Brighten Your Day

Cheerleader Competes By Herself At State Competition, But Crowd Doesn't Let Her Feel Alone

February 24, 2023

A cheerleader competed alone at the Nebraska State High School Cheer & Dance Championship in Grand Island.

That's when something remarkable happened.

Katrina Kohel / Omaha World-Herald

Two weeks before the competition, Morrill High School cheerleader coach April Ott broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad after three girls quit for personal reasons.

Ott told Katrina they could still go and enjoy the experience even though they would not compete.

But Katrina decided she had nothing to lose. She told Ott she was going -- and she was competing by herself.

And that's exactly what she did.

It was the first time that a cheerleader had ever competed by herself at state.

"I probably had the loudest crowd involvement there," Katrina told Omaha World-Herald. “Everybody was cheering with me, and it was an amazing feeling."

Her section was full of competitors from other teams. In fact, the whole arena became part of Team Katrina.

Her solo performance finished eighth out of the 12 squads in her division.

Watch the performance below.