West Of's Athlete of the Week

When asked what her hobbies were, junior Leah Ledford’s answer is simple. Cheerleading. “The girls are like family,” she says of her teammates. It’s hard to believe that there was a time when Ledford needed to be persuaded by her coach to join the cheer team at West Ashley High School. Now it seems all Ledford does is cheer.
“Leah has been on the squad since her Freshman year, but she has been a Wildcat for some time,” says head cheer coach Melissa Stewart. “She has attended our Wildcats Little Kids Cheer Camp every summer since she was in elementary school.”
Last year Ledford was a caller on the JV squad before moving to the Spirit Squad this year.  According to Stewart, Ledford broke her nose this year doing a stand when a flyer landed on her face. Even though she was in pain and was out of commission for a week, she never let that stop her from cheering for her squad and from getting back to what she loves to do as quickly as possible.  Assistant Coach Sandy O’Dell is often impressed by Leah’s commitment and dedication both in the classroom and on the squad. “She’s a sweet, hardworking cheerleader who is a positive representation of West Ashley High School,” says O’Dell.