A school’s cheer team is vital to keeping school spirit alive and helping keep the fans rooting for the athletic teams. 

Alison Duhon has been in cheer for as far back as she can remember and though she loves to cheer, she says that there are other things she loves about the sport. 

“Cheer has always been a passion of mine because I grew up in the sport and have really come to love it,” she said. “Cheer has taught me a lot about teamwork. Everyone on the team has to work together so that things can hit. Teamwork has definitely been something that I have taken away from the sport and used in my daily life. I also like how you become a family to each other and form a bond with your teammates.” 

A sophomore at Stillwater High School, Duhon has put in a lot of hard work to become the cheerleader that she is today. She says that there are a few people that have been important to her development along the way. 

“My sister Lauren is a person I have always looked up to,” Duhon said. “She inspires me to always do my best and she pushes me to become better in cheer and in life. I am also thankful to my parents for always believing in me. They have pushed me to put my best foot forward and have always been the best support system. I want to thank my coaches for being amazing role models and making me a better cheerleader.” 

Words of encouragement and some advice have also helped her along the way, but Duhon says that two words from her coach have always stuck with her. 

“My coach always says, ‘decide now,’” she said. “Meaning that it’s your choice that decides how well you will perform. You have to make the decision for yourself so that you don’t let your team down. Even though it’s hard, you have to make that decision of putting all your effort into accomplishing your goals.”