While football takes center stage for the fall, cheerleaders across the state and the nation are diligently working, despite often being underappreciated and misrepresented. It isn’t all just striking smiles and peppy personality, but in fact, cheerleading is highly skilled, difficult, and yes, competitive.
Sideline cheerleading gives young women the ability to represent their school, support their football team and develop key attributes such as leadership, confidence and team dynamics. Competition cheerleading then introduces high-stakes endurance and skill, unleashing the competitor inside of them. These girls dedicate countless hours toward perfecting their craft, striving for the payoff of victory over opposing squads alongside the joy of participating in the sport.
At their core, cheerleaders are competitors. It is this internal drive to improve and excel, not only on the sideline or the mat, but in the classroom, at home, and in the community, that fuels their success.
For Adylein Hunt, Andria Rich, Lauren Barringer, Sara Beth Rountree, and many others, they split their time and energy between their passions, just like any multi-sport student-athlete: sideline cheerleading, competition cheerleading, academics, family, friends, church, clubs, organizations, and a few hours of sleep somewhere in the mix.
The motivation to persevere: a squad that becomes family and a gym that becomes home.
[/av_textblock] [av_one_half first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=” mobile_display=”] [av_image src=’https://itgnext.com/wp-content/uploads/SG-Preseason-Cheer094_Lowndes1-1030×687.jpg’ attachment=’11864′ attachment_size=’large’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=” font_size=” appearance=” overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’ admin_preview_bg=”][/av_image] [av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” admin_preview_bg=”] Lauren Barringer
Lowndes High School
Class of 2019
3.8 GPA
Through the sport of cheerleading, the gym became Lauren Barringer’s second home, and the girls inside became her second family.
“I love the bond we create as a team and getting to know people that’s become your family,” Barringer said.
Barringer cheers on the Varsity Sideline Squad for Jill Hatton at Lowndes High School and competitively for Ariel Harmon at South Georgia Allstars. She has encountered great success by winning several competitions and attending Summit on SGA’s opening year.
As with any high school student-athlete, Barringer is careful to foster growth in her academic, social, and athletic pursuits. In order to not let the stress overwhelm her, she said, “You just have to think about one thing at a time and don’t overthink it.”
Cheerleading has brought out the natural leader in Barringer.
“I always try to keep everybody positive and happy, no matter how hard it gets,” Barringer said.
She uses her leadership abilities in her various service organizations such as Anchor Club, Sigma, Science Club, Beta Club, Class Cabinet, as well as volunteering at Solomon’s Porch and First United Methodist Church. Positive leadership on and off the mat will serve her well in college at Georgia Southern or Valdosta State University.
Favorites:
Athlete: Tim Tebow
Movie: Safe Haven and Titanic
Song/Artist: Bruno Mars or Cherub
Food: Spaghetti
Drink: Water or Pink Lemonade
Vacation: Beach Trips
Shout Outs:
- Varsity Coach Jill Hatton
- JV Coach Arabi Hall
- My Parents: Dawn and David
- My teams over the years and my friends
- Sydni Walker #smileforsydni
Valdosta High School
Class of 2018
4.0 GPA
The lure of tradition attracted Sara Beth Rountree to cheer under the Friday Night Lights for the nation’s winningest high school football program.
“You feel like a celebrity and part of the team,” she said.
However, cheering for the state champion Wildcats is not Rountree’s only cheerleading experience. She also cheers for Ariel Harmon at South Georgia Allstars.
“She is the main reason I keep cheering [competitively] because she is such a great role model in my life,” Rountree said of the coach who taught her to love competitive cheerleading.
Rountree is an accomplished athlete as evidenced by winning regional and national competitions such as Cheersport, UCA, Battle Under the Big Top, and Encove, but she is also an accomplished scholar. She was awarded the titles of Scholar Athlete of the Year, Top History Student, and is in the top five percent of her graduating class, maintaining her pace to become Valedictorian. She effectively juggles the after school work of the IB program at VHS, maintains her social life, and keeps up with her intense competitive cheerleading training.
Although it is hard and she sometimes contemplates quitting, her resolve is firm.
“In the end, I realize that I could never live my life without cheering,” Rountree said.
She will continue to pursue cheerleading after high school at the University of Florida.
Favorites:
Athlete: Odell Beckham Jr.
Movie: Titanic
Song/Artist: “I Think of You” Jeremih
Food: Steak
Drink: Water
Vacation: Hawaii
Shout Outs:
Coach Rodemaker and the Valdosta High School football team for all of their hard work.
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Adylein Hunt
Tiftarea Academy
Class of 2020
3.9 GPA
Cheerleading takes the whole self: mind, body, and personality. Adylein Hunt discovered this in sixth grade while looking for a challenging team sport. She quickly recognized the challenge of cheerleading and fell in love with the sport through positive friendships and an encouraging coach.
“My coach pushes me to my limits and helps me get better in every way possible,” Hunt said.
Hunt cheers for Felice Harris at Tiftarea Academy and competitively for Ariel Harmon with the South Georgia Allstars (SGA.) She has earned great success in the competitive cheer world as her squad, SGA, placed in intense competitions such as UCA, Cheersport, Battle, NCA, and Summit.
“It’s crazy,” Hunt said. “All the other teams begin to know who you are and honestly get scared. The pressure is intense.”
Yet, she still puts school before cheer and evidence of her hard work shows through a 3.9 GPA. It is a stressful balance, but the joy for the sport and the positive camaraderie of cheerleading keeps Hunt going.
“It has taught me how to bond with new people I’ve never met before,” Hunt said.
This lesson will serve her well in life as she plans to attend the University of Georgia and major in forensics.
Favorites:
Athlete: Lebron James
Movie: Nerve
Song/Artist: Lil Wayne, Forever Young – Lil Yatchy
Food: Ice Cream
Drink: Milk
Vacation: Beach
Shout Outs:
Frances Raines – Best Friend
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In the Game Magazine / South Georgia / August – September 2017
McDonalds Academic-Athletes
Part Time Sideline, Full Time Competitors: Students, Athletes, Cheerleaders
Written by Gabi Parker
Photos by Malcome Meyers
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