Courageous Cheerleader Competes By Herself In State Championship After Her Teammates Quit

Mar 02, 2023 by apost team

Have you ever worked hard to achieve something with a group of people like family or friends, but they suddenly left you in the middle of it? It can be painful and frustrating at the same time, especially if you were passionate about it from the very start. While some people would give up and just let things be after things didn’t work out for them, there are some people who would go on and fight for it until the end. Well, that’s exactly what a woman from Nebraska did. 

In February 2023, a high school student named Katrina Kohel caught the attention of many after her stint at a cheerleading competition.

The 17-year-old senior student from Morrill High School gained recognition for competing by herself at the Nebraska State cheerleading championship after her teammates quit days before the competition.

"The three freshmen quit for personal reasons," she told FOX10.

As cheerleading is one of the closest things to her heart, she knew she had to do something about it. Yes, the students who left didn’t stop her from representing her school and competing on her own because she wanted her senior year to be memorable.

"I decided I wanted to go and still compete because I wanted to end my senior year with a bang, and I didn’t want to give up on cheerleading because it has been such a huge part of my life," she remarked.

A video of her cheering solo on a mat at the event in Grand Island, Nebraska was captured.

In the video, she could be seen moving around the mat, picking up pom-poms, and doing different cheers and moves on her own.

While some people would feel nervous about doing something like that, it wasn’t the case for Kohel.

"I wasn’t (nervous) at first and then we got into the arena...and it all kind of started to hit me...and it felt like more real in the fact that I was there competing by myself," she said.

Her routine was well-received by those who were in attendance at the event, with people cheering for her all the way – yes, even her competitors.

“I probably had the loudest crowd involvement there,” Kohel told Omaha. “Everybody was cheering with me, and it was an amazing feeling.”

Among those who cheered her on were her grandparents, who made sure to capture the moment by recording it for the rest of her family members.

Sadly, she couldn’t perform all the stunts because she was only solo. While she only placed it 8th out of 12, her heart still felt full knowing people present at the event received positive reactions.

"It feels amazing to see how positive people are reacting to it and... how it’s showing them no matter what, as long as you put your mind to it, you can still do it," she said.

One of the proudest people during her performance was her coach, April Ott, who attested to her dedication.

“She’s in there 100 percent,” Ott said. “You never hear any complaints or excuses.”

Meanwhile, Kohel made it clear that she has no hard feelings toward her teammates.

"They made their choice, so there’s nothing I can do about it," she said.

Revealing that she will cherish the once-in-a-lifetime moment for the rest of her life, Kohel said she will always feel proud of that moment.

“I feel really proud of myself for knowing I can do it and not giving up,” she said. “Just getting it done.”

apost.com

What can you say about Katrina Kohel’s bravery to compete independently? Do you know someone who isn’t a quitter? Let us know what you think, and pass this on to your family and friends who might find this story interesting!