Retirement Reliving: The Enduring Cheer That Lived in My Mind

As a 53-year-old, I often find myself exhibiting repetitive movements such as twitchy arm motions when walking around the house, especially when I'm not actively thinking about anything. While one might dismiss these tics as a manifestation of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) or Restless Arm Syndrome, my actions are more likely a result of neural storage from my high school days. I still perform both cheers I learned to try out for freshman cheerleading in 1982, as I practiced them hundreds of times during tryouts. Over the years, these cheers have become an ingrained part of my memory.

The Varsity Cheer You'll Never Forget

However, there is one cheer that remains etched in my mind more vividly than the others—the one my Varsity team picked up at camp from the Varsity squad at Liberty High School in West Virginia. This cheer comprised of six 8-count phrases, long enough to build a pyramid, rotate the entire formation a quarter turn, and then dismount to finish on the floor. It went something like this:

Liberty. Mountaineers. Ready. For-the-fight.

Although we changed it to "Edison. Eagles..." for our team, the essence and spirit of the original cheer remained the same.

The Legacy of High School Chores

The Liberty cheer was fueled by the challenge and pride of being part of an excellent high school team that held its own against any competition. The Mountaineers were one of the best high school teams I encountered in that decade. Participating in the cheerleading tryouts in 1982 was more than just another school activity; it marked a significant milestone in my high school experience, a time when I learned the importance of teamwork, practice, and resilience.

Looking back, the cheer is a silent form of nostalgia that triggers memories of those formative years. Each time my arms instinctively move, it transports me back to the excitement of cheering for my team during competitions.

Neural Storage OCD

Neural storage is a fascinating neurological process that allows us to retain information even long after the initial learning phase. For me, this process extends to physical movements and phrases that I once memorized for tryouts. While I suspect that neural storage is involved, there's a possibility that OCD may also play a role in these repetitive actions. It's a topic for another day, but the fact that these movements persist over the years is a testament to the strength of neural pathways in the brain.

So, while I may not fully understand the root cause of these motions, I do appreciate the value of recalling my cheerleading past. It serves as a gentle reminder of a time when I was a vital part of a team that represented more than just a school but a community of students united by their passion for sports and school spirit.

Stay tuned for more insights into the world of cheerleading and the enduring impact it has on our lives.