The cheerleader did not refuse to perform at an important competition after the entire team left
Katrina Kohel was determined to represent her school, which was located in the small town of Morrill, Nebraska.
After her teammates quit less than two weeks prior, a high school cheerleader from Nebraska competed in the state championships by herself.
Katrina Kohel, a senior at Morrill High School in tiny Morrill, Neb., was determined to compete at the state competition, despite learning that three other cheerleaders quit the team for personal reasons a week and a half earlier, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
Her coach assured her that they would still attend the competition and watch over 2,700 girls and 225 teams compete, but Kohel had other plans.
«I want to go to state, and I’m going to cheer on my own,» she told her coach, according to the outlet.
The determined teen revamped her routine with the assistance of her coach and performed in the Game Day Class D division on Feb. 17.
Despite her mind «going blank» just before her routine, Kohel’s upbeat attitude got her through the experience of performing solo in front of a crowd.
«They’re going to support and cheer me on,» she said at the time. «Even if I screw up the whole thing, I’ll be fine. I’m doing this by myself, and everything will be fine.»
Her dedication soon paid off: the crowd enthusiastically supported her efforts, her team wrote on Facebook.
«She succeeded! What a fantastic routine! «The squad composed a letter.
«Thank you to all of our cheer friends, family, and fans from far and wide who packed the stands to support Katrina! The crowd erupted with callbacks to her chants and cheers! Her jumps were soaring through the air, and her enthusiasm for school was contagious.»
«I probably had the most raucous crowd participation there,» she told the World-Herald. «Everyone was cheering for me, and it was an incredible feeling.»
Despite not being able to be judged in the same way as other competitors, she finished eighth out of 12 squads, the highest finish for her team in three years. «I’m really proud of myself for believing in myself and not giving up,» she said after the meeting. «I’m just getting started.»
