3 years after my 6-year national/world championship cheerleading career came to a close (2011-2017), I finally grew to be financially responsible enough to finish my ring collection.
I won my first ring as a college freshman at Hofstra and continued to compete for the United States National Team 2 years after I graduated (both programs 4 years in total). Since my cheer career lasted past getting my degree, I was still winning championships while accumulating student loan debt. I hadn’t made the commemorative objects a priority and I told myself I would buy my USA Worlds’ ring once I paid off my additional credit card debt. That finally happened in June of 2020, and purchasing this ring was the very first thing I did to celebrate.
Here, for the very first time, is a photo of ALL of my rings and a brief breakdown of each one. (K)8 cheerleading national/partner stunt/world championship rings, 1 engagement ring, and 1 future wedding band to make it a perfect 10.
THE RING BREAKDOWN + ROUTINE HIGHLIGHTS (AND SOME VIDEOS):
2012: UCA Sm Coed DI National Champions – Hofstra Cheer (4Peat)
Routine Highlight: 5 all girl true single base toss hands, press extension IN THE CHEER – WATCH VIDEO
*lol also don’t laugh at how beaten up this one is*
2013: UCA Sm Coed DI National Champions – Hofstra Cheer (5Peat)
Routine Highlight: Standing 2 to fulls before the ENDING pyramid – WATCH VIDEO
2013: UCA AG Partner Stunt National Champions – Hofstra Cheer
Routine Highlight: Incredible base technique, Hofstra’s first ever partner stunt championship – WATCH VIDEO
*another cracked/broken one but they take too long to send back and fix*
2015: UCA Sm Coed DI National Champions – Hofstra Cheer (Comeback)
Routine Highlight: Team Tucks, Pull Through Inversions, AND AG Pike Open Double all in the SECOND HALF
2015: UCA AG Partner Stunt National Champions – Hofstra Cheer
Routine Highlight: Making history by being the only All Girl Pike Open Double to ever be competed without a frontspot :,) – WATCH VIDEO
2015: ICU AG Premier World Champions – United States National Team
Routine Highlight: 4 Full Up 1-1-1 Full Around pyramids – WATCH VIDEO
2016: ICU AG Premier World Champions – United States National Team
Routine Highlight: First AG Extended Reverse Hand in Hands – WATCH VIDEO
*the ring I didn’t purchase until this year*
2017: ICU AG Premier World Champions – United States National Team
Routine Highlight: Hitting a routine in finals after being in second place after Day 1 – WATCH VIDEO
In the span of 7 years competing at the highest level in cheerleading, I won 3 rings in my first 2 years of college, felt the devastation of loss for an entire year as a junior, and then came back to win 5 more rings the following 3 years.
My journey was unforgettable and absolutely shaped me into the person I am today. My ninth ring, (my engagement ring) is of course, my favorite, and will make the collection complete with my wedding band one day. It’s only appropriate that the year I lost every time I competed (2014), I would meet my future husband!
I also got this little bonus ring from Herff Jones. *Story time* Instead of sending my 2016 ring to me when I ordered it, HJ made and sent me the wrong ring (a duplicate of a student’s class ring in Hawaii). Luckily, I had a friend working on the inside (very thankful for her), able to get this issue resolved for me when I couldn’t find a customer service number to seek help. They remade the ring and sent it to me (without any updates/communication) 2 months after that. Clearly HJ isn’t the most efficient, but this ~appropriately free~ ring now serves as an additional reminder for how far I’ve come financially over the years.
Anyway, for one single day… Today… I am celebrating. My accomplishments are so special to who I am as a person, and today is the first day I’ve gotten to see my cheerleading career represented completely.
To a wonderful cheerleading career and FINALLY getting to celebrate the achievements I had worked my entire life for. Not intending to take away from any current champions at this time.
-3x National Champion, 2x (undefeated) UCA AG Partner Stunt Champion, and 3x USA ICU AG World Champion kait
KSL 