College Paper
Standing in the tunnel of the University of Dayton Ohio Arena, all I could see was the scared look on my teammates’ faces. All 24 girls dressed beautifully in raspberry, looked like they were in a horror movie and were getting chased by a killer. Their faces, and mine, all screamed like we wanted to turn back and run, but we knew we couldn’t let each other down. I knew thousands of people were sitting in the stands cheering us on, but I could not hear anything because the beating of my heart was so deafening; my nerves were getting the best of me. Standing jittery behind the big black curtain that would soon define my fate, I knew there was no turning back; everyone was expecting me to go out there and do my best. When they opened the curtain I knew it was time to go out there, turn everything on, and become the diva I needed to be.
Spinning for the South Brunswick Visual Ensemble (SBVE) is not only an honor, but one the best things to happen to me. Being an Open Class Finalist guard is not something everyone can say has happened to them. When we were on the floor performing I could feel the passion that we were all letting out of our pores, and there is no doubt the crowd can feel it too. When something goes wrong on the floor we wouldn’t ever let that stop us. We just push harder and try to forget about it. We can always tell when someone is having a bad show, but we never let it affect us. Whether we come in first or last is not what matters to us. It’s the memories we build together and the bond that is shared between us.
Growing up watching my neighbors spin on this guard is what really inspired me to try out. I used to watch them from my back yard and I thought what they were doing was the greatest thing ever. When the SBVE would come to my middle school and put on a show to get middle schooler’s interested in it and try out in high school, I knew that was my calling. It has taught me how to manage my time between family, friends, school, and extra curricular’s and has pushed me past limits I thought I could never endure. With the skills I learned in guard I will surely be able to use them in the future in the all aspects of my life. I am proud to be part of a legacy that will live on long after I leave and a family that is not like any other.
