By Hayden Swope
Haven’s Kyla Duckett has been an NCA and UCA All-American since 2022, and her heart and dedication for the sport hasn’t slowed down since.
“Cheer is still not recognized as a sport by many, so this season our team made a commitment to show our community why we deserve the title of athletes just as much as anyone else,” Duckett said. “Many people said because we are not competitive, we are not a sport. So to prove our point, the Haven High School Cheerleading Team attended state for the first time in our school’s history. Our next step this season is to become more committed to our sport by improving practice and game attendance; as well as putting in time outside of scheduled practices.”
The team’s preparation and perfecting started early, and Duckett has been putting in extra time on the mat.
“During the offseason our team had a private camp with Jeremy Gregory, where we received unique choreography that we took to state for the first time,” Duckett said. “Individually, I have been taking private as well group tumbling lessons to improve my skills. I have also attended many collegiate cheer clinics with small groups.”
Between taking the state floor for the first time, making a name for her and her team, and working overtime on her skills, Duckett’s drive has never lacked.
“Over the past four years in cheer my skillset has largely remained at the same level since I started,” Duckett said. “I come from a competitive gymnastics background so transitioning from spring floor to dead mat has halted my growth. I have been wanting to improve on my tumbling since freshman year but never made the commitment until now.”
