By Chris Cox
Madill senior Shayla Pruitt has been around cheerleading the majority of her life and she says she remembers what first drew her to the sport.
“I’ve been cheering since I was four years old,” she says. “I used to go to football games to watch my brother play. At the games the cheerleaders used to invite me onto the track so I’d always cheer with them on Friday nights.”
Pruitt obviously loves cheer. She says it’s the time when she can block everything else out and focus on what she loves.
“Cheer has helped me through a lot,” she admits. “It’s a place where I’m happy and with my friends. I can get in a zone and just block everything else out. It’s my place where I can go to relax.”
Being a senior, Shayla is looked at as one of the leaders on this Madill squad. Her coach, Shanda Burnett, says it didn’t come naturally but Pruitt has really grown into that leadership role.
“She has grown so much as a person and leader,” Burnett says. “We didn’t have any seniors last year so my juniors had to be my leaders. She was a little timid and not as sure of herself but I have watched her blossom and grow and really take on that leadership role this year. She’s there for the underclassmen, which is one of the most important responsibilities for our seniors. I need them to help grow the future and she has taken on that role.”
While Pruitt wants to be the best cheerleader she can every time she steps on the field or the court, her main goal is to be a good role model for young girls like the previous generation of Madill cheerleaders were for her. Burnett says Pruitt has achieved that goal and is someone the young girls in Madill do look up to.
“It’s great to see those little girls light up when they see her,” Burnett says. “They remember her from year to year, which is super cool. She always hugs those girls and is always making sure those little girls get the full experience of being a Madill cheerleader.”
Outside of cheer, Shayla is also a part of the Madill archery team. Following graduation, she plans on attending cosmetology school with the hope of starting her own business.
