Go Shamrocks!

For those that know me, you know that I had the typical swim team, band geek disdain for cheerleaders. Yes, I have typically seen them as Cameron Crowe-esqe spirit bunnies (think Fast Times at Ridgemont High) or the cool, popular girls that generally made my life living hell in highschool because they were cuter, smaller and perkier than I.

That being said, I need to put in a slight revision to my previous thought processes.

I have seen the beauty of cheerleaders... or at least members of the dance team (which we didn't have in high school and maybe that is why I developed my bad attitude).
This week, Imelda worked with the St. Patrick's High School Junior Varsity Dance Team. After a couple long and hard workouts (that conflicted with tae kwon do incidently) they performed at half time of the varsity high school game...

I can't tell you all how excited I was to watch her... smiling, shaking her booty, singing the song... (Our Lips Our Sealed...too cute!) I was sooo choked up. My Mom was a couple of rows back crying... yes, we are a sorry lot.

As the girls left the court, the JV girls gave the little girls hugs, the coaches were smiling and patting heads.... It was remarkable. These big girls... high school girls, took the time to be encouraging and cool to little girls. It just gives you soo much hope.



Later after the little girls found their parents, one of the JV girls, Kelly came over to Imelda... asking what grade she was in. Telling me how well Imelda did... How much, she, Kelly loves watching the young girls dance.... She told Imelda that she will come back and watch Imelda dance when she is a freshman in highschool... Imelda's eyes were shining with excitement. She had the ribbon in her hair that she got from Coach Becky...her Shamrock dancer for a day t-shirt, and her shamrock lei....



And do you know what she did?

She turned to me and gave me her lei....

Aren't cheerleaders, great?!