Katrina Kohel, a senior at Morrill High School in Morrill, Nebraska, is the embodiment of determination and perseverance. After her three freshman teammates quit the Morrill Lions Cheer squad just days before the Nebraska State High School Cheer and Dance Championships, Kohel refused to accept defeat. Instead, she taught herself a new routine and competed solo at the three-day competition, inspiring people everywhere with her bold and courageous spirit.
Two weeks before the competition, Kohel’s coach, April Ott, informed her that her three teammates had quit the squad for personal reasons. Although Ott had offered for Kohel to attend the competition and watch from the sidelines, she had other plans. With less than two weeks to prepare, Kohel learned a new routine to perform by herself at the Heartland Events Center in Grand Island, Nebraska.
When Kohel took the mat on 17 February, the crowd began to cheer for her. Even her competitors were heard cheering for Kohel from the sidelines. The high school senior admitted her mind “went blank” as soon as she started the routine, but it was the cheers from the crowd that helped her carry on. “They are going to support me and cheer me on,” she recalled thinking. “Even if I mess this whole thing up, I will be OK. I’m doing this by myself and no matter what, it’s going to be OK.”
Kohel placed in eighth out of the 12 squads in the Game Day Class D division, marking the highest her team has placed in the past three years. Her performance also marked the first time that a cheerleader had competed solo at the Nebraska State High School Cheer and Dance Championships.
After the show-stopping performance, the Morrill Lions Cheer team praised Kohel’s determination in a Facebook post, alongside images of her solo routine.
“She did it! What an amazing routine!” the post read. “Thank you to each one of our cheer friends, family and fans far and near who packed the stands and cheered with Katrina!”
Kohel’s story has been an inspiration to many, showing that despite obstacles, anything is possible with determination and hard work. Her courage and spirit have been commended throughout the cheerleading community and beyond, proving that one person can make a difference.
