By Jeanni Ritchie
I attended the Midstate Cheer Daddy & Daughter Stunt Clinic in Pineville on Sunday.
It was nice to not have to swipe a card upon entry, 15 years of being a cheer mom painfully etched in my pocketbook. I joke about the expense now because I know the benefits were priceless. Through cheering, my oldest daughter learned discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, mental strength, social skills, perseverance, and dedication. Beginning in fifth grade and continuing through her college graduation, there was always cheer in our house.
Dads, Brads, and Chads get a bad rap with Swifties but it’s Dads, Brothers, and Grandpas who become the heroes while stunting.
The dads today were no exception as owner Savannah Lovecchio and coach Kelyn Spears instructed them in basing thigh stands, arabesques, tosses, and libs. They learned choreography with the same grace I have performing on stage in 5-inch stilettos. They loved every minute of it.
So did their daughters.
Fearless Addilyn Bass ate mat more than once. I could see which parent she inherited her daredevil streak from. She reminded me of my youngest daughter. Who am I kidding? She reminded me of me.
I had to know more. This future flyer would’ve been the teacher’s pet in my classroom back in the day even though I’d have insisted I had no favorites.
What grade are you in? 2nd
When did you start cheering? Five years ago
How long do you think you’ll cheer? The rest of my life
What’s your favorite cheer show? (Navarro) Cheer
On a scale of 1-10, how hard was it to talk your dad into coming? 1- it was very easy
Also on a scale of 1-10, how did he do? 10
Her mom and I might’ve grabbed the paddles with a slightly lower number but we weren’t on the judging panel.
What was your favorite part of the daddy-daughter stunt clinic? When Dad put me in a toss.
That was your favorite part? That’s where you fell the most. But he’d never done it before and he tried his best. And he almost got it!
I love this kid. She and I could be best friends.
One last question. Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl? (Blank stare.) Well there’s this one team playing and they are playing against Taylor Swift’s boyfriend’s team. Who?
Oh, Addalyn, I’d had such high hopes for our friendship.
Jeanni Ritchie is a travel writer, educator, pizza aficionado, and perennial Peter Pan. If she’s not at her desk writing in her Louisiana hometown, she’s likely on a playground swing or crossing something off her bucket list somewhere in the world.