In a stunning display of courage and determination, Katrina Kohel, a cheerleader from Morrill High School, competed by herself at the state competition. Just two weeks before the big event, her coach April Ott broke the news to her that she was the only member left on the cheer squad after three girls had quit for personal reasons. Ott told Katrina that they could still go and enjoy the experience, even if they couldn’t compete. But Katrina had other plans.
Undeterred by the prospect of competing alone, Katrina decided to go for it. She informed her coach that not only was she going to the competition, but she was going to compete by herself. And that’s exactly what she did.
Katrina’s solo performance was a first for the state competition. She was the first cheerleader ever to compete alone. Despite the daunting prospect of performing on her own, Katrina gave it her all. Her hard work and determination paid off, as she wowed the crowd with her performance.
“I probably had the loudest crowd involvement there,” Katrina told the Omaha World-Herald. “Everybody was cheering with me, and it was an amazing feeling.”
Katrina’s section was full of competitors from other teams, but they put aside their rivalry to support her. In fact, the whole arena became part of Team Katrina. The crowd’s enthusiastic support lifted her spirits and gave her the boost she needed to give it her all.
In the end, Katrina’s solo performance finished eighth out of the 12 squads in her division. While she didn’t win, she emerged victorious in another sense. Her brave decision to compete alone and her impressive performance in the face of adversity inspired everyone who witnessed it. Katrina proved that with hard work, determination, and a little bit of courage, anything is possible
