Favorite Or Not

What if you didn’t get chosen to participate in things? How would you feel if you didn’t get a chance to showcase your talent?  What if you weren’t a “favorite” and always had to be in the background instead of in a spot you earned or deserved?

 

Hi BGC Family! My name is Demi  and I am from Houston, TX. I’m currently in my 9th year of cheering and still as excited about the sport today as I was when I first started.  Cheering has given me a lot of opportunities to learn, grow and help others. There are many positive and fun moments with being a cheerleader. But, there are also a lot of disappointments and not so happy times. As I grow in cheer, I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes…

 

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

 

I’ve watched some of the hardest working athletes go unnoticed. I’ve watched some of the fiercest and most beautiful cheerleaders be overlooked for a number of reasons never said to them. It breaks my heart and hurts my feelings to know kids aren’t chosen because they aren’t in the favorite or popular group.  Sometimes girls are left feeling sad or like they are not good enough among their own peers because of favoritism. Favoritism is something many people deal with big or small, young or old. The feelings I’ve experienced or that my friends have experienced when faced with favoritism is one that I don’t wish on anyone.

 

I’m blessed to have a mommy who encourages and motivates me to be my best even when dealing with challenging situations. She always find a way to support me which makes me work harder to master or learn new skills. My mom will say,

 

“Demi, don’t let anybody tell you what you can’t do. Don’t kiss anyone’s behind to get what you deserve. If they don’t see your potential, unfortunately they will miss out on a really good girl.”

 

Sadly, everyone doesn’t have a mom like me which leaves some girls feeling depressed or sad about who they are, what they’ve accomplished and have yet to accomplish.

 

What if there was something you could do to help limit favoritism?  How could you help all talented girls stay motivated? If there was one thing I could change in this world or in the cheer community, it would be the ability to overcome obstacles or mean girl syndrome for every young girl who sometimes feels left out or not good enough. Until the people who get to pick understand how favoritism hurts people’s feelings and discourages them, I will do my part to continue to motivate all of my cheer sisters and friends to be the best they can be no matter how many doors are closed.  I hope all girls see the good in them and continue being the best athlete possible no matter what anyone else thinks. Believe in yourself. If you don’t, who will?

 

~Demi Turner

IG: Demi.m.t