May is usually just another month for spring, but for students around campus on May 5, there’s no fear in fierce. Cheer tryouts begin and so does a new family.

The 2016-2017 cheer tryouts will focus on work ethic, personality, technique and potential of acquiring higher and better skills with tumbling, stunting and jumping.

Taylor Hall is a newcomer for cheer leading this year and is trying out for the varsity cheer team.

“I’m extremely excited for this new season and to meet new people, I definitely cannot wait to see who will be on each team, the tryout process, is going to be nerve racking but that’s the fun part,” Hall said.

The coaches for the cheer teams want all candidates to know that the cheer team is a serious commitment, filled with energetic seasons and the cooperative nature of the team makes it imperative that candidates selected are not only skilled, but positive, respectful, kind and dependable.

Mackenzie Stole has been a cheerleader here for two years and is trying out for varsity.

“The main reason I enjoy cheer is because it’s a team sport, and you really develop a close bond with your teammates. I’ve met some of my best friends in cheer. The rumor is, if you can’t dance then you cannot be a cheerleader, and if your strong suit is not tumbling, then there’s no way you can be a cheerleader, [but] that’s just a myth. In cheer leading, girls and guys acquire new skills all the time while meeting their lifetime friends, which is the way it is supposed to be,” Stole said.

Michaela Pierce has been on varsity cheer for two years and is now trying out for her last season as a senior. Pierce is also aiming for her goal to become captain of varsity.

“I am so happy that we have tryouts coming up. I can’t wait to be apart of a new family as well as I can’t wait to get to know people that I didn’t know before,” Stole said.

Hall, Stole and Pierce all agree that it doesn’t matter which team a student is  trying out for this upcoming season, as long as each student is confident with technique and has an ambition to succeed. This could be their season to be included into a new family that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

Pierce said, “To all girls or boys who come to cheer just have fun with an open mind and be open to new things while giving 110 percent of your best effort because you will have the best time of your life on a cheer team like ours at WHS.” 

by CHRYSTEN BURLEIGH