Lilyana Werkeiser is a junior at MacArthur High School. She is involved in cheer and the MacArthur Athletics Advisory Council. She has been participating in cheer for 11 years. Her love of tumbling and her grandparents is where she got her start. Lilyana’s favorite part about cheer is getting to spend time with her team and the special time going out to eat as a team before getting to cheer under the big stadium lights. Her favorite cheer moment so far, was the last day of cheer camp this year. Getting to run through all of their routines and playing their cheer games was a lot of fun for her. This year at cheer camp, she was selected as most inspiring and most encouraging.
Lilyana’s biggest role model has been her grandfather. He’s always told her stories about when he was her age, of being in the army, and given her great advice. She knows that she can always go to him for help when she needs it. Lilyana’s biggest positive impacts have been her friends and family because they have always been there for her through her toughest moments. When things get tough, her younger teammates and her coach, Coach Sauders, keep her motivated because she knows that they depend on her.
Lilyana’s favorite subject in school is math because of her favorite teacher, Mr. Middleton. She says that he’s always willing to help, makes class fun, and makes sure that all of the students understand the work. After high school, Lilyana plans to study psychology with an end goal of being a child psychologist.
Sports have taught Lilyana responsibility, teamwork, and that your teammates can become more like family. To her, being a great athlete means being supportive and encouraging, always being there for your team, and learning from constructive criticism to help your team rise to the top. Lilyana’s advice to her fellow athletes is not to give up even if things seem uncertain and to set attainable goals for yourself.
By Ariel Casida
