t’s easy to root for a successful team, but Nicole Hall and 11 peers on the Edmonds-Woodway cheer squad strive to stay upbeat even in the direst situations. Hall, who performed on the Warriors drill team before she became a cheerleader as a junior, said a dedicated cheer squad lifts athletes during tense moments: “It definitely helps the team if the crowd is pumped up.”
Michael O’Leary / The Herald
Coach’s corner: Hall quickly made a positive impression on first-year E-W cheer coach Libby LeCompte, who said of Hall, “She’s just willing to do whatever needs to be done to get the job done … and she always does it well.”
From dawn ‘til dusk: One of the most challenging aspects of cheerleading, Hall said, is staying energized throughout long days that start when she wakes up at 6 a.m. and end when she finishes cheering (about 9 p.m. for sports like basketball and football). “You have to keep your energy up for the team to be spirited and for the fans to be spirited. It’s a lot of work on our shoulders to (stay) enthusiastic.”
High fliers: The E-W cheer team performs a variety of stunts (with names like libs, halfs and fulls), but with no boys and several new members this year it has had to adjust its performances. “Our squad has come a long way this year,” Hall said. “We mix it up and make it a crowd-pleasing thing.”
Bring it on: Don’t buy into lame cheerleader stereotypes, Hall said, that label energetic rooters as airheads. “We all do our best to keep our grades up. We’re definitely not stupid,” said Hall, who has a 3.6 cumulative grade-point average and was admitted to the University of Washington, her No. 1 college choice. Cheerleaders must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA to stay on the squad, and some of Hall’s teammates are headed to Ivy League schools.
I (finally) believe I can fly: Hall has never traveled outside the state of Washington or flown on an airplane, but for spring break she planned to fly to Boston with her best friend. “I’m pretty sheltered,” said Hall, who counts trips to Yakima and Spokane as her most exotic adventures. “I’m so scared of the plane … but I’m really excited,” she said of her upcoming voyage. “I’m just gonna do it because I need to get out there and see what else the world has to offer.”
I wish I knew how to: Speak a different language. Hall said she struggled mightily in three high school Spanish classes but improving her Spanish skills would help her communicate better with many customers at work. (Hall works 25-30 hours a week at Macaroni Grill at Alderwood Mall.)
I admire people who: Are always willing to help others. “Everyone knows what it’s like to be in a pit,” said Hall. And everyone needs supportive friends to pick you up when you’re down.
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
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