Iarani Castillo Ebanks '24 Recruiting Profile

Cheerleading has always been a passion of mine since I was first introduced to it as a little girl in elementary. 

The sport for me started off as something I wanted to do for fun. Something I thought was cute and exciting. However, the more I grew and the more advanced the sport got as I progressed, the more I found myself wanting to genuinely improve.

Going into middle school, I continued to pursue cheerleading. Even through the exhausting workouts and intense challenges, I continued to push through. 

Unfortunately, 2020 marked the beginning of the pandemic. I felt as if it had been the biggest set back in my life. As I stayed home for days, wondering when life would return to normal, I felt impacted physically as well. I could feel my hard earned muscles getting weaker, my flexibility disappearing slowly, and my boldness decreasing.

Being back in school in 2021, my sophomore year of highschool, I was hesitant to continue the sport. I hadn't continued until my junior year when I finally reminded myself why I began cheerleading and participated in the sport for all those years to begin with. My whole life I've been called "bold", someone who puts themselves out there, loud, endearing, everything a cheerleader should be. That's how I knew I couldn't let the pandemic get in the way of what I love.

Junior year, I joined my highschool's cheerteam and quickly became a team and crowd favorite. Every ability I thought had slipped away due to the pandemic quickly returned to me via muscle memory. I felt unstoppable performing front and center everytime. 

By senior year, currently, I became the captain of my highschool's cheerteam. I've created many dances and cheers for my team, helping them progress as much as I have alongside with me. I have always been a leader however, with the captain title, I feel more confident in my abilities as a leader and someone that my teammates look up to. 

Despite the ups and downs of cheerleading, the injuries, the frustration of not understanding a cheer or routine, the nerves, etc, I still stand on the team today. None of those negative experiences will ever deter me from my passion and continuing to progress in the sport. 

I am persistant. I love what I do. That is what sets me apart from other cheerleaders. I will always perform like a cheerleader should, with positive vibes and with a smile.