Cheerleading with a Purpose!!!
Meet Peyton, GR8-1 newest Brand Ambassador.
Peyton is a Senior at Annville-Cleona High School in Annville PA. She's part of the 2022 class and is captain of the Varsity High School Squad. Peyton is 2X UCA All-American Cheerleader, 2X GK Elite Ambassador and a Big 33 Cheerleader. Peyton will be attending U Pitt next fall to pursue a Poli-Sci major on a pre-Law track.
Q: Rumor has it that in addition to all your workload (schoolwork and cheerleading activities) you also coach a cheerleading team of children with disabilities. Can you share that experience in terms of how it impacts you?
A. Coaching a cheerleading team for athletes with disabilities has affected me because I feel as if I can teach my athletes personal empowerment. I love seeing how excited my athletes get when I teach them a new skill and them seeing that they are able to do things such as forward rolls by themselves gives them such a confidence boost, it makes my entire week seeing my athletes be proud of their accomplishments that they work hard for.
Q. Can you share with the GR8-1 community what goes into cheerleading? The mental approach, the physical demand, the discipline. Anything that can I inform the audience about the beyond the obviousness of the sport.
A. Cheerleading is probably one of the hardest sports. Mental toughness is a huge factor in whether or not you will succeed. The ability to be able to trust your body to do all sorts of flips is not an easy task. The athlete needs mental toughness to be able to tell themselves, “I can do this”. 2 minutes and 30 seconds of constant, intense cardio is not a simple task and on top of it all we still need to smile and perform no matter how tired we are. Practices are physically demanding, to be able to lift a girl up and do all sorts of flips you need to be in good physical health. Personally, I get personalized training three times a week, on top of my own at home workouts, and at practice we do 30 minutes of hard conditioning every practice and follow it up with 10 minutes of stretching to better our flexibility.
Q. How do you successfully manage all your activities and what advice do you have for all the young ones out there on multitasking and most importantly accomplishing everything you set your eyes on.
A. I am able to manage school and cheer by keeping a planner. I keep a planner that has everyday planned out by the hour. I schedule personal training on the days I do not have cheer practice and allow myself enough time everynight to complete any homework that may have carried over from my school day. I am lucky enough to have a 20 minute study hall after lunch where I am able to wrap up any homework if need be. My mom also plays a big role in helping me get done what I need to because she will help me find time throughout the week to get done what I need to get done.
Q. Can you tell us about where you are right now in your life? Hopes, dreams, plans?
A. Right now I am on two all star competitive all star cheerleading teams and am captain of my high school's varsity team. I hope to become a lawyer in the future and I am also planning on cheering in college.
Q. Do you have any advise on how to identify your calling and your talents early on in life?
A. Honestly, I’ve played just about every sport out there, but over time I relaized that I did not like those other sports the same way I like cheer. I love cheer, but I didn’t necessarily love those other sports. So as I got older and I got more involved in cheerleading I made the decision to only cheer as it was the sport I planned on doing the rest of my life and in college.
Q. What are your near future plans? College?
A. I am going to be attending the University of Pittsburgh for the fall 2022 term in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences where I will be majoring in political science with a minor in philosophy to get me on the pre-law track. Once I get my undergraduate degree in political science I plan on taking the LSAT and attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where I plan on becoming a lawyer.
Q. How about long term plans?
A. I plan on becoming a lawyer and possibly opening my own law firm, but a big dream of mine is to be a member of Congress someday.
Q. Apparently over-achievement runs deep in the family. Your younger brother Greyson is a pretty accomplished wrestler at his young age. Can you talk about the sibling dynamics? How you influence/inspire each other?
A. Me and Greyson are very competitive and that makes us both want to keep bettering ourselves.
Q. GR8ness is?
A. GR8NESS is being the best athlete I can possibly be. Pushing myself everyday, to get stronger and better.