Fans chanting, cheerleaders waving pom pons, the football team scoring touchdown after touchdown. It was a normal middle school football game. Sydney Daniel was high above the crowd in her stunt looking out at the faces below her. That was the moment that she realized that cheerleading was her passion. 

Daniel, who recently took cheerleading to the next level by joining Etowah’s freshman team, enjoys her sport’s excitement and team dynamic, with plans to continue throughout high school.  

“I like the bonds everybody makes. I’m naturally a cheerful person, and it lets me be that way,” Daniel said. 

Moving beyond football cheerleading, Daniel is now starting her basketball cheerleading career. At freshman football games, there are only parents in the stands, so she is excited that other students will be there. 

“At basketball games, there is always a big crowd of students cheering on the players. It will be a lot different from my other games, and I think it will be a lot of fun,” Daniel said.  

When she is not cheering on the freshmen team, Daniel coaches fifth grade cheer. She wants to help bring up young cheerleaders the way her mentors helped her when she was in elementary school. Through teaching young athletes, Daniel learns about herself.  

“I enjoy it [coaching] because I have formed good relationships, and it has taught me leadership skills,” Daniel said.  

Outside of cheerleading, Daniel is a member of the newspaper club and the journalism class. She enjoys writing because it helps her be creative and express herself.  

“I just like writing. That’s why I took this class[journalism] because I think I’m a good writer, and I have been writing since I was really young,” Daniel said. 

Make sure to watch Daniel at the freshman basketball games, and read her articles on the Talon.