They are seen at most sporting events, from youth sports to professional sports. Pumping up the crowd and their team, using chants with choreographed on, or off the ground movements.
Sometimes empty handed or often wielding a set of shiny pom poms. The cheerleader plays a key role for the team they are a part of, and the team and schools they represent.
More often than not, the cheerleader of today spends more time out of the public eye, and in the practice room. They spend hours working on routines, often incredibly complex, with a high level of danger involved. One thing is for sure, sometimes the best athletes aren’t always on the field, they are right there on the sidelines.
Battle Ground High School senior cheerleader, Miley Smith, will be awarded her fourth letter award this fall sports season. Smith is currently a leader and standout teammate as she navigates the sidelines for football games, but also prepares for the many cheerleading competitions that the team will compete in this school year.
“I’m excited for competition season to happen and just hang out and make that bond with all the new people who came in, and the people that I’ve known,” Smith said.
With the new cheerleaders, Smith takes the time and puts in the work to help them with the cheerleading program.
“Just make sure that they know they have the support, and just believe in them and make sure they know they can do anything they set their mind to,” Smith said.
Smith enjoys working with, and helping teach the many routines to her younger cheer members. As for comparing cheerleading for football, versus cheerleading in a competition, there is a difference.
“We just know we need to put in even more work than what we do for football season,” Smith said. “I think it’s really fun because I feel like a lot of the bonds are way closer because we rely on each other a lot more for the routine to happen, in competitions.”
Smith says her favorite academic class this year is student store class, where she sells food, beverages, and clothing. This helps students handle monetary transactions in preparation for real world situations.
After graduation with the class of 2027, Smith has her sights set on becoming an esthetician, first attending the necessary classes to become licensed.
Meghan Hill, after relocating to the area from Rhode Island, brings 19 years of cheer experience and is in her first year as the head cheerleading coach for Battle Ground High School. Hill is ecstatic to have Miley Smith on her squad.
“Miley is a ray of sunshine,” Hill said. “She just constantly brings a breath of fresh air into the team at practice, on and off the mat.” Hill knows what a leader she has in Smith and is somewhat sad it’s her senior year.
“All the girls feel comfortable going to her,” Hill said. “She’s such a positive energy that is going to be very much missed next year.”
“We’re soaking up every last second of it,” Hill added, regarding Smith.
Once Friday Night Lights concludes, the Tigers’ cheer squad will be competing in numerous competitions en route to hopefully qualifying for the WIAA State Cheer Finals in early 2027.
Hill says there is so much more to the sport, that cheer is getting bigger every day. Her squad will be competing in back to back events pretty much every weekend until February.
“There’s a lot of hard work, there’s double practices, there’s a lot of choreography sessions between the two routines, game day and traditional,” Hill said. “You have to have a lot of dedication, a lot of commitment, and a lot of heart for the sport.”
