Q/A with senior cheer captain Kimberly Marks

Ask any Rider cheerleader who they look up to when it’s time to enter the field, and they’ll give you the same name. 

Kimberly Marks has been on varsity all four years and is now the team’s captain. The Rider Chronicle recently talked to Marks about her time leading the program and her plans for the future, as senior night comes this Friday night.

Q: Have you cheered outside of school?

A: I cheered for the Fowler Mustangs for four years. And I cheered for the McNiel Mustangs for three years. 

Q: What is your favorite thing about being a cheerleader?

A: Encouraging everybody and being a person they can come to.

Q: What has being a captain meant to you?

A: Being a captain has meant a lot to me. I really do enjoy getting to guide my girls a lot. And making sure that they’re all OK and just checking on them.

Q: What memories do you have of cheer at Rider?

A: My freshman year, on our bus ride back from a game, we had bought a bottle of whipped cream. It ended up everywhere.

Q: What will you miss most when you graduate?

A: The family aspect of it. 

Q: What are your plans for after graduation?

A: There’s two schools that I’m looking at that has stunt teams. 

Q: What are you wanting to go to college for major-wise?

A: I want to major in nursing.

Q: How have captains in the past influenced you?

A: By showing me what to do. I saw things and I just added onto them.

Q: What impacts do you hope to have made on your teammates?

A: I want them to know that they’re always welcome here for who they are.

Q: What do you do to motivate and inspire your teammates?

A: To motivate them, I show them what the expectation is and tell them once we do it, and do it good, then we’re done.