"Competing"

It is the time of the year again. It is 1 week to Cheerobics 2009. This year is going to be different for me. The first time in 5 years that I am not taking any part in Cheerobics, the first time I get to watch the teams perform, while not being a "competitor" myself.

This year, Cheerobics is slightly different from the previous years. This is the first year that high school is separated from the open division. Generally, people hold mix feelings and comments about this new format, some welcome it, while some don't.

One most common sentiment that I have been receiving from people in the high school division is that: "competition is much lower", "We do not get to compete with ACES, DECS, etc", or even some said,"Sure Win".

Is not getting to face up with teams from the open division really that important? Does winning the high school division becomes so boring, so meaningless? Does "only winning the high school division" make your team a lesser team, or you a lesser man?
No! It does not. Cheerleading is a very opinionated sport, people may have different views, but majority would be able to tell a better routine from another. People can still judge from the quality of your performance put up, be it you being in the high school division or the open division.

I used to be in track and field, so let's take an analogy from a 100m race. Does being in the C division, and the B division matters? Not only you are competing with your competitors, you are competing with yourself. Only the timing matters, and for that matter, a runner in C division definetely have the chance to run faster than the champion in B division. Does the champion in C division with a timing of 10.5 secs feel smaller than the champion in B division with a timing of 11 secs? Will he feel like there is no drive, no kick, no excitment to win the C division? We all know the answer.

So be it in the high school division or the open division, just put up the best routine, the best performance. The main thing is to win yourself, and not to compare with others. If you still have failed to see that, you will forever be living in the shadows of others. As a sportsman, you focus on yourself first, win yourself, overcome your own weaknesses, then only will you get to win others.

All that being said, I am still a "competitor" this Cheerobics and I will always be till I stop. I am still competing with myself, and also with the rest of the cheerleaders out there, even though we do not stand on the same stage or get to hold the same trophy. I will use this Cheerobics as a gauge for myself, and I will continue to improve. I will become better, and I shall become the number 1 competitor out there.