By: Emma Van Gelderen
Kaylee Vanderheide is a freshman who made it to the varsity competitive cheer team this year. Despite being new to cheerleading, she has already made significant progress in her skills, particularly in jumps and tumbling. Her coach Amanda Kapenga says, “As a first year cheerleader Kaylee has stepped up and proven to be an excellent addition. She is eager to learn and works hard to reach her goals!” Her facials are also excellent, making her an all-around asset to the team. Along with cheerleading, Kaylee also runs track for Hamilton.
When asked about her inspiration for joining the team, Kaylee credits her family and friends. She also praises her teammates, coaches, and family for being the people who help her the most. The team has become like a family to her, and she loves spending time with them both in and out of practice.
One of her teammates Ana Ruggles says this about Kaylee, “She’s a really nice person, and always knows how to lighten the mood even if she’s not in around, you can always see her goofing around trying to make people laugh and even if you’ve never talked to her before. She’s not afraid to go and start a conversation with you she’s super outgoing and so fun to be around and I’m really glad that she joined the team this year.”
As for Kaylee’s most memorable moment of the season so far, she recalls a time when her friend Alyssa attempted a back tuck with the help of a coach but fell on her head. Despite the initial shock, the incident ended up being quite funny and a moment they will all remember.
For Kaylee’s first year doing cheerleading, she has put in many hours and effort and has worked very hard to get things done. Jen Lambers says, “Although this is Kaylee’s first year, she has such a get-it-done attitude, she always pushes herself, and even when she’s not sure of something she will do her best to get it done. I’m very happy she joined our cheer team for the first time this year and I will miss her when I graduate.”
When asked about her favorite thing about being on the team, Kaylee emphasizes the fun and camaraderie that comes with being part of a team. She loves being able to have fun with her teammates both on and off the mat.
In her own words, “Our team is really close together, and most of us love our time spent with each other in and out of practice.” It’s clear that Kaylee has found a special place on the cheer team, and she’s excited to see where the rest of the season takes them.