The day of the week determined the practice uniform. Basketball schedules decided if uniforms or warm ups were worn to school. Friday nights during the fall are for varsity football games and Saturday mornings are spent on a blue, fuzzy mat inside a gym practicing for the next competition. Homework is done on the bus or during water breaks and weekends are spent studying.
For at least a decade, this was my life.
Cheerleading is a sport dominated by women — though male cheerleaders do exist — but receives little to no recognition as a sport by the rest of the athletic world.