In her sophomore year, junior Lauren Lutz spontaneously decided to try out for the varsity cheerleading team. With no prior experience in cheerleading, Lauren was extremely nervous to meet new friends and assimilate to the team culture. However, when she made the team, she found a new passion worth all the anxious thoughts.
Lauren was in a similar predicament when the junior varsity girls’ tennis team began holding tryouts for their upcoming spring season. Lauren had previously started taking tennis lessons and was spurred to take a chance and attend tryouts.
“I like trying new things,” Lauren said. “It makes me excited. Sometimes, it can be nerve-racking, like when you don’t know anything. At my first [tennis] lesson, I was terrified, and I probably hit the ball twice. But once I got used to it, I started to improve.”
On the first day of JV tryouts, Lauren was intimidated by all the other girls. Most were younger than her and possessed advanced skills Lauren hadn’t yet learned. However, she was reminded of all the joyous experiences she had found through cheerleading and, therefore, didn’t let herself get discouraged.
Lauren’s overall favorite memory from cheerleading was traveling to Ford Field two years in a row to support the football team. On the sidelines, she cheered as FHC won their first state football championship last year. She hopes to continue the long line of memories as she aspires to become one of the cheer team’s captains in her senior season. The cheer team struggled with inclusivity last season, a factor that Lauren hopes to eliminate if she’s voted captain.
“I definitely hope to strengthen my bonds with all of the girls on the team, and especially the newcomers,” Lauren said. “They’re probably going to be really nervous. I want to make it a super comfortable environment for every girl there and not discriminate against people because we struggled with that last year.”
In the autumnal months, Lauren attended cheer practice twice a week. She never dreaded going to practice; instead, she looked forward to it. For tennis, Lauren aspires to find the same excitement as with cheer. She currently goes to the tennis courts once or twice weekly with her dad, who coaches her.
Before discovering cheer, Lauren tended to be somewhat introverted and shy. Trying out for the cheer team was a massive leap out of her comfort zone, and with that leap, she met people who have become some of her closest friends and memories that will last a lifetime.
“When I first tried cheerleading, I was really scared because I didn’t know anybody on the team,” Lauren said. “I was like, ‘Why am I doing this? This is not me.’ But all of a sudden, I realized that I could do this, and it would be fun instead of overthinking it and being anxious about it. [I asked myself], ‘What could go wrong?’”
Prior to her sophomore year, Lauren got used to staying out of the limelight. However, becoming part of the cheer team helped to widen her social horizons and made her happier. With the possible outlook of playing tennis past her tentative high school career, Lauren hopes to bring this same positive mindset to the tennis court if she makes the team.
“I think during my first years of high school, I was shy and I didn’t want to try anything new,” Lauren said. “I wanted to stay in the shadows. But suddenly, joining cheer just made me so much more extroverted. I made so many new friends on the team, and I came out of my shell.”
Lauren has never considered herself a person who makes spontaneous decisions. Still, after discovering two of her new passions, she’s learned the art of living in the moment and cherishing every experience. Without her sudden resolution to attempt cheerleading, Lauren would probably not have found herself for many more years. She encourages any generally anxious person to take that risky leap because they may never know what incredible path could lie ahead.
“Don’t be nervous to try something new and don’t overthink it,” Lauren said. “Don’t dwell on the anxiety and just think of the things that could come from it that are positive.”
