Welcome to my amazing article! Sit back, relax and enjoy reading my article while I tell you how I went from sidelines to finish line!
Introduction
In 6th grade, I walked into cheer tryouts not knowing exactly what to expect. I was nervous, excited, and wondering if I was really ready for it. At the time, I didn’t know that trying out for cheer would become the beginning of a much bigger part of my middle school experience. Two years later, in 8th grade, I decided to challenge myself in a completely different way by joining cross country. I went from learning cheers and performing on the sidelines to running miles and pushing myself toward the finish line.
My journey at West really began in 6th grade when I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and tryout for cheer. Before tryouts , I remember feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness because I didn’t know what to expect. Cheer was my first real step into trying something new, and it taught me how much I love being part of a team. Trying out in 6th grade was scary, but it pushed me to be louder, braver, and more confident than I’d ever been before. Now, in 8th grade, cross country gives me a totally different kind of challenge. Instead of stunts and cheers, it’s early mornings, long runs, and learning how to keep going even when my legs feel like stopping. Both sports have helped me grow in their own ways, and I’m proud of how far I’ve come.
Balancing the roles of a middle school cheerleader and cross country runner has shaped me in ways I never expected. Cheerleading taught me the importance of energy, teamwork, and lifting others up—both on and off the sidelines. Cross country, on the other hand, challenged me to push through mental and physical limits, relying on my own endurance and determination. While one sport thrives on synchronized movement and group spirit, the other demands solitary grit and focus. Together, they’ve helped me develop discipline, time management, and a deep appreciation for both individual effort and collective success.
Let me tell you a little about myself! My name is Kennedi Smothers and I am a 13 year old athlete here at Desoto West. I do both Cheer and I also run cross country. A couple things I love about doing cheer is that I get to do what I’ve been wanting to do since 3rd grade and encourage others while doing what I love. I also love that people get inspired by us and can outcome their stage fright fear while trying something new at the same time.
In cross country, every ache is just proof you’re running toward something great—with a smile. And somehow the harder it gets , the more motivated you get. I love cross country as well because it helps me learn discipline and how to push myself when things get hard. It helps me with stress , it gives me something to do after school other than being bored and encourages me to stay fit.
I started actually cheering in September of my 7th grade year. I just started running cross country this September of my 8th grade year. I love doing both sports and I believe this year has more fun things and adventures for me to explore. I feel like this year will be more tiring because I have to manage my time and have a healthy sleep schedule. It will also be harder because i have to cheer at football games on Tuesdays and run cross country Wednesdays.
Thank you for reading this far of my amazing article and I hope you enjoyed!
