Ryleigh Dupont has taken her passion for both dancing and gymnastics and launched herself into the world of cheer.
The Grade 9 student at George McDougall High School has been practicing cheerleading for just one year, but has already made an impact.
“I think people sometimes think of cheerleading as just a really easy sport, but it’s not. It’s a lot harder than it seems,” she says.
Nominator Liese Reichert is also Dupont’s cheer coach. She says Dupont is one of the most dedicated athletes she’s ever seen.
“In all my years coaching I have never seen someone who is so dedicated and works hard consistently,” Riechert says.
“She comes prepared to practice, works well with others, shows real promise in becoming an extremely talented cheerleader. She is quiet but she leads by example.”
Dupont practices up to three times a week. Focusing on tumbling and building complicated routines like forming the human pyramid.
“I have to do my job really well or else I could end up seriously hurting someone else. I just really, really have to focus on technique and doing my job the best that I can,” says Dupont.