assignment 19 - Katy

"Just try it one time," as said by my cheer coaches, debate coach, and parents.

One thing to point out is that "one time" in cheer NEVER means only one time. It means numerous, perhaps tens of more times. But nevertheless, the words were comforting when I heard them from my cheer coaches. When I was feeling insecure or unsure about my abilities to fly or tumble, my coaches would help me. But they couldn't hold my hand forever. Instead, they then told me to try it one time by myself. And yes, sometimes that one time lead to me getting hurt, but more often than not, that one try lead to success. It was that one try that gave me the motivation to do "just one more time." And then that one would push me towards another, and so on until I had the confidence to do that skill without thought or hesitation. Without this piece of advice I would've never had risen to my place as captain of my cheer team.
My debate coach says the same thing to me now and I find it a little funny. I find this funny because I used to be told this so that I could do a physical skill, and now it is for w mental skill. Mr. Ray always seems to get me involved in events that I swear up and down I cannot do. When he signed me up for LD debate i told him I would fail. I recently won an entire tournament. I eon because Mr. Ray told me to try it once. And I immediately loved the feeling of arguing and debating topics. I felt large and powerful - something that does not come easily to a 5'1" blonde girl.
My parents have given me the same advice ever since they tried to convince me to try broccoli. Now the advice sticks with me when I am about to do something that makes me nervous.
In my perspective, the first time for anything is always going to be the scariest. That's inky because you have no experience and its new to you. I think that everyone should try what they need to accomplish one time. Do that will, that activity, that request, just one time and I promise it will get easier. Unless you are being asked to run a marathon , in which case I say train for that and don't hurt yourself.