About Lisa D. Welsh
Lisa D. Welsh
As a professional journalist I’ve interviewed former presidents and sitting governors, covered Olympians and professional athletes and shadowed Hollywood A-listers and local celebrities. I’ve also written about some of the most gruesome crimes the streets of the second largest city in New England can spit out. My credits include The New York Times, The Boston Globe, CNN.com and MSNBC.
On the other side of life’s spectrum, I’ve also been a proud Cheer Mom of Becky, a 20-year old Allstar coach and former athlete and for 12 years have watched the sport and my daughter grow. I’ve seen first hand how dedication, discipline and determination can help a little girl blossom into an amazing young woman. And I’ve been amazed as competitions moved out of high school gyms and into regional arenas.
All Stars: From wiglets and high school gyms...
...to high-ponies at the World Congress Center
Tiny Tot Rachel, age 3
I became a Cheer Mom x2 last year when my other daughter Rachel, 10, started cheering again. She had been on a tiny tots team when she was three and had a false start in All Stars when she was seven (which was fine with me as I added up all the costs and multiplied them by two). But now I can’t keep her out of the gym.
Almost ten years apart in age, Becky and Rachel had little in common. Now they speak the same language.
Cheerleading is the great equalizer in our family, which also includes my son John, 15.
John, 15, is a star in his own right.
For many years, John tagged along to comps but as he got older joined his father in attending one mandatory competition a year (the one held closest to our home). He is an awesome basketball player whose team won his junior high division the last two years he played and was also president of the National Junior Honor Society at his school. He now attends one of the most challenging, prestigious private high schools in New England where he excels on the Debate Team, Model U.N., Yearbook Committee and Improv Society. Please forgive the bragging but the girls tend to steal the limelight in our house.
The first year Rachel was an Allstar, my daughters shared the very special experience of receiving their CHEERSPORT jackets. One received it in her last year as an AllStar, the other in her first year. Those are very two dynamics and I see how Rachel’s experience is much different from her sister’s. One worked real hard to get where she is and was a proud member of the back line formation while the other is a natural born tumbler and gets the attention afforded that. Last year Rachel’s youth level 2 team won nine of its 10 National competitions (seven as Grand Champs) including CHEERSPORT during which the team scored second highest of more than 900 teams. They placed second in NCA Dallas by .07 of a point and are going back to try again in this 2012-13 season. The ShowStoppers ended its 2011-2012 year as the USASF All Levels Champions making it the highest ranking youth level team in the country.
But cheering is more than rings, jackets and awards. Becky apprenticed at her cheer gym in her last year as a an athlete and is now the coach of her own team; the Hot Shots, tiny tots. She has transitioned nicely from “one of the team” to the authority figure. She will continue to share her passion for cheering with young athletes but more importantly Becky is a great role model and is an elementary education major in college. Rachel has just started her life as an AllStar and I look forward to another decade of being a Cheer Mom.
After that, who knows? Cheer Granny…
Lisa D. Welsh is a member of the United States All Star Federation’s Parent Action Committee.
About CHEERMaD.com
CHEERMaD was developed to support the parents ~Moms and Dads~ of cheerleading. While most CHEERMaDs can be found in the All Star cheerleading arena, they can also be found in the pop warner, recreational, junior high and high school levels. Many of these are also crossover CHEERMaDs.
We aren’t on the mat with their child but in life CHEERMaDs hold their flyers up high, backup their backs and provide a strong foundation for their bases. The best CHEERMaDs give unspoken permission to coaches to take the lead in a major part of their child’s life. They don’t complain or interfere (most of the time) don’t embarrass their children in the gym or at competitions (hardly) but support the sport with their dollars and time.
CHEERMaD.com is a place to read and laugh, nod in agreement, speak up or shout out with other Certifiably CHEERMaDs.