EMERY HUNT

10-YEAR-OLD JUNIOR LEVEL 5 ATHLETE DOCUMENTING HER EXPERIENCES AT THE SUMMIT CHAMPIONSHIP

For those unfamiliar, The Summit Championship is the largest, most prestigious cheerleading event in the world for those aged junior and below and in levels 5 and below. This competition is held in Orlando, Florida every year and is a goal for many young athletes as it is often seen as a stepping stone to the World Cheerleading competition.

My name is Emery Hunt and I cheer for University Cheer Force and we are from Elk Grove, California. Competing on a Junior Level 5 cheerleading team at Summit as a 10-year-old was an experience like no other. The adrenaline, the excitement, and the pressure all came together in an unforgettable journey. From day one, I knew this team was something special, and the bond we shared made every moment worthwhile.

On the first day of The Summit competition, we were on fire. Everything felt perfect the energy was high, our timing was on point, and all of our stunts hit flawlessly I could feel the crowd’s excitement as we executed difficult skills, flipping and flying through the air with precision. I was in my zone, especially when it came to my role as a flyer. There’s something magical about being in the air, trusting your bases completely, and knowing that when you hit a difficult skill like a double down or a stretch, it electrifies the whole team.

But as we all know, things don’t always go perfectly in cheerleading, and that’s part of the challenge. Day two didn’t go as smoothly as we had hoped We started strong, but when it came time for the pyramid, something went wrong We couldn’t get it all the way up To make matters worse, my center needle, which is one of my favorite skills, didn’t go all the way up either. In that moment, I felt crushed. All the work we had put in, all the hours of practice it felt like it had slipped away because of those mistakes I tried to hold back the tears, but after the routine ended, I couldn’t help it I cried I was sad and disappointed in myself.

Thankfully, cheerleading is about so much more than just hitting skills. It’s about the people around you your teammates and your coaches who support you no matter what. As soon as they saw me upset, my teammates surrounded me with encouragement. They reminded me that we are a team, and that every one of us is important whether things go perfectly or not. My coaches were just as supportive. They told me that mistakes happen and that what mattered most was how I bounced back. Their words lifted me up, and soon I was feeling a lot better.

By the end of the day, I realized that while cheer is about performance, it’s also about learning resilience. You don’t give up just because things go wrong you pick yourself up and keep going. I may have been sad in that moment, but looking back, I’m grateful for the support of my teammates and coaches. It reminded me why I love this sport so much. Cheering with my team has been a wild ride, full of highs and lows, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything It’s made me stronger, not just as a cheerleader but as a person too.