Running onto the field, the cheerleaders roll into a series of flips and tumbles. Pom-poms are thrown into the air and caught in confident hands. Part of the team flies, doing twists and flips, while other girls are performing cartwheels on the ground. The crowd roars and she knows that this is what she wants to do.

“The best part of cheering is feeling a connection with the crowd,” freshman McKenna Kemp said. “It’s like I feed off the energy from the crowd.”

Hearing feedback from the crowd is one of the most important aspects in cheer, according to Kemp. She feels accomplished when the people in the stands are cheering for her during her tumbles.

“I love tumbling,” Kemp said. “It’s really an individual skill and I don’t have to rely on anyone else.”

With all her hard work, Kemp earned the position of co-captain. This has allowed the team to become closer and trust Kemp as a leader.

“She’s a really apt leader,” cheerleading sponsor Christine Phillips said. “The girls really look up to her.”

Phillips is honored to lead the team. She loves seeing the girls grow and she hopes to see Kemp continue her career in cheer.

“McKenna has a lot of school spirit, you never have to amp her up,” Philips said. “She’s very self-motivated and she always works when no one is looking.”

The cheer team is a closely knit group of girls who hope to be there for each other, on and off the field.  Kemp loves feeling like she is a part of a family.

“The team is really supportive of each other,” Kemp said. “We give each other positive feedback and suggestions to help each other improve.”