Imagine holding your pom poms in front of a cheering crowd as you and your cheermates pep up the team, or imagine what it’s like holding girls up high while they flip into your arms as the crowd goes wild. Well whether it’s a competition or a game, Taylor Adams (9) does this as a part of her high school life. 

“Me and my friend Katie really wanted to be a part of something and that’s when we saw a flyer for cheer…” Adams said.

Adams really wanted to join cheer, but she didn’t realize that high school cheer would be a lot different than what she was used to.

“It’s really different,” Adams said. “I’m used to being on a team with not a lot of rules and now in high school, there’s a lot more.”

One of Adams’ biggest supporters is her mom. She loves seeing her cheer and has helped Adams through her journey toward becoming a cheerleader.

“I love cheering for my mom so she can see me, but even more than that I do it for myself,” Adams said. “I enjoy setting goals for myself and working towards those goals so I can get better.”

She loves her coach and says that her team is very supportive. She also loves watching all her teammates grow in cheer. 

“We do evaluations every once in a while, and it’s really great to hear your team cheer for you as you do your jumps…” Adams said.

As a base, Adams loves lifting the girls high in the air. Stunts are one of her favorite parts of cheer, and of course the cheers are fun for her, too.

“The stunts are fun, but they can be hard for beginners, so cheers tend to be the easiest to learn for beginners,” Adams said.

For some students who are thinking about trying out for cheerleading, Adams has some advice.

“The advice I’d give to others coming into cheerleading is honestly just to practice,” Adams said. “It may be simple, but it’s the best thing you can do.”