Lessons from the Father of Modern Cheerleading
Part of any mental game approach is the ability to reframe obstacles into opportunities. Instead of dwelling on what’s wrong, a mentally tough person will determine what the solution is to the problem and then take action to resolve it.
This was true for Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer, known as the father of modern cheerleading. Herkie had a stuttering problem when he was young. Now some kids who stutter hide in embarrassment. Not Herkie! Instead of focusing on a weakness, he discovered and nurtured his strengths.
Herkie decided to master acrobatic skills which led him to his high school’s cheerleading squad where he discovered that he didn’t stutter when he spoke in rhymes.
Of course, Herkie didn’t stop there! He went on to cheer at Southern Methodist University (SMU) and eventually founded the National Cheerleading Association (NCA).
It’s interesting to think what might have happened (or – what might not have happened!) if Lawrence Herkimer had allowed his stuttering to silence him.
How about you? What kinds of challenges might you be allowing to stop you? Take your inspiration from Herkie – find your strengths and talents and build on them!
Tags: cheerleader, cheerleaders, Cheerleading, herkie, mental game