Cheer Comes First

Senior Cheerleading captain Amanda Eubanks says she always tries to be a “respectable Wildcat leader” so when she found out she was the Athlete of the Week, it was an honor for her to be recognized for her efforts. Eubanks has been a Wildcat Cheerleader for three years now and really enjoys the sport. “I like that you can have fun, be yourself, and have your own style on things,” she says.
Initially, Eubanks says she was not interested in cheering. She changed her mind though when she found out her sister wanted to be a cheerleader. Eubanks’ sister wanted to tryout for the cheer team, but she didn’t want to do it alone, so she persuaded her to tryout with her. Both made the team and they both ended up loving it.“I love cheering! It’s my passion,” says Eubanks, who discovered that her personality fit well with the sport.
“You must have determination, work ethic, and teamwork in order to cheer,” says Eubanks. This makes her stand out as a leader and helped her earn the position of captain on the team. “She is an amazing asset to WAHS and the cheer squad,” says varsity cheer coach Melissa Stewart.
Once Eubanks joined the team, she realized that she had to put cheer first, no matter what, in order to be a successful. “She works hard to balance her cheer commitments with her academic commitments and still manages to come to practice with a smile on her face,” says Stewart. “Amanda has the heart of a true Wildcat and shares her spirit and pride with her teammates and school.”
Eubanks’ roles as captain are to run practices, keep the team in order, come up with new cheers, and call the cheers at games. Being captain has allowed her teammates to look to her for support as she works to help her teammates perform to the best of their ability. “Practice makes perfect. You need to have determination in order to be successful as a team,” she says. With this motivation, Eubanks’ ability to perform will never be hindered. “I’m passionate about cheerleading, and nothing gets in my way,” she says.
Eubanks has helped bind the team together, so they strive to perform without making any mistakes. Recently, at a school pep rally, a flyer made a mistake during a stunt, but the other cheerleaders caught her. Even when a mistake is made, the team comes together to fix the problem. “We will never let the team down,” says Eubanks.
Spare time is limited for Eubanks because cheer is her life. “All I do is cheer, work, sleep, and eat,” says Eubanks. But, she does make time to be a debutant. This is a prestigious organization that prepares adolescents for adulthood and is considered the point when a person makes their entrance into society. “It’s an honor to be in,” says Eubanks.
Since cheerleading is Eubanks’ passion, she plans to cheer at Coastal Carolina or North Carolina ANT. “Dream big and don’t let anyone get in the way of your success,” says Eubanks. She also wants to pursue a career in speech pathology and sign language. “I want to uplift others who don’t have the ability to speak properly,” she says.