“I have been cheering since 7th grade for 3 years and I have done gymnastics for 12 years since I was 2. I actually don’t know how I started gymnastics. I think my mom signed me up for a class and I just fell in love with it. All I remember is my mom smiling and watching me while having classes. I started cheering because I wanted to see what it was like and now it is my most favorite thing. It can be really hard sometimes but I still love how I am able to still tumble. My favorite thing about gymnastics was the bars event because I always felt like I was flying. My favorite thing about cheerleading is tumbling and team bonding. I really look up to the seniors on the cheer team because ever since I met them they made me feel included and special, but also they are so kind. I look up to Simone Biles and Shawn Johnson because they are such incredible gymnasts and their skills are so amazing. I have a lot of the same struggles because I do tumbling in cheer and that can be really difficult and make me feel not good about myself. Gymnastics was the same way if I didn’t get a skill I would get really mad and have a terrible rest of practice. I’m most proud about how far I’ve gotten in tumbling and how much better I’ve become at cheer. It takes so much practice but it really is special and fun. I’m very excited about going and competing and I firmly believe that we will come home with the championship trophy. I think I might cheer in college, but I’m not too sure. I would love to get back to gymnastics in the future, maybe coaching.”