Top Five in the Nation: Baylee DiCioccio and Addie Sharrow
Hello Kent State! Our names are Baylee DiCioccio and Addison Sharrow, and we are the Captains of the KSU cheerleading team. We are also both Health and Physical Education majors here at Kent.
Recently, we participated at NCA college nationals where teams from all across the nation competed in Daytona, Florida. Our competition looks different in comparison to other sports. We go up against teams in any conference. For example, a team in our division this year was Texas A&M. In addition, we face all of our competitors at one time, not individually. In order to even be able to compete at nationals all teams have to earn a bid, or invitation. This year, our trip went even better than we could have expected.
Out of 28 teams, we placed in the top 5!
Throughout the season when we aren’t cheering at games, we are creating our nationals routine for this competition. People often ask us how we are able to manage the workload and being an athlete. It can be challenging to navigate at times but because we are so passionate about school and cheer, we make it work! We practice at 5 a.m. twice a week, do team lifts, work at Kent State events, and of course cheer for basketball and football games.
Although our schedule is jam packed, we wouldn't want it any other way!
Something that also adds to our success as student athletes is the support we receive from our professors. All of them in the physical education department have been mentors in guiding us through school work and being the best we can in our sport.
They have contributed to our motivation to be better.
If you are reading this and debating joining a sport or club, do it! The best decision we made was to join Kent Cheerleading. We have had so many fun opportunities like cheering at bowl games, march madness, and competing at nationals. We also get great volunteering opportunities like moving with the flashes, hosting stunt clinics, creating peace baskets, and Kent State events! At the end of the day, it was the people who we met that made it all worth it. The friendships and bonds you make through Kent Cheer are something special.
