TEAM iC: Giving Back to your Community

Cheerleaders are leaders on and off the mat! How has cheer taught you the importance of giving back to your community?

JAYA

Cheerleading has taught me that leadership is about lifting others up, and I’ve learned the importance of giving back by supporting my teammates, encouraging others, and being a positive role model. Which reflects the way I contribute to my community.

Aggie

Being a leader and giving back to the community makes me accountable to more than just myself. It has helped me to understand my values. It has pushed me to be a positive influence and ultimately made me a better person.

FREDDIE

Cheer has taught me that leadership goes beyond the mat. By coaching younger athletes, volunteering, and supporting my teammates, I’ve learned the importance of giving back. It’s about creating a positive impact in my community and inspiring others the way cheer has inspired me!

Roxie

As a young athlete, I was fortunate to have older kids who guided and encouraged me to become the cheerleader I am today. Now, I strive to give back by coaching younger athletes and helping them reach their full potential.

Graham

By volunteering in clinics, helping younger cheerleaders, and participating in fundraisers, cheer has taught me the importance of giving back to the community.

Lilyana

All Star cheer teaches more than just stunts and routines. All Star cheer has taught me the importance of giving back to my community by showing me what it truly means to lead with heart, teamwork, and purpose. Meaning by being a great role model in every aspect so your community has someone to look at.

Azaiah

Cheer has taught me more than just skills on the mat. Throughout my cheer career and supporting younger athletes, I’ve learned how meaningful it is to use my time and energy to uplift others. Just like in cheer, where every person has a role to play, I realized that in my community everyone’s contribution matters. Giving back has helped me grow as a leader, stay grateful for the support I’ve received, and inspire others the way cheer has inspired me.

Jaya

Cheerleading has taught me that leadership is about lifting others up, and I’ve learned the importance of giving back by supporting my teammates, encouraging others, and being a positive role model. Which reflects the way I contribute to my community.

Juda

Being a cheerleader has helped me grow into a strong leader both on and off the mat. I’ve learned to give back to the community by being a positive role model for the kids who look up to me and my team. I also stay involved in clinics that support the younger generation, and I use my platform to promote sportsmanship while encouraging everyone in the cheer community to love and support one another.

Cole

When I was younger and just starting out at Maine Stars, I can remember being inspired by the older athletes that were junior coaching my teams and other teams in the gym. I always wanted to be the best I could be for my team but also for the older athletes that were helping out during their own free time, to help better my team. Now that I am an older athlete in the gym, I have junior coached the past three seasons at both Maine Stars and at my rec program in my town. I know from experience how important it is to lead by example and to inspire the younger athletes so one day they will be able to also be the next junior coaches, leading by example.

At Maine Stars, we also fundraise every year for St. Jude Children’s Hospital for Cheersport Friday Night Live. I am so proud that as a gym we are able to donate $20,000- $30,000 a year to this incredible cause. The fundraisers we participate in also promote team bonding and let us work together for a cause outside of our gym.

Brooke

Cheer has taught me that giving back to the community is very important. There are plenty of people in this world who don’t have access to many things that are needed, and when I am on the cheer mat, it shows me that I need to be grateful for what opportunities opened up for me to be on my dream team. Just as in the community to give back to those that aren’t so fortunate and make them live their best lives as I get to live mine.

Sienna

Cheer has taught me to give back to my community by being a positive role model for all. It has taught me to be inspiring to others in all aspects, not just cheerleading. I can do that by being respectful, helping others in need, giving advice, and being positive no matter the circumstances. By displaying these characteristics, I can teach people new things and be someone who has the characteristics they strive to have.

Camryn

Cheer has taught me to be a leader on and off the mat because cheer takes a lot of hard work, positivity and motivation. Cheer keeps me motivated and reminds me to stay positive and have a good mindset. I do my best to carry this positive mindset with me off the mat and into my community, while in school, at my part time job at a local tumble gym and while volunteering as a coach for youth cheer in my community.

Wayne

Cheer has taught me the importance of giving back to my community by giving me a better understanding of representation and what it means to be represented. I have been able to see and firsthand experience the impact representation has on all types of athletes whether that be in terms of age, race, gender, or ability.

Jaeda

Cheerleading has taught me that leadership extends beyond the mat, it’s about creating a positive impact in every space you enter. As a cheerleader, I’ve learned the importance of teamwork, encouragement, and service. Whether I’m helping the younger cheerleaders learn a new skill or collecting items for the homeless in my community. I’ve realized that our spirit can lift others up and being kind can have a huge impact on someone’s life.

Kylie

Cheer has taught me how important encouragement and support are, both on and off the mat. Giving back to my community has always meant a lot to me, and being able to do it through cheer makes it even more special! With my gym’s support, I helped collect thousands of pairs of pajamas for kids in local hospitals with an incredible organization Endzone comfort. Just this month, one of my teams worked with a nonprofit to fight hunger, and we packed over 27,000 meals in one night to send to children around the world. These moments have shown me how to step up as a leader and make a real difference!

Jayden

Cheer has taught me that being a leader doesn’t stop when the competition ends. Giving back to the community plays a big role in setting an example for those around you. Through cheer, I’ve learned how much encouragement and positivity can impact others. Giving back to my community feels like an extension of that; whether it’s helping at events, food banks or camps supporting younger athletes. Cheer taught me that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Nic

What I do to make an effort to give back to the community is an organization called project cheer up. It is a program that gives back to the community. We do fundraisers for others, go around and help people out, and the best part, cheering people up!

Shelby

Cheerleading has taught me the importance of giving back to my community through teamwork, discipline, leadership and a sense of responsibility to support others.

Case

Cheerleading has taught me many life values, many of which I use everyday. However, cheer has shown me that leadership not only means leading those around you on your team, but also using your voice and skills to uplift those around you. Giving back to my community is just as important as supporting my team.

Dani

Cheer has taught me the importance of giving back to the community by teaching me what it means to be a role model. I have had the opportunity to make a difference for younger athletes, whether that is helping them with a new skill or giving advice, which has been one of the most rewarding feelings throughout my career. I know what it feels like to look up to someone, and having the opportunity to step into that role has taught me the importance of being a good role model.

Laney

Cheerleading has really shown me that being a leader means giving back to my community. I’ve learned to set a strong example for younger kids in the gym by being positive and hardworking. Helping out on game days with setup and cleanup teaches me that supporting our school and being a good citizen means doing your part. Ultimately, cheer has taught me to always be helpful and responsible, whether I’m in uniform or not.

Allie

Cheerleading has given me opportunities to lead in my school and All Star community, giving a voice to causes that I am passionate about. I have helped run pink and gold nights at our school for four years to bring awareness to breast and pediatric cancer. I have also helped run a bone marrow swab drive to help enlist more people in the database for Delete Blood Cancer in hopes of finding matches for those needing a bone marrow transplant. My little brother lost his battle with leukemia four years ago when he was almost 6 years-old. My latest project is a foundation I started with MD Anderson hospital called The Red Balloon Foundation. My goal is to raise $25k to pay for parking at the hospital for those families with children fighting cancer. Parking is $19 a day and can really add up during treatment. This is a small way I felt like I could make a difference to those going through this unbearable time. These causes are so personal to me and I am grateful for cheerleading for giving me a platform to give back to something I care deeply about.