Tuesday was a landmark day for New Hope cheer.
For the first time in seven years, two Trojan cheerleaders signed offers from college programs. Seniors Brileigh Glidewell and Addison Vickers celebrated together in a signing event at New Hope High School.
Trojan cheer coach Rachel Robertson was there for the ceremony and expressed her pride in their respective achievements.
“They’ve worked so hard,” Robertson said of the two signees. “We’re incredibly proud of how they decided this was something they loved enough to pursue at the next level. It did take a lot of extra work, it was a big undertaking for them and we’re very proud of them here at New Hope.”
When the cheerleading season ended, neither athlete considered college cheerleading at first but eventually began to pursue scholarship opportunities. It took extra work, training for extra hours to stay in shape and travel for tryouts, but the hard work paid off for the pair, who were able to find schools that were both a team and academic fit for them.
Glidewell, who signed with Itawamba Community College, found an opportunity to help herself through college with the cheer program as she pursues a degree in the radiology program. Becoming a radiologist was her primary goal, and the scholarship offer helped make that pursuit a possibility.
“I’ve been cheering since I was little and knew I’d want to do it in college,” she said. “I just went for it and went to the clinic, and next thing I knew I had a scholarship.”
Vickers, who signed for Mississippi College, considered a few options before eventually settling on the Jackson-based school, where she will pursue a degree in marketing.
“I feel like that’s where God wanted me to go,” Vickers said of MC. “I felt like it was a good fit for me. I initially wasn’t planning on trying out for cheerleading, but I did after seeing the open atmosphere and everyone was so welcoming. It felt like home there.”
For both athletes the experience at New Hope was a positive one, but more importantly has helped them grow and prepare for their pursuits beyond high school.
“It’s meant a lot to me because of the connections and the coaching I’ve gotten,” Glidewell said. “It’s molded me into the person I am now.”
While it’s been some time since a Trojan picked up a cheerleading scholarship offer, the program has had no shortage of talented student athletes. Robertson was especially proud of the Glidewell and Vickers for their pursuit, and hopes that their success serves as an example to the rest of her young women that cheerleading can provide a pathway for athletics, scholarships, and personal development.
“Cheerleading sometimes has the connotation that it isn’t considered a sport,” Robertson said. “,so to have talented athletes who put in the time, who are going to the next level and are recognized, I think this helps our program.”
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