As one of only two seniors on the competitive cheerleading team this past winter, Rochelle Township High School student-athlete Kylee Brown was asked to step into a leadership role. Not only did Brown successfully fill that role, but she also said her leadership skills improved the most throughout her final season with the RTHS cheerleading program.
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As one of only two seniors on the competitive cheerleading team this past winter, Rochelle Township High School student-athlete Kylee Brown was asked to step into a leadership role. Not only did Brown successfully fill that role, but she also said her leadership skills improved the most throughout her final season with the RTHS cheerleading program.
Brown spent all four years of high school with the cheerleading team, participating in both the fall and winter seasons. In addition to performing on the sidelines during Friday night football games, Brown said her favorite moments with the team were the competitions during the winter season and the long bus rides to and from games and events.
“One of my favorite memories would be the bus rides,” Brown said. “We would play music on the bus and sing along or have really fun conversations. Another memory would have to be our Senior Night ceremony during the basketball season. That’s when I realized that my whole high school cheerleading career was coming to an end, which was bittersweet.”
Brown’s senior season with the Lady Hubs capped off a seven-year cheerleading career that started in sixth grade, when Brown signed up for the Rochelle Junior Tackle cheer program. While Brown had been interesting in becoming a cheerleader, she said the tumbling aspect of the sport also intrigued her, and she said her tumbling skills improved greatly throughout her time with the RTHS cheerleading program.
“Being a cheerleader has taught me how to be a team member and a leader,” Brown said. “It’s taught me how to work hard, and if I work hard at what I do, I can achieve anything. Coach [Trish] Rodeghero was a big advocate of that. I think I improved my leadership skills, especially this season since I was one of only two seniors, but my tumbling skills improved a lot as well.”
Brown, who will be attending Bradley University and potentially continuing her cheerleading career there, was named the RTHS Cheerleader of the Year this season alongside fellow senior Morgan Schabacker. A two-time Academic All-Conference honoree in cheerleading, Brown plans to major in biochemical sciences with a pre-med concentration. She said she hopes to attend medical school to pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon.
