Lovin' This Life: Cheers!

We decided we just didn't have enough to do! So...we decided to buy a competitive cheer club!

Just kidding! (About the not having enough to do, not about buying a cheer club!) The all-star competitive cheer club where Brooke has been cheering for the last several years was going to be closing it's doors and Brooke absolutely LOVED cheering and Jessie was so excited to be able to finally be on the mini's and able to compete. Well we just couldn't let it close! So we bought it! Actually, we put ALOT of thought and planning into this before hand and so far...so good!

We are the Silver Spirit All-Stars and it is competitive cheerleading (think ESPN)! There are three squad's this year. Mini's Level 1, Juniors Level 3, and Seniors Level 2. Brooke is cross competing on both the Mini's and the Juniors Squad and Jessie is on the Mini's Squad. There are a total of 45 girls competing in 55 different spots (several girls, like Brookie, are cross competing).

In order to cut costs we moved the club location and we are now located in the back of Line Drive University Sporting Facility (only 2 miles from my house). The front of the facility has batting cages and t-ball cages and pitching mounds and putt putt golf. Both Brent and Braden love it because while the girls cheer they play golf or Braden hits balls.

Through this experience so far I have learned that it really does matter more "who you know" than "what you know". And Brent knows everyone! So we have gotten some great breaks and publicity and the set up and transition actually ran very smooth. Don't get me wrong it was a lot of hours and a lot of work but I can imagine how much more it could have been. Here is an article that was in our local paper. (Full page and in color! The guy who did the article is one of Brent's former students...See what I mean...everyone knows Brent...and better yet, everyone LOVES Brent.)

We fly choreographers in for the week (one from Los Angeles and one from Phoenix) and they teach the squads their new routines. Here are some pictures and video's from that week. I will post some pics and video's from some competitions so you can see the final product.

Junior's Squad (Brookie is the one on the left in the gray. The little one. LOL)

Junior's squad again. Brookie is the one in the middle of the V. Grey shirt, green shorts...again, the little one! She is the youngest on the squad by a few years but she has her tumbling and is easy to fly so she gets to be on the squad.

Junior's squad. Brooke is flying in the back left pod. This will be a full extension. Fun for Brookie...scary for Mommy!

Mini's squad. Brooke in the front with her hands in a high V. Jessie is in the white tank with green shorts in the back in front of the tall girl in blue. (Getting ready to fly.)

Mini's Squad (Brookie pulling her bow and arrow...kind of! Just wait for the comp photo...she'll have it! Guaranteed...Brooke is a very ambition little girl and LOVES a challenge!)

Mini's Squad (Brookie and Jessie)

Senior's Squad. My girls aren't on this squad but here is a pic anyway! They are really good!

Braden taking a break from hitting balls to check out what's going on in the back.

Choreography week is a very long and hard week. The girls learn their entire routine in one week and it is very tiring both physically and mentally. We decided to have a "end of choreography week bowling party" for the girls and their families. It was a total hit. The girls had so much fun celebrating the end of a hard week.