Squatting beneath the flyer she’s supporting, Kaylea Marionneaux (12) grits her teeth as she lifts her legs and throws her teammate into the air with all her might. As the girl flies back down, Marionneaux bends at her knees and gets ready to catch her. This spectacular show of events requires trust. The flyer in the air trusts Marionneaux and the other bases to catch her. Marionneaux trusts the flyer not to hit her in the face, and she trusts the other two bases standing next to her to do their parts and help her catch the flyer.
Photo provided by Hayden Chemin (12)
Cheerleading is built on trust between teammates – something that this year’s cheer team has no lack of. Captains Kaylea Marionneaux (12), Vianne Elkins (12), and Caroline Murphy (12) described the bonds and friendships that the team has formed over the past month and expressed their excitement about the upcoming season.
From the start of the season, Marionneaux could tell she was working with a talented group of cheerleaders. Their skill, as well as their overall teamwork and cooperation, has allowed them to excel in their stunts and routines.
“This cheer team has more talent than I’ve seen in a while. The way we just come together and use our heads to make up a cheer… they just exceed expectations,” Marionneaux said.
The team has been practicing tirelessly every day at school and even after school on Wednesdays. They repeat their routines until they’re perfect, which Marionneaux believes has helped build their endurance and improve their performance at games and events.
“Just repeating the same stunt over and over again, which, as you can imagine, [is difficult because you’re] holding a whole human up in the air… helps build our stamina,” Marionneaux said.
The constant practice has strengthened the bonds between the girls. The team uplifts and encourages each other during their stunts and tumbles. In fact, Murphy’s favorite part of practice is supporting her teammates.
“[My favorite thing about cheer is] mainly the friendships,” Murphy said, “It’s fun to stunt and tumble and just have fun in a routine with your friends.”
Photo provided by Hayden Chemin (12)
Echoing off of her, Elkins described the friendships and bonds she’s made through cheer. She’s met her best friends through cheer, and she loves that the sport can bring people together. Elkins also believes that the cheerleaders have a responsibility to represent ZHS. Every time they step onto the field for a game, they are wearing Zachary colors, and Elkins feels that the team needs to perform and behave in a way that portrays the school positively.
“[I love] the friendships and also being able to represent our school and all our sports teams. It’s very cool,” Elkins said.
The team has already shocked crowds at the football games and pep rallies, but we’re excited to see what else they’ll achieve this year. Their bonds will only strengthen as the year progresses, which will certainly be reflected in their routines.
