With senior night coming up this Friday, the Rider Chronicle is interviewing senior leaders who will be honored on the field during our senior night tradition. Senior captain Shayla Stevenson opened up about her love of cheer and her future career plans. 

Q: How long have you been in cheer and why have you stayed this long?

I started cheering when I was three. I stayed in it because I feel like it gives me the confidence to be more outgoing and I like cheering other people on and stuff. It’s just really fun. 

Q: What makes cheer special for you? 

Seeing little girls look up to me and want to be like me.

Q: What do you want to accomplish your senior year, both personally and within cheer? 

I want to get into college. I really want to go to UNT. I want to cheer there, too, so hopefully, I can do that. In cheer, I guess just being a great captain. 

Q: What’s your favorite memory of cheer?

Rider/Old High week. We have so much fun decorating, and we have little traditions that we do and just hang out, and seeing our coaches get so involved and some of the weird things we do are really fun. It’s our time bonding.

Q: What will you miss once you leave?

My teachers, some of the teachers here, I love my teachers.

Q: What have you learned as a member of cheer? 

That everybody is watching you. The teachers watch you closely so you have to be good at all times so to just not be perfect but try to be, in a way. 

Q: How have you changed since your freshman year and why? 

I feel like I’m more talkative. I was really quiet my freshman year because I was the only freshman on varsity, but once I got closer with those girls, it kind of helped me with the rest of high school because I had people to come to high school with and they kind of showed me around and everything. I feel like I’m more outgoing and everything.

Q: What do you want to do after high school? Why? 

I have many options. I know for sure something in the medical field because my parents do medical, and I love seeing what they do.

Q: Last message to your team. What do you want them to know? 

Be confident. Don’t let anyone bring you down. Life is going to throw many obstacles at you, but if you stay positive, you can get through it and be fine.