Students file into the arena as the Walnut Grove cheerleaders warm up their skills. Destine’ Grobe, Walnut Grove’s head cheer coach, watches before the black out pep rally begins.
Coach Grobe, formerly at Rogers Middle school, builds the Walnut Grove High School cheer program from the bottom up. As a first year school, there are many things that need to be set in place. The inaugural season started back in March of 2023 with tryouts, and went from there.
“I had the privilege of being the Rogers Middle School coach,” Coach Grobe said. “Having had that previous experience and also knowing I would get to be back with so many of my former cheerleaders, I immediately jumped at the opportunity when it was given to me!”
Building a program takes a lot of work, and Grobe couldn’t have done it alone. Coach Ryan Long and Coach Emily Allen help with this process.
“She’s had a huge impact on the cheer program,” said principal Dustin Toth.. “It’s been her, Coach Allen and Coach Ryan who have led the way in building the program from the ground up.
The season begins with many performances lined up for the Grove cheerleaders. Each performance takes time and dedication as the expectations run high around the Grove.
“My favorite was seeing all 57 girls at our first pep rally! Watching “Welcome to the Jungle” under the lights and then our first pep rally routine was AH-mazing,” said Grobe. “It is so rewarding to see my pep rally routines come to life through my girls’ hard work and dedication!”
Pep Rallies and performances aren’t the only things the cheerleaders participate in. As the name calls for, they are seen on the sidelines at freshman, jv, and varsity football games.
“Games days are so fun for multiple reasons,” said sophomore Myla Ray.”We always have fun and be ourselves while still doing our job as a cheerleader.”
Although from the outside it may seem perfect, that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges to overcome.
“The biggest challenge was taking girls from the other Prosper high schools, and creating a program that is unique from the others,” said Grobe. “Everyone came in with their own idea of how our program should work.”
Despite difficulties establishing the program, the cheerleaders adore the coaches of WGHS.
“Having Coach Grobe as my coach is sometimes hectic,” Rhian Price said. “But you always know she means everything she says with love and all she wants is for the cheer team the best.”
Not only are the cheerleaders affected but so is Coach Grobe herself. The impact goes both ways.
“Because of my girls’ talent level, it has challenged me to stretch my choreography and ideas in ways I have never done before,” Grobe said. “They have taught me I still have growth within myself that I need to tap into.”
Many memories have come from this football season. Walnut Grove has traveled all over the state and even to Arkansas for their football games. From all different types of weather conditions, the Grove cheerleaders traveled to all of the away games with the team.
“The fact that they traveled to every single away game with the football team is huge,” saidToth. “They were the only group to go with them each time, that says alot about the level of support and connection our cheer program has with supporting our teams.”
As football season comes to end, this does not affect the cheerleaders. The Walnut Grove cheerleaders not only support on the sidelines but will compete at two different competitions this year.
“We have two different and amazing competition squads that are set to compete at the UIL State Competition and at the NCA National Competition,” said Grobe. We have a lot of work to put in now that pep rallies are completed for the fall semester, but I know they rise to the challenge.”
The Walnut Grove cheerleaders will continue to make their appearances throughout the year. This may be at other sporting events, competitions of their own, or out in the community.
“I want us to be more than just cheerleaders, I want us to be ambassadors for our school and community,” said Grobe. “This year one of my focuses is public service and volunteer work! Yes, we are talented, but I want us to be seen as more than girls in cheer uniforms.”
