Today we’re excited to introduce you to Amy Henderson. We were introduced to them by one of our community members and content partners – Taylor Mondick. Check out our conversation with Amy below.
Amy, thanks for taking the time to share your story with us today. So, let’s start with your personal story – what can you share with us?
Meeting Coach Taylor and being a member of Rival has been the most amazing experience for my daughter (Havin) and I. Not only the outstanding coaching they provide, but more importantly they are Christian based, teaching and maximizing their athlete’s personal and potential lifelong success. Over the years, we have developed a family trust with Coach Taylor, as he builds character and confidence. Havin has shown a sense of accomplishment that is preparing her for life, learning to work as a team, which truly lead her to come out of her shell of shyness. We have faced tragedy over the years under Rival Cheer, including financial hardships and loss of a Father. Because Coach Taylor stepped forward in our time of need, providing a constant in our lives with a positive learning environment, we were able to heal and come out of the darkness we were in. Havin does not want to disappoint and her strong work ethic is due to Coach Taylor.
Thanks for sharing that with us. How about obstacles and struggles – has it been a smooth road?
As I mentioned before, personal life struggles have struck our family, but Coach Taylor came to support us, just as a Christian does. He shows us the ability to step up and put in the extra love and support to players and families in need (not just us), over the years. Coach Taylor puts in the time in raising funds, food, gifts, cards, making time for prayers and contributing in and to community activities to help others. Leading by example, and showing up when you can to support those in need, provides a strong character development that is so needed for a person.
We’d love to hear more about your experience with Rival.
Building a passion for cheer is a gift and comes with his years of leadership and experience as an athlete in cheer, winning Cheer Worlds, and the years of coaching experience he holds. He has accomplished qualifying several teams, in the past two years, to qualify for Summit, where athletes compete against the best of the best in all levels of competition. Two years ago, Havin’s team qualified and in this unique experience of a lifetime, her team won 6th place in the USA, 3rd place in the World, and 1st place in Texas. Qualifying for Summit is not easy, just like winning State in other sports, but those that do, hold the honor for life. You can not make it to Summit easily. You have to earn it by gaining wins/bids at cheer tournaments, where even there you are competing against the best. There are not enough words to put into the feeling it gave us all (athletes, coaches and families). This was something so real and amazing, a true accomplishment, that she will remember all of her life. She can even put it on a resume for work, and in later years, tell her grandchildren about her experience, when that time comes. It takes a strong team to win, and Coach Taylor made them this! Bringing Christianity into practice, showing the power of prayer and providing team building, faith based, motivational activities are just a few more of his strong points. I will always give him credit for building Havin up to be a the best she can be. She has a want, a desire and is motivated, setting goals and pushing herself to achieve them individually and as a team.
What role has risk taking played in your life or career?
I was not sure how to answer this question, so when I looked to inquire what the meaning of the questions was, I fell upon this answer: Taking a risk to achieve a goal requires courage to face the fear of uncertainty. This would include Coach Taylor and his athletes in their practices and competitions. Your goal is to land a zero. That means not a number was added to your perfect score, which is zero, but if it does, then you get back up again and try harder and emotions, along with athleticism must be in tact. This is a learned behavior and takes risks to master. Emotions are a drive that can falter you at any moment. No matter the outcome, either way, we grow through the process and become more resilient and confident…..better yet, building those skills helps in taking more risks and improves the chances of achieving future goals.
Image Credits
Rival Cheer – Coach Taylor has a lot of photos and Havin has even made programing fronts. I approve any photo he feels best represents his company. I can provide more, if you feel I need to still. Just let me know. Thanks! 512-468-6036
