I was recently given the chance to sit down with senior cheerleader Emma Bui to discuss her experiences as a Royal cheerleader over the past four years. Through basic Q&A, it was very enlightening to hear what she had to say about her biggest takeaways from cheering throughout high school.

Q: How would you describe your time as a cheerleader for the Royals? 

A: I had a fantastic time. Cheering provided me with some of my fondest memories of high school, and I think it is a big part of why I became the person I am today. From the first practices to now, the bonds I have made with my teammates are some that I will cherish forever, and I am so thankful for the experiences I have had as a Royal.

Q: Do you have any specific memories or experiences that you consider to be your favorite?

A: I just loved the time that we had with the team. From practices to games to competitions, it was always a good time. Of course, winning awards was always fun and those were probably the highlights of cheer, but some of the best times came from just going out to eat. I just loved every second spent with my teammates.

What did you learn about yourself from cheering?

 A: Cheering helped to build my character because it taught me a lot of valuable life skills. My mental toughness got a lot better because I had to focus on achieving goals and dealing with failure. I learned how to properly manage my time because being a student athlete takes a lot of time because you have to balance schoolwork and the time it takes to be good at your sport. Overall, I think cheer really helped me to mature to the person I am today.

Story by Noah Spirek.