Aubree Hays is The Ledger's 2023 Cheerleader of the Year
Aubree Hays has always been about the Bartow High School cheer team.
Every day the Bartow junior flyer tried to come in with a positive mindset and motivate her Bartow High School cheer team throughout the 2022-23 season. And this leadership led to winning the state and national championship.
She is a part of a Bartow program that has achieved its sixth national championship. The Yellow Jackets placed first in the large varsity coed category at the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship hosted at the Walt Disney Resort in February of 2023. And with another state championship accomplishment, Bartow now has 10 titles in 19 years.
This past year, the highflyer is a paramount reason why Bartow stood out among the pack, and she is The Ledger’s 2022-23 Cheerleader of the Year.
“It feels like such an honor to not only represent the sport I love with my whole heart, but to have Bartow across my chest knowing all the hard work I have put in over the years and all the incredible athletics I’ve been blessed to take the mat with over the past three years at Bartow High School (has been cool)." Hays said. "Coach (Lori) Jolliff is such a role model in my life, and she doesn’t just coach us on the mat, she teaches us life lessons mainly to have great character, but she constantly reminds us to have good attitudes and staying motivated to continue our dedication and commitment throughout the season.”
More:Lakeland, Bartow cheer teams win national championships; Auburndale places third in nationals
More:Lakeland, Bartow, Auburndale cheer squads win state titles
Hays started to competitively cheer at the age of 7. Through her years as a cheerleader, the number one habit Hays learned was persistence.
“(I learned) just to not give up because you had one bad day, week, or month. I’ve always told myself that the work will be worth it and the work you put in is the success you will get out of it,” Hays said. “It hasn’t ever just been easy, but I see a goal and I shoot for it. I love the struggle and pain because if it was easy all the time then you wouldn’t be growing and learning.”
Some of Hays top moments include making the varsity cheer team her freshman year which led to landing her first running full-on dead-mat and cheering on Bartow amid the Friday night football games. Other top moments for her are landing a two-to-full for the first time, as well as all the houses and hotels she stayed in with her team for competitive cheer events.
But there is one memory she cherishes the most.
“All the amazing athletes I’ve created friendships with who are now in college (are) still rooting for me,” Hays said.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Aubree Hays is The Ledger's 2023 Cheerleader of the Year
