Three Cheers For Hailie

It was a Wednesday and Emily's hiphop class was cancelled. So we got to go see Hailie and the rest of her cheerleading squad cheer the Junior Varsity football team.

It was a typical cool, windy fall afternoon and the field was vibrant with the gold and navy uniforms of the Grand Haven team. Some of the players were huge, and there were muffled thuds and groans when every few minutes, the two teams collided in a heap with referee whistles and shouts from the crowd. The cheerleaders kept the momentum going, whether it was offense or defense. We got a few smiles and waves from Hailie, but mostly, she watched the game, and with her team, sprang into action when it was time to cheer the team on, or celebrate a good play. Kids who didn't know or care about the game tumbled in the grass, and some of the younger boys pit their strength against the training equipment, running and slamming hard into the 'tackle' targets. The parking lot was full and those of the crowd lucky enough to have bleacher seats had a great view of the game. The rest of us shuffled from yard line to yard line along the edges, trying to get a good look at the plays. Hailie's Mom, Grandma Parylak, Molly, Uncle Johny and his kids brought lawn chairs. Ray and Cindy, Grace and Emily and I were all there, too. We were all there to proudly support Hailie who is a very promising cheerleader. I can't think of a better way to enjoy a fall afternoon.