Jillian Cooke '24 Recruiting Profile

Hello! My name is Jillian Cooke, and I am a Varsity Cheerleading Captain in 12th grade residing on Long Island, New York. Growing up, I always wanted to be in the spotlight and perform; because of this yearning, as well as the lessons it has taught me as a human, I instantly fell in love with cheer once I stepped on the mat. The coordination with which a stunt requires to test our camaraderie or the resilience needed to get back up after not perfecting a tumbling pass has propelled my outlook on life, throughout the hardship that affected my academic standing. I've always been a perfectionist that has never settled for anything less than being the best. However, throughout my high school career, I faced obstacles that affected all aspects of my life and those around me. I have been in and out of hospitals and health facilities, and as I had almost begun to lose hope in myself, the cognitive test I took for my academic accommodations placed me in the 98th percentile in the cognition of people my age. My plan of being in the top 10 at my school may have been knocked off of its course, but I believe my ability to bounce back and persevere speaks to my value on a collegiate level.