|
|
|
Reality TV
Calendar
|
|
|
Cheerleader Nation - Recaps, Commentaries, And More
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cheerleader Nation: Episode 1
One Team, One Year, One Dream
Recap by Teri Campbell
March 17, 2006
|
|
One Team, One Year, One Dream.
That's the motto of Lifetime's newest reality show, Cheerleader Nation. It's based in Lexington, Kentucky where the only thing to obsess on is cheerleading. The dream is to win Dunbar High School's 3rd National Title. A feat that no other school has done in 20 years.
We start off on day 1 of the cheerleading clinic. 60 girls tryout for 22 coveted spots on the cheer staff. We meet the choreographer, Saleem, that lets all the girls know there is a "red" team, which is JV and a "black" team which is varsity. To make the red team you must be able to do a back handspring. To make the black team you must be able to do a back tuck. The girls look at each other like, "No biggie."
Meet Ryan, a sophomore, who has been cheering since she was 3. We find out that her mom, Donna, is the Dunbar High coach. She brings home her grades to find that mom is not too proud of her all A's and 1 B report card. We find that Ryan is a bit smart mouthed to her mommy.
Meet Liz, she was on JV last year and is hoping to make Varsity next year. Others tell her that her reputation precedes her (which obviously is not a good one) and that she better watch it. Mia, a senior, and Ashley, a junior, think that Coach likes her a lot so she has a good chance. Mia is returning but says there are only 3 spots open from the seniors that graduated. So if there are new girls who are good enough for a spot, then some of the returning girls will be knocked down to red (JV.) Liz says that her attitude has changed in life because she is tired of wasting her breath on things that don't matter.
Meet Ashley who isn't your typical size 2, cute little girl. She's a size FOUR, cute little girl. Still, she struggles with her self esteem because she isn't as little and cute as some of the other girls. She is a 2nd year cheerleader, a self-proclaimed perfectionist and doesn't take criticism well. Ashley's mom says she'll be there for tryouts to Ashley's dismay.
Meet Amanda, a freshman. Meet her mom, Terri who tells us that Amanda has cheered since she was 5 because that is what SHE wanted for her daughter. Amanda is struggling with some tumbling but doesn't give up.
Meet Chelsea who has been a cheerleader since kindergarten. She says she is Saleem's favorite and everyone knows it so the other girls think she is a princess. I think she is a whiner, "Sallleeeeeeemmm…I'm soooorreeeee. I can't tumble." She says she likes competitions but not practice. Um…someone should tell this girl that you don't make it to competitions without the practice!
End of day 1.
We take a trip to the community pool where all the sophomores go to find that they are ALL so much more relaxed than *last* year. They just chat about tryouts.
Back at Amanda's house Mom tells her that once she wants to make the black squad and likes the older girls because they are MUCH more sophisticated and know where they are going in life.
Chelsea tells us that she is the only girl in her group that has divorced parents. Enter Harley mama. Obviously the "princess" doesn't come from royalty.
Ryan lets us know that being the daughter of the coach is hard. First she makes varsity and then she hears other girls say, "If she is put in front I'm quitting." It's just really hard for her.
Chelsea and Nicole are best friends and hang out with the soccer boys.
Cheer Clinic day 2:
Katie is a senior and is having trouble with the tumbling but she really wants to make it so she is going to work hard. Donna thinks if she gives up soccer to cheer, then she may never do anything else with soccer again. What a dilemma.
Meet Ayrica. She has been cheering since 7th grade and it's her 3rd year on the squad at Dunbar. She also won the award for being the #1 black student. I hope that's based on at least academics and athletic merit and not just for being black! Her dad Eric goes to National's with Ayrica & the team.
Megan is a senior and wants to be in high school forever and never be a grown up. She just wants to have fun. Her sister Alexa is a sophomore and wants to be known for her and not for being Megan's younger sister.
Taylor is a freshman and I think her mom wants her to make it more than she wants it. Years ago she fell on her head tumbling and now she mentally keeps herself from tumbling. Saleem lets everyone know that this year squad will be based on tumbling and Taylor knows she may be out.
Day 3: The final clinic
Katie is a bit worried as some of the girls are way better than what she thought.
Princess Chelsea is a bit angry that Katie is better than most and has never cheered.
Taylor just can't get passed the mental problems and the back handspring just isn't happening. Mom is in tears because she is so sad that her daughter won't do the jump and without the jump, there is no spot for Taylor.
Megan's boyfriend Mason is going off to college and she is so sad. When will they see each other???
The day of tryouts have finally arrived. We get to see a smattering of the girls prepare at there homes to go to the BIG audition. Then we get last minute woes of the contestants and how nervous they are and how much they want to make it.
We see them go through the rotations. Cheer, tumbling, fight song. We see everyone take their turns and most seem okay but Liz can't stick her landing. Taylor's turn to try to get past the mental….she keeps walking away but coming back….but just can't find it. She steps off and walks away.
The tryouts are over and the deliberation begins. Donna thinks some big surprises will be given. She and Saleem call out the varsity:
Mia, Alexa, Nicole, Ashley, Ryan, Melissa, heather, Kacey, Amanda, Katie, Anna, Courtney, Erica, Ashley, Megan, Anisha, Caitlyn, Jordan, Chelsea.
Liz is really upset but her tucks just weren't consistent. Taylor becomes the alternate on the JV squad. The sisters are happy, the best friends are happy, and Ashley is a bigger girl and is happy she made it. Ryan may be the daughter of the cheerleading coach and that just may be why she made varsity. She let's us know that tryouts were hard but just wait and see what's to come.
There is much more drama from the girls, their parents and the coaches so I'll see you hear next week for more Cheerleader Nation.
Gimme a G - double O - D - B - Y - E! A big good bye from little ol' me!
I live in Washington state with my husband Ricky, 2 basset hounds - Shaka & Lu Lu and 2 Rhodesian Ridgebacks - Harleigh and Cooper. I'm an 8th grade teacher who plays softball and loves to bowl. I started off watching only Survivor and now consider myself a Reality TV addict. I welcome any feedback at elementeri@hotmail.com.
RTV Calendar | RTV Store | RTV Links | Casting | Contact Us | Advertise With Us
All listings are subject to change.
Site Design and Programing Copyright 2003 - 2006© Lemon Toupin, all rights reserved.
All articles are the intellectual property of and copyrighted by the individual authors. By submitting an article to Reality TV Calendar you are granting Reality TV Calendar permission to display the article in perpetuity.
Truck Accident
|
|
|
