CHANGING one’s sport is not a decision made in a snap. It is carefully thought out, as it takes a massive leap of faith to answer this calling. Through an interview with THE BEDAN HERALD, Alyana Margarita “Ally” D. Presa (III-BAP) shared her experiences in switching her sport from ballet to cheer and how she gained the courage to answer the lion’s call.

Switch it up

Though considered an art form, Ally considered classical ballet as her initial sport. In fact, she even considered it to be more than a sport given it takes an immense value of physical and mental stability mixed with a flow of creativity. She mentioned that it was her mother who introduced this sport to her, which made her fall in love with performing. As she became a performer, Ally was able to take on many roles and characters which gave life to tales for the audience to enjoy.

In 2018, Ally wanted to do something out of her comfort zone and discovered the Senior Red Lion Pep Squad, a competitive cheer. Coincidentally, tryouts were open for new members and she declared it as a go signal. Ally was able to apply for the team’s tryouts precisely on the last day. “It was meant to be,” she claimed. Even after being qualified, Ally stated, “I haven’t fully let go of my ballet life as I go back [to it] once in a while to hone my skills.” She reasons that ballet has contributed big time to her skills in cheer. It served as a great foundation and it gave her the chance to also enjoy sharing her ballet expertise among her teammates.

The only thing constant is discipline

Before meeting an athlete’s strongest version of themself, they begin from scrap and move on from there. For them, it literally takes blood, sweat, and tons of self-control to get wherever they are now. “The most valuable lesson I gained is how the concept of discipline is always and consistently a key-playing factor,” Ally shared. She also added that you must strictly adhere to specific habits whether you are an athlete or an artist. She further explained to train yourself to work efficiently and to always strive for excellence. “Mind over matter, as they say,” she ended.

Target locked

“The pandemic has halted life as we know it, including rigorous and essential training,” Ally stated. As an athlete, she needed consistent training as it is essential to remain competent and strong in her field; but unfortunately, the pandemic hit and it was hard to keep up with consistency. Now that everything is slowly getting back to normal, Ally’s main focus is to regain stamina and further improve her tambling and lifting techniques in cheer. She also mentioned that one of her goals is to help the team reach their shared short and long-term goals. 

Making a decision is a step closer to something that may truly change your life forever. You either act on it or you just take whatever is in front of you. If you are looking for a sign, Ally has a message for you: “Do not be afraid to go back to zero. You have all the time in this world to start again and gain completely different experiences. Make the most out of new beginnings.” Take the risk; it will be worth a try.