When people think about being part of a team, they think about the wins, losses, and all of the competition involved with the sport. But in the end, it goes far beyond that.  

Being part of a team teaches lessons that stretch far beyond sports. One main lesson I have learned is accountability. Throughout the season, every practice and game requires commitment from every player for the team to succeed. 

Showing up and giving your best effort is the first step toward victory that every athlete has to be willing to take. Learning to be responsible not only leads to a strong season, but also prepares you for future life experiences that need the same accountability.  

Another important lesson is learning to accept failure. Not everything ends with a win, and not every performance is perfect. Learning to accept this from the start teaches resilience, and it prepares you for other failures that will come along throughout life.  

But the biggest lesson I’ve learned is how to trust and support others. On a team and in a sport, success has never been achieved alone. Teammates have to be able to lean on each other to push through the hard times and continue to strive for success.  

As a Baldwin competition cheerleader, I can confidently say that if it wasn’t for the way my teammates put each other first in every situation, the outcome of our season would be completely different. 

Being a Baldwin competitive cheerleader has taught me that the strongest teams are built on trust and dedication. 

Earning a state championship did not come from wins being handed to us. It came from the hard work we put into everything we did, the trust our team had in each other to give 100 percent, and the way our team celebrated even the smallest wins, which made the big ones feel even more special.