One in a MILLION!
This week we’re recognising the motivational story of Kate Freeman, 37, from Caerphilly. She said…
Pulling a pink leotard over my head and grabbing my matching shoes, I was ready for ballet. I was only three, but loved everything to do with dance and I signed up to a whole range of different classes from jazz to contemporary.
In secondary school a new hobby topped them all – cheerleading!
The colourful poms and eager team spirit was something I couldn’t get enough of, plus the lifts and chanting was a perk, too.
Attending practice five times a week, our team was driven to achieve it all.
After a lot of hard work our cheer team had won UK, British, and World Champion titles.
The thrill of cheer was a feeling like no other, but there came a time when I had to have both feet on the ground and continue with my other life goals.
After giving birth to my son Harrison, now10, in 2011, being a parent became my biggest concern.
However, in 2019, when I was out with Harrison in our local toy store, I bumped into my old cheer coach.
It was a sign – cheer made me really happy.
So, after a long 15 years out of the game, I knew I had to make a return.
I bounced back into the world of competitive cheer with my old cheer team, Inferno.
I had a lot of catching up to do!
When lockdown meant that our weekly meet ups had to stop, I turned to social media for ways to stay active.
That’s when I discovered Cheerfit.
A fitness class based on cheerleading.
Although the online sessions were run by Danielle Donovan in the US, the idea looked like so much fun.
The sessions were pretty late due to differing time zones and it was hard to juggle them with bedtime stories.
So, when the opportunity came around for me to be the first Cheerfit trained coach in the UK, I knew I had to take it with both hands.
Last February I achieved my Cheerfit qualification.
And I now run 45 minute morning and evenings sessions in Cardiff and Caerphilly.
As a group we decide a theme for the weekly meet up.
We have had Disney, Beyoncé, and girl band week to name a few – we even like to match workout outfits!
I’m just so happy that I have my own cheer family.
For once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader!