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Words of Cheer - Full Circle

The earth has made a full circle around the sun as I have been writing the Words of Cheer weekly column. As my life continues to evolve, I have decided to end this project and direct my energy into other projects.
A surprise reunion of elementary school teacher, Mrs. Deacon, and Lesia Goba (nee Rathje) at SCA Pro
A surprise reunion of elementary school teacher, Mrs. Deacon, and Lesia Goba (nee Rathje) at SCA Provincials. Photo submitted by Rhea Good

The earth has made a full circle around the sun as I have been writing the Words of Cheer weekly column. As my life continues to evolve, I have decided to end this project and direct my energy into other projects.

In this week’s farewell column, I want to say a few words about how cheerleading has brought me full circle.

Kahlil Gibran’s writing about children was so true in the case of raising my daughter.

“Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself. They come through you, but not from you. And though they are with you yet they belong not to you … You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you … You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.”

And so, when my daughter encountered the sport of cheerleading, my life also made an abrupt turn into a new direction. First, I was a casual “cheer mom” being the chauffeur to and from cheerleading practices. Years later, my daughter was coaching, and I eventually followed suit and completed my coaching certification and we were co-coaches. Then, she ventured into business and opened her own cheerleading gyms.

During these years, cheerleading has been the reason for trips to Los Angeles, Orlando, Vancouver, Niagara Falls, Edmonton and Calgary. I tagged along to Cheerleading Worlds in 2014 and 2018. Many cherished friendships are due to involvement with the sport of cheerleading.

It was difficult to choose the farewell photo for this week’s column. This photo was taken at Saskatchewan Cheerleading Provincials in 2016. Mrs. Deacon was a teacher at Georges Vanier Elementary School in Saskatoon where my daughter started her first cheerleading team in 2006. Mrs. Deacon was the teacher who said “Yes” to the idea and supported the novice cheer team. Years later, Mrs. Deacon’s own daughter was a cheerleader and she was attending provincials as a cheer mom. Meanwhile, I was attending as a coach, and my daughter was there as the owner of her own cheer gym, Cheer Legacy, and also coaching the John Paul II Cheerleading Team.

It all comes full circle.