Senior Elle Brumley is a FCA leader, PAL and varsity cheerleader. She has been cheering for seven years and was appointed spirit captain and head captain.

At a Glance

Favorite show: “New Girl”

Favorite hobby: Traveling

Pre-cheer song: “Hurricane” by Bridget Mendler

Looking Deeper

The Red Ledger: How is being captain different from just being on the cheer team?

Elle Brumley: It’s definitely a lot more responsibility. I work hand in hand with our coach to make sure our team is prepared each week for whatever is scheduled. As captain, I also get to work with the younger squads, as well as running varsity practices and leading cheers from the sidelines. It can be a lot of pressure having to make decisions for the team, but I am lucky to have amazing co-captains and teammates that are always super supportive and helpful. 

TRL: What has the position of  captain taught you?

EB: Being a captain has taught me more than I could have expected. I’ve learned a lot about the value of hard work and respect, and how important it is to earn the respect of the people you are working with before you can expect them to listen to you. You can’t expect people to work hard for the things you want them to if you haven’t proven that you are willing to put in the hard work yourself. 

TRL: What does each season look like for cheer? 

EB: We start preparing over the summer at cheer camp, where we start learning cheers and dances preparing for the upcoming football and volleyball seasons. During the fall season, we are always practicing and preparing for the next football game or pep rally, while also cheering on our volleyball team. During football/volleyball season, there are some weeks where we are cheering everyday of the week, which can be very hectic but also super fun. Once football is over, we go straight into cheering for girls and boys basketball. Throughout the whole year, we are also preparing for our own UIL competition, which takes place in January.

TRL: What is one of your favorite memories from cheer?

EB: It’s hard to pick a favorite memory since cheer has been such a huge part of my high school experience. However, I think one of my favorite memories from this year was the senior night football game. I don’t really know why, specifically. It was just a super fun night with good vibes. The whole community had a lot of spirit that night, which is always a lot of fun.

TRL: What are your expectations for UIL?

EB: Every year is different, so it’s hard to know what to expect. Our UIL team has worked super hard all year, and I’m so proud of the girls and product our team has been putting out on the mat during practices. I know our team can be the best. We’ve worked hard. All we can do now is execute our routines to the best of our abilities. 

TRL: Are you cheering in college?

EB: No. I’ve thought about it, but I think I’m ready to retire. 

TRL: What is one thing you would say to someone wanting to start cheering?

EB: Joining cheer is definitely a commitment, and we work a lot harder than a lot people think we do. However, being a part of the cheer team has been my favorite part of high school, and I’ve met my best friends through this team and wouldn’t trade it for the world. Being a part of this team is such an amazing opportunity to reach people in the community and make an impact. Anyone interested in cheer should definitely try it out.