LAND O' LAKES, Fla. — The South Pasco Predators Pop Warner football season is right around the corner. That means the Shining Stars cheer squad is perfecting their routine to lift spirits on the sidelines.
This all-inclusive team is made up of ten cheerleaders with special needs.
“We have girls with special needs; some are intellectual, some are physical,” head coach Kaila Walker said. “They range in age from five to 16 years old.”
These cheerleaders are lifting spirits as they are lifted high by a dozen cheerleaders on other South Pasco squads volunteering their time and effort.
“Anyone is capable, it’s what they put their mind to,” South Pasco cheerleader Kyleigh Faraca said. “They come in with no skills, and they leave with a lot.”
“Most of the time, most of them want to do cartwheels or stunts,” South Pasco cheerleader DeVonne Smith added. “We help them do that. At first, we learn two to three cheers.”
The team will increase its practice schedule to twice a week at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex. They will jump, tumble, stunt, and cheer, preparing for football season and national competitions.
“I have kids come that don’t even know how to do a forward roll and they learn to do cartwheels at the end,” Walker said. “Sometimes we adjust them differently for different disabilities. It’s fun to make it work for them and the growth of the cheerleaders.”
“These kids really inspire me to be a better person, and don’t judge a book by its cover,” assistant coach Ainsley Reed added. “Anybody can do anything as long as they put their mind to it.”
For more information, visit www.southpascopredators.com.
