Welcome to the world of competition cheerleading

Saturday was a long day. Really, really long. And the end to a cheerleading season that I wasn't sure was ever going to end. Ashley's team is in the middle right, to the right of the squad in red and white. And no, Ashley's team isn't that big, it is actually three squads from our town, one for each age group. Ashley is a mini-mite, the youngest.

We had to be there at 8am, and the competition was supposed to start at 10am. It was more like 10:15/10:20 before they got around to starting. In fact, they didn't finish with the first division, Ashley's division, until after 11:00am. It was after 2:00pm when we finally got to see the award ceremony and left to grab lunch because none of us had eaten.

I will say this - it was pretty cool to be in that gymnasium with all the cheerleaders cheering and all the parents/spectators getting into it. I was actually nervous right before Ashley's squad went on. Those girls worked so freaking hard all season, and out of the four teams in her division, I thought they would get third. One squad really stood out (their lifts had movement for goodness sakes), so I knew they would probably take first.

This is Ashley at the top, the lack of spotting behind her made me just a little nervous....

And when the awards were announced? They took fourth. Last place. And yes, Ashley knew they were last. Everyone got a trophy and a pin. The other two squads from our town? Took first place. The oldest girls in fact took first overall. That kind of made our last place sting even more.

I saw a neighbor that evening that actually coached last year, and she was telling me that you can get deductions on the score sheets for crazy things. I know in Ashley's routine, one of the girls lost her shoe, and my neighbor said that it would have been a deduction in points for that. So the girls probably got some deductions for things that were semi out of their control. Am I being a slightly-crazy cheer Mom? Maybe. I just felt so bad for the girls and the coaches, but yes, I know, someone has to come in last.

And yes, despite the long day, Ashley wants to do this again next year. She really enjoys it, and really enjoyed the fact that one of her friends did it with her this year. Hopefully she will do it again next year too!