Murray State cheerleading has undergone a complete revamp, welcomed a new coach and is ready to embark on a new journey.
Mallory Carnes, the new cheerleading coach, is a former Racer cheerleader and has returned to create a newfound light. Carnes said her cheerleading days were some of her best and she felt a strong desire to come back to the University.
“My main goal for them is to become a more positive light,” Carnes said. “Not that they necessarily did anything to deserve the negative light, but it is a lot easier to say, ‘Did you see her fall?’ or ‘Did you see that dance they were doing?’ I want people to see how much the cheerleaders can impact the game for the fans.”
If you have ever attended a Murray State sporting event, you will always notice the cheerleaders and the band performing with pride and genuine smiles. Four Murray State cheerleaders spoke with me, all of whom expressed their deep love for Murray State.
Camryn White, a freshman biology and pre-physician assistant major, said every team has its challenges but knows that the passion they share for cheer is what brings them all together.
“”We are all here cheering at Murray State because we all have such a strong love for our sport and a huge amount of school spirit,” White said.
During my conversation with these cheerleaders, they shared numerous positive aspects of being a Murray State cheerleader. However, they acknowledged every sport comes with its own set of challenges, one of which is burnout.
Whitney Haynes, a senior human services educational leadership and studies major, said it is important to take care of yourself.
Every cheerleader mentioned how important self-care is and how key it is for balance. I also had the opportunity to learn about some of the challenges they faced.
Lyda Osborne, a sophomore finance and business administration major, said meeting new people has been a challenge.
“Murray is a pretty small town, so I always cheered with the same people,” she said. “My roommate is my best friend from high school, and we are on the same team together. However, everyone else is pretty much new, so it’s been a challenge, but also a good thing to meet and learn how to interact with new people in a sport.”
The past year has been a challenge for Murray State cheerleading due to inconsistency with coaches, but with this newfound hope, the weight has been lifted off their shoulders, and they have lots to look forward to this season. Not only are they looking forward to what the season holds for the team but also for themselves, as this season will be a huge push.
Gannon Peevyhouse, a junior occupational health and safety major, spoke with me and he said, “I am looking forward to the rest of the football season as well as I am interested to see my own personal growth and how it stacks with my teammates.”
Every single cheerleader, including coach Carnes, expressed how much growth has already happened since they started in June. As the season progresses, not only will people continue to cheer on football, but they will also cheer on Murray State cheerleading and look forward to seeing the light they bring to the field every game.
