“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard! “
CHEERFIT AMBASSADOR FEATURE: NAOMIE JONES
The CHEERFIT ambassador community is filled with leaders and motivators who all share a passion for fitness, love for cheering and drive to help inspire others.
Our ambassadors share with us their personal stories and obstacles they overcome along the way. We have an amazing community of athletes who fuel their passion and determination with the CHEERFIT lifestyle.
This week, we meet Naomie, a cheerleader from Australia who tells us how she overcame an injury, how she continues to stay strong, and what inspires her to always do her absolute best. We are proud to share with you our ‘Ambassador of the Week Feature’ with Naomie Jones!
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY AND HOW YOU GOT TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
Hi! I’m Naomie @cheerleadernaomie and I’d like to talk about cheer and injury. Two years ago at the very beginning of my routine, a base jumped and landed on my foot. I felt something really bad happen like it had broken, but I kept going. At the end, they carried me off stage and my coach said I needed to perform in my second team because I was point flyer and had the hardest tumble pass, so I did. It hurt so bad, but I really didn’t want to let my team down.
Afterwards we found out that my foot had broken, some toes had dislocated, and the bone holding my ankle tendon had popped out to the opposite side of my foot. I spent 6 months in a moon boot, on my flying leg, and had surgery to cut my ankle tendon, remove a bone and reattach my ankle tendon to the correct bone. I was told my ankle would never be strong enough for me to fly again. I refused to believe that.
Two months after surgery I competed at NCA, and made it onto a Junior 4 team as a flyer. I had to work harder than I’d ever worked before. My right leg had no muscle from being in a moon boot for 6 months so I started doing a lot of cardio and strength, and stretched any time I could because even pulling a scorpion was too difficult. I’m now a better tumbler and flyer than I was before, I can do a needle on both legs, I am so strong and determined.
I love cheer so much that I wouldn’t accept someone saying I couldn’t do it ever again.
It wasn’t an easy road, lots of people didn’t think I would be good enough, people even said nasty things about me – but the thing is, I knew what I could do, and I had the support of my family and best friends, and that’s what makes all the difference. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard!
Love Naomie
xoxo
– CHEERFIT Ambassador Naomie Jones
ARE YOU INVOLVED IN ANY VOLUNTEER OR NONPROFIT? WHAT CAUSES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU?
This year my best friend Zoe and I are cutting off 30cm of our hair each to create wigs for children who have Leukaemia. It’s part of the World’s Greatest Shave. We would love anyone to donate to this wonderful cause!
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2016 – ZSA most improved flyer
2016 – 2nd Nationals J4 category
2016 – Compete at NCA
2014 – 3rd at Nationals Y1 category
HOW HAS BEING AN AMBASSADOR HELPED YOU?
I’m a new ambassador, but being an ambassador I feel like I need to try harder to be my very best for the people who are looking up to me. I don’t want to let anyone down who supports me.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING A CHEERFIT AMBASSADOR?
I love being a CHEERFIT ambassador because I think my story is one that can inspire other people. Nobody has a perfect life where everything just works, and everyone can overcome the obstacles in their path by asking for help and by working their hardest.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BECOME A CHEERFIT AMBASSADOR?
If you want to be an ambassador – work hard and believe in yourself. Also, be kind! One thing I hate is when people take competition off the mat. Bring it to the floor and leave it there. . . we are all part of the same cheer family!
WHAT 3 THINGS ARE ALWAYS IN YOUR CHEER BAG?
Bows (I always have a cheer bow in for training), drink bottle – it is so important to keep your body hydrated and perfume/spray – so my bases love me ;-). Can I also say lip balm?? Because I LOVE lip balm and gloss!
FAVORITE SONG TO JAM OUT TO DURING A SWEAT SESH:
Fight Song always gets me pumped up!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EXERCISE?
Ab work!! Especially crunches
FUN FACTS ABOUT ME:
I am a Pescetarian, I love animals so I don’t eat meat. I do eat some seafood though.
I have a cat called Squidge @squidge_cat and he is the cutest little squishy face ever! We rescued him from a shelter, he makes our family laugh every day!
My Mumma is the best cheer Mumma there is, she supports everyone and couldn’t be more proud of me, I love her so much, she’s my best friend. My Dad is a cool cheer Dad, he even does flight school with me! Haha and my little brother Trent cheers at a different club to me, he’s in level 2 this year and also a flyer. Buuuut, he needs to work on his flexibility.
My favourite food is calamari, my favourite colour is PINK, my best friend is Zoe and my favourite school subject is sport!
<3
ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
Part of me being CHEERFIT is that I also do other sports that aren’t just cheer. It helps me to develop my reflexes, body awareness, and develop muscles that I might not use as regularly as I do in cheer! I love netball, I run a lot, and I play soccer and cricket with my family.
Thank you so much for sharing your story Naomie! We are so proud of you for having such a positive outlook, even when it didn’t seem possible. We also totally agree that a supportive team, friends and family make everything possible! We hope you continue to share your cheer and fitness journey with us and that you always go after everything you want in life, full force!
Stay FIT <3,
your CHEERFIT team
cheerFIT is so much more than just a workout brand – we are a lifestyle, a community and an inspiration. We are a community who is strengthened through fitness – both mentally and physically. It is our mission to spread the awareness that cheerleaders need fitness. We are dedicated to building a community of strong, powerful individuals who are a true inspiration to their team and leaders in their community. Together we are disrupting the traditional methods of fitness training and revolutionizing the way people think about cheerleading and their fitness needs! Are you the next cheerFIT Ambassador? Apply today.