People who do the same sport tend to come closer together. For sophomore Valencia Flores, she already had a close friend with a passion for the same sport, her sister.

Flores has been cheering for four years but is now on the JV team.  She first got inspired from her older sister who also used to cheer in high school. “I joined cheer after seeing my sister do it for awhile.”

She tends to connect with her sister by sharing the bond of being a flyer. “My sister was a flyer when she cheered and it’s cool to relate to her in that way.”

Cheering has benefitted Flores by helping her become less shy and more confident. However, she still gets nervous when doing new stunts. “I get scared when we try new stuff or even during performances but my teammates always come through.”

After going up into multiple stunts the rush becomes addictive. “Once I’m in the air I can just feel the rush and it’s great.”

When practice is over or she comes home after a long game, she has to make sure to do her homework. Academically, Flores has flourished due to cheer. As her long days keep her on a tight schedule she says it helps her remain organized. “Staying up late doing homework can be stressful but I’m on a set schedule which makes it easier.”

Teamwork is always key for routines and stunting, which is good for Flores because she has met her closest friends from doing cheer. “I’ve developed so many long lasting friendships through cheer” Flores said. “I don’t know where I’d be without them.”

At the end of the day whenever Flores has had her doubts about cheer, whether she’s  afraid of not being good enough or not being the best, her teammates and older sister are always there to encourage her. “My passion for cheer will never go away. I love it!”