MARCH 2020 Issue two page spread

Kaylen Ayres
sports editor
F
SPORTS
Meet your MATCH: Freshman girl competes on wrestling team
or most female athletes,
there are plenty of sports
available to try at school:
field hockey, volleyball, soccer,
basketball, lacrosse—you
name it. However, for one
girl, she’s taking a nontraditional
route.
Freshman Lexi
Garrett is a member
of the junior
varsity wrestling
team. She moved
here from Ohio
where she started
wrestling in enth grade.
Garrett picked up
wrestling after competing
in other sports
like track, cross country,
gymnastics and boxing.
Wrestling was something
new she wanted to try.
However, not everyone
was welcoming back in
Ohio when she began
sevtraining.
“When I first
started, it was really
different. Everyone thought that
I wouldn’t be able to do this,
but I can,” Garrett said. “They
First male cheerleader makes school history
Ava Rickelton
lines and is now doing it with us.
looks fun to him.
fectly with everyone. We all
staff writer
He adds so much character to the
“My favorite thing about
love him.”
N
team and is just like any regular
cheer is all the friends I’ve
Photo by Ava Rickelton
orthwest cheer is now cheerleader,” Payne said.
made and definitely stunting,”
Logan said.
Sophomore Dylan Logan
cheering with a new member who Logan’s interest in cheerlead-
strikes a pose. Logan is the
is going against the gender gradient
of the sport and the school’s Although he is Northwest’s first
Logan has been enjoying
west history.
ing came from watching videos.
As the season goes on,
fi rst male cheerleader in North-
cheer history.
male cheerleader, cheerleading in
this new experience with his
Photo on page 2 by Wayne Phillips
Sophomore Dylan Logan was general often features many males
friends and hopes to continue
the cheer manager for the football as a main base for stunts
this after high school.
season this year, then he tried
“I’ve always wanted to do it
“I would totally do this in
out to cheer for the basketball from seeing it online,” Logan said.
college,” Logan said. “It is very
season and made Varsity. Being a “(The team) has welcomed me,
fun and you make lots of
male cheerleader--who has never (and) I have become friends with a
friends.”
cheered before--has proven difficult.
Senior varsity captain Layton
cheerleader
lot of them.”
Junior school
“It was a little difficult to learn Howard has enjoyed having Logan
Elizabeth
the cheers, but after you do it three on the team as well, she agrees on
George
or four times, you have them down. his positive influence on the team. talks
I got most of them down after the “He has definitely impacted our
about
third practice,” Logan said. team in a positive way. He always how
Sophomore and Varsity cheerleader
Avery Payne h as enjoyed positive attitude,” Howard said. “We gan
has a smile on his face and has a Lo-
having Logan on the team. always call our team a family, and is
“He started out as a manager he is definitely the little brother I always
for football season and was such a never had.”
delight to everyone. He’s made everyone
feel comfortable and taken can be very stressful when trying
Having multiple games a week
helpteam
and
care of,” Payne said. “He joined us ing to balance cheer and school, the
for basketball, and it’s almost like but Logan has stayed on top of his
he’s known how to cheer his whole responsibilities.
adding
life.” “I balance cheer and school so
new things
Payne talks about how much easily, probably because I haven’t to it.
Logan has learned from watching had much homework at all this
“He is
practices and games and how much year,” Logan said.
always learning
character he adds.
Right now, Logan is a main
new things to help
“He knows all of us and has base, but he would like to try being
the team,” George
watched us cheer from the side-
a flyer at some point because it
said. “He fits in per
thought I was going
to quit, but I didn’t.”
After the initial
surprise from
some of the
guys, they quickly adapted to having
her on the team.
“(Cole Vermilyea) just came
up to me and picked me up and
slammed me on the ground,” Garrett
said. “It was so funny. They’re
all really sweet.”
Head Coach Ron Bare has
developed a culture of acceptance
throughout his years of coaching,
which has made it a welcoming
program for Garrett.
“We’re trying to treat everyone
the same,” Bare said. “Everybody
that comes in our room gets
treated equally.”
Girls’ wrestling in high school
has been growing throughout
the past several years. According
to wbur.org, the girls’ sport has
grown 30 percent from last year
alone.
“There are a lot more ladies
wrestling,” Bare said. “There’s a
lot of girls’ only tournaments, so
she has more opportunities.”
Even though the sport has
been on the rise, some of Garrett’s
opponents have been more opposed
to it than others.
“Some guy forfeited because
he didn’t want to wrestle a girl;
it was really annoying,” Garrett
said. “One time, I pinned a guy,
and he started laying on the mat
and crying because he lost to a
girl.”
Despite the adversity, Garrett
hopes to continue getting better
along with the support of her
teammates.
“I love them all,” Garrett said.
“They’re like a side family now.”
Photos contributed by John Edwards
Freshman Lexi Garrett (wearing black)
wrestles an opponent. Garrett is a member
of the junior varsity wrestling team.
March 2020 www.northwesthorizons.com 13