Question: How many cheerleaders have become president of the United States? The answer, thanks now to president-elect George W. Bush, is three. That's right, president-elect Bush will join Ronald Reagan and Dwight D. Eisenhower as cheerleaders who went on to become President. This is not surprising to those of us who have cheered, but it may not sit well with the people that just don't 'get it'. But let's forget about them for now, as we celebrate this victory that once again demonstrates the value of the skills learned from cheerleading.
According to Jim Nelson of GQ magazine, "[There is a] connection, the link between a political rally and a pep rally. {Bush] must understand that he learned something all those years ago, the important stuff. How to work a crowd, how to exploit a captive audience, how to come off wholesome and energetic and winning." Of course, we know that these are just a few of the many skills learned from cheering. But it is nice to see just how useful these skills can be throughout life. It stands as yet another affirmation of the benefit of participating in this wonderful sport.
Looking into the future, it is easy to see that our first woman president is not far away and many more will follow. So where will these great women come from? I would venture a guess that, just as with the men, cheerleaders will be well represented by women presidents. Since females outnumber males by so many in cheerleading and many recent male presidents have been cheerleaders, it just stands to reason that as women get their shot at the presidency that they will come from the ranks of cheerleaders.
It may be hard to notice the life lessons from cheerleading while you are training for competition, doing ab crunches or getting admonished by your coach for missing practice. However, those lessons will serve you well throughout life no matter what you choose to do. If you do want to become President of the United States then you can start your quest with the knowledge that you have an advantage over most of the competition. What a wonderful way to start!
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