Coach Them Up by Caroline

Coach Them Up by Caroline - March 2026 Scholarship Essay

I spent four seasons coaching youth cheerleading in my hometown, in the program where I grew up and learned to cheer. I knew when I went to high school that one of the places where I wanted to volunteer and give back was in my local program. I didn't just want to go to school and not doing anything with extra curricular activities, I wanted to be as well rounded as I could be.
This past fall, the team that I coached has 30 plus girls who all moved from elementary school into middle school. With that move, the girls had to learn to work with all of the kids from five elementary schools in town, switching classes, and friends starting to go different ways. I had already been through this and so it was interesting to watch the interactions as part of my team.
What I had to do, along with the other coaches, was to keep these girls motivated and part of a team. They had learned the stunts and the cheers long ago, but now we had new personalities coming through. What we decided was that we would coach the girls into the best positions they could be on the team and coach different skill levels up. The success was seen both on the field and watching them grow into their new experiences. If some girls could tumble and stunt, then that was where they excelled. If other girls were good being a Base and lifting, then they were there on the team.
What we also saw was girls who really pulled together as a team. They wanted to be at practice and be on time for the games. They wanted to show what they could do best. And they made the coaches, their families, and their teammates excited to be part of the team.
The final reward for me was when I had my senior night on my last game as a Varsity Captain of my high school cheer team, several girls came to watch me cheer. They brought signs cheering for me. Their parents came to my game to cheer me on and told my parents how much they and their daughters would miss me when I went off to college.
What happened was something that will guide me to my next level. I realized my gift for helping and listening. It was a great feeling knowing the girls improved through now challenges and grew closer.