Eager to try something new and fun, Anna VanCura decided to try cheerleading when she was seven years old. Now 10 and in her first year of competitive cheer, Anna belongs to a team called Untamed Youth 1. Her team’s home base is in Benton, Kentucky at a gymnastics center called The Mat, where their motto is, “It’s not just cheerleading…it’s FAMILY!” And it seems the adage is working, as Anna said the best part of being on Untamed Youth 1 is “knowing that the team has your back and that you can count on them,” just like family.
The coaches and staff at The Mat aim to help athletes not only achieve their goals, but perfect their goals with the right technique. Currently, Anna’s goal is to always do her best and do well in competitions—and learn how to do a back-tuck. As a base, back-spotter, and tumbler for her team, Anna has noticed some positive changes in herself. “I think I have changed because I have been working really hard and doing the best I can at each practice because I want my team to win,” she said.
She’s also discovered that she’s more outgoing than she thought. “I know I can do well, and I know that I can rock it out!” Clearly, cheer is giving Anna some healthy confidence. “It shows me that I have what it takes, and I can do this sport even when it is hard.”
“Outgoing, smart, and confident,” are the words Anna used to describe herself. Her mom, Amanda, added that she can be a bit “saucy” sometimes (who isn’t?), but emphasized what a great kid her daughter is. Amanda also noted that since starting cheer, Anna has become even more well-mannered than she already was and particularly cheerful. She’s also very good at showing her appreciation to her parents for allowing her to participate in this sport.
It’s no secret that this competitive sport costs a good chunk of change, and up until this year, Amanda and her husband weren’t ready to commit financially. They wanted to wait until Anna was a little more advanced in her tumbling. “If you’re paying all that money to watch them perform, you kind of want them to be more versatile, at least thats how I felt… you want them to be in different routines,” Amanda said.
When Anna advanced and the VanCuras were ready to invest in the sport, they were pleased to learn about Double Good, which significantly helped finance Anna’s competitive cheer. “I was a little nervous because I didn’t know how everything worked,” Amanda said. “But with 50% of the sales going toward her directly, I thought, ‘well let’s try it and see how it goes.’”
Amanda didn’t anticipate doing as well as they did with the fundraiser, and she was shocked by their profit. “It was very easy…click and go,” she said. Amanda was never on board with traditional fundraisers that Anna would bring home from school, and Double Good was the first fundraiser they participated in. Amanda said she’s looking forward to giving it another try in the winter.
We exist to help people reach their goals and chase their dreams, and we couldn’t be happier to know that our popcorn is enabling Anna to do just that. What can Double Good help you achieve?