No matter the sport, a team is only as good as the sum of its parts. If someone is struggling or in a slump, they need the other members of the team to be there and help them through it. Bailey Atencio is the head coach of the Lone Grove cheer team, a position she has had for three years. She says that her squad of cheerleaders does a great job of being there for each other.
“Our team’s biggest strength is their ability to lift one another up,” she said. “Whether it’s during a hard practice for competition or when they are just having a bad day.”
Ava Hale is a senior on this year’s squad and she says that she enjoys all the aspects of being a part of the team.
“The highlights of being on this team for me includes a strong sense of community, the rush of performing in front of a crowd, the excitement of competition, and learning new routines.”
“ ”Another senior member of the team, Raigan Ward, enjoys the impact that she and her teammates have on those that watch them.
“I would say what I enjoy most about cheering for my school is that we do it all for and through God,” she said. “And seeing the effect we have on younger girls as they follow us in the stands is heartwarming and encouraging.”
The team’s strong bond can be credited to the times that they spend together and grow their relationships as a team.
“We spend a lot of time together traveling for football and basketball games where the girls have so much fun bonding and learning new ideas from collaborating with other teams,” said coach Atencio. “We also attended NCA Cheer Camp at The University of Oklahoma this past summer. The team stayed in the dorms for two nights and were able to not only grow their cheerleading skills, but also grow as a team.”
Aubrielle Kretzchmar and Presley Newton are also seniors on the team and they both say that they are thankful for the teammates that they are surrounded by.
“I enjoy coming into practice every day knowing that I have a team that is willing to work hard and support one another through everything,” Kretzchmar said.
And Newton added, “I most enjoy the girls who make up our team. I could not be more proud to be surrounded by girls who make me feel confident, comfortable, and so loved. They have all grown to be some of my best friends and I love every single one of them.”
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