cheerleading World Championships with my new team and will be going for my personal 4th Worlds win. Anything is possible if you just set your mind to it.
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