Kaleen Kilduff '24 Recruiting Profile

Cheerleading has been a huge part of my life for the past 8 years. Through injuries and all, I have always found my way back to cheerleading. As a student athlete there have been times where it has been challenging to manage my time while having two hours of cheerleading almost every day, community service, clarinet lessons, and homework after school, there were even times where I though I might have to take a break from cheerleading to focus on my schoolwork, but i knew there had to be another way. Through trial and error I found better ways to manage my time in order to keep up with cheerleading and maintain high honor roll because cheerleading has always been such a big part of my life and I knew I had to do everything I could in order to stay in it. This journey has helped me grow as a young adult and it shows how dedicated I am to the sport. This process made me realize that cheerleading is something I want to do and can handle in college.

    Getting back into cheerleading after covid and 9 months off due to an ankle injury was one of the most challenging obstacles I have ever faced. I had to get most of my tumbling back, learn how to tumble in a way that did not bother my injuries, and figure out how to do all of this while not being too hard on myself mentally, which I was struggling with. In the beginning of this process I debated on quitting cheerleading forever because it was just too hard, but I worked myself harder and harder, relearning every skill and tumbling pass, and even getting new ones I didn't have before my time off. I also tried backspotting for the first time ever my first season back, not because I wanted to, but because it would really help out the team. I picked up this new position so quickly and am now the strongest backspot on my team. I am honestly thankful for this experience because I now know that I can do anything I put my mind to with some hard work. I am very proud of myself for the way I have persevered throughout my cheerleading career and I can't wait to see what the future holds for me as a cheerleader.