My DePaul Experience
Becoming a leader on and off the court
When I first came to DePaul, I was filled with uncertainty about what was to come, what my life would like for the next four years, and all of the possibilities and opportunities. I knew joining groups and finding activities was important to me but, I did not know where to begin.
I wished to make my useful and create a positive impact, even in a small way. I joined the DePaul Cheerleading team my freshman year and I was thrilled about the new adventures I would partake and the impact I would make. Basketball games, practices, and appearances were just some of the tasks we enjoyed.
While the cheerleaders were not the focus of the DePaul Basketball games, we understood that we were making change and creating a positive environment for the players and the fans. It was hard at times. There were many moments I felt unappreciated or pushed to the side. I knew the cheerleaders were an important aspect of the basketball experience but, it was easy to feel like our impact was not felt.
I knew this to be false. As the games went on, and the years passed, I stayed within the program. Maybe it was aging or maturing that changed my point of view but I like to think of it as a change of perspective, just as St. Vincent had done. I knew that whether or not the public recognized it, we provided were cheerleaders not only for the basketball team, but for ourselves. We knew how hard we worked and that was all that mattered.
St. Vincent had been encouraged to join the priesthood by his father. Before he found his true calling, he had the intention of becoming a priest so that he could make enough and retire early, living a stable quiet life. However, his perspective had changed. After becoming a tutor for the de Gondi family, he was performing a confession of a dying man. It was then that he saw the needs of the poor. His mission had changed, as did his perspective; St. Vincent devoted his life to charity and justice for those in need. Like St. Vincent, I experienced a sort of awakening. I knew that whether or not the public recognized it, we provided were cheerleaders not only for the basketball team, but for ourselves. We knew how hard we worked and that was all that mattered.
Not only did my experience shift through a perspective change, but I also felt a change in which I approached leadership. Our cheerleading program was influential to my college experience. I spent long hours with the team and got to know them on personal level. It was not until my senior year that I recognized the leadership and the wisdom I could impose on the younger members. I was able to take charge in ways in which I had not been. I saw the need for help and I took it. I applied myself to their experience, offered them guidance, and felt like a role model that they could follow.
One of my favorite activities that I did with the team was through community outreach. We were allowed the opportunity to work with Toys for Tots program. I sorted through toys and met the families who would be taking these toys. This imparted a new sense of importance and the ability to help others. The work was beneficial to the families in need. I felt great being able to be apart of that, even in a small way. Despite the cliche, I learned that small things can make a large impact.
I understood more about myself through this encounter and approach. By applying myself as a leader, I understood that this would carry on throughout my life. The nerves and the anxiety behind becoming a leader or person that they could follow slowly disappeared. DePaul Cheerleading provided me with the confidence to see myself as more than a quiet voice or follower. It allowed me to shift my perspective into a more positive light, cheering on my teammates on and off the court. I was imparted with the wisdom that even small contributions within a community could make a massive difference. Being apart of team imparted a newfound sense of confidence within myself. I know now that it was more than sparkly pom-poms or hairbows but, a community of people that could come together, lift each other up. Though my time as a cheerleader is now over, I take with me the lessons of leadership and community outreach into my personal life and my career.
