For Njeri DeLeon, a junior at West High, the start of her cheerleading career began far from where she expected. On Aug. 29, 2025, she stepped onto the sidelines for her very first game as a member of the Wahawk Cheer Team, not at Central Stadium, but inside the UNI-Dome due to ongoing construction. The unfamiliar setting only added to the nerves that came with her first performance.
“This being her first game was already full of nerves and pre-game stress,” but cheering indoors brought one unexpected relief. “I’m excited that we won’t have to yell loud,” DeLeon said in anticipation of returning to Central. “Last game, my voice was like gone, and my voice cracked towards the end like it kept cracking.”
DeLeon hadn’t originally planned on joining the cheer team. In fact, she decided to try out only after encouragement from her friend, Sapphyre Taylor. Taylor initially planned to cheer alongside DeLeon, but later switched from football cheer to wrestling cheer, leaving DeLeon to navigate the season on her own. While the change brought initial disappointment, it didn’t last long. After a few practices and learning the routines, DeLeon found herself enjoying cheer more than she expected, and Taylor’s decision no longer influenced her motivation.
The emotions of that first game were overwhelming. With no real idea of what to expect, DeLeon worried about performing in front of a crowd and getting the cheers right. However, once the game began, her nerves quickly faded. “It’s not as nerve-racking as I thought it would be, because, especially because there aren’t as many people watching you, it’s just family and part of the team,” she said.
As the night went on and as more fans filled the stands, her confidence continued to grow. “I actually didn’t feel nervous at all towards the end, I thought I would, because it was a big crowd, but we did a few cheers that were like a team favorite, and everybody liked it, like they were cheering along with us,” DeLeon said. By the end of the game, DeLeon found herself fully immersed in the experience, cheering louder, sharper, and with far more confidence than when she started.
With her first game behind her, DeLeon has already set high expectations for herself moving forward. When asked what she is most excited about for the next game, she said, “I’m most excited to actually get it right and, like, have all the cheers, like, down and not mess up at all. If the other girls mess up, it’s like, okay, but I don’t want to mess up. I want to make sure I get everything down,” she said. Her determination to improve and her desire to be fully prepared drive her approach to the season, pushing her to stay ahead and continue growing.
That drive doesn’t go unnoticed by her teammates. Fellow cheerleader and close friend Sara Pajazetovic described DeLeon as “very helpful and full of energy, she is always supportive and patient if I’m stuck on one part of the cheer. She always helps with the cheer, step-by-step.” While the two have been friends for years, cheering together has strengthened their bond, allowing them to support each other through new challenges and shared experiences.
Now, DeLeon continues cheering for reasons far beyond why she joined. She brings positivity and encouragement to the team, making those around her feel supported and comfortable. Still, she can’t help but reflect on what she missed by joining later in her high school career. “I wish I joined as a freshman, because I’d have a better understanding here by this age, and I would already have two years of experience, and seeing a lot of other girls joined earlier, makes me feel like I could have had so much fun,” she said.
Despite that regret, DeLeon feels she has found something that truly fits her. Cheer is no longer something she tried because a friend asked, it has become something she loves and commits to fully. What began as a nervous first game in an unfamiliar setting has grown into one of the most exciting and meaningful parts of her high school experience.
Ken Ngugi • Jan 22, 2026 at 4:49 am
So sad she is gone