Rah rah ree! Goin' to Hawaii! Abilene cheerleader Lacey Fields in Pearl Harbor parade
It's hard to tell who is more excited about going to Hawaii - Lacey Fields or her mom.
Both will be joined by two Fields brothers, Brandon and Dylan, cousin Bradley and Grandpa John, an Air Force veteran, on a return trip to the Islands starting Friday. It's eight hours in the air, a long time for most but not for Lacey.
First, she enjoys looking at everything below, which on this trip, will be a lot of ocean.
Secondly, she's not in school. For a week.
"I know," she said, smiling, savoring that fact.
A close friend said it will be an impossible week without Lacey.
Maybe for you ...
Cheers for Lacey
Lacey is a junior at Abilene Christian School and a two-time All-American cheerleader.
That got her an invitation from Varsity Spirit, a cheerleading company, to join other cheerleaders from across the nation to perform in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade on Tuesday in Honolulu.
This is the 80th observance of the surprise air attack in 1941 by the Japanese on the island of Oahu. The number of survivors is dwindling, making each observance now more special.
Lacey is fully aware of this history, thanks in part to her grandfather.
"He's a history buff," she said.
At a time when the kind of history that's taught in schools is debated, time still is spent on a "date which will live in infamy." That's good.
The cheerleaders will participate in opening ceremonies at Fort DeRussy, then march. They have been working individually on their routine. No problem, she said. She has been involved in cheer for 11 of her 16 years. She, and the others who are participating, know what they are doing.
She already has her outfit. Red, white and blue, of course. White pom-poms. She will wear a white ribbon in her hair.
This is the second time for an island trip for Lacey and Laura. They went when Lacey's older sister, Lindsey, got a trip for her 18th birthday.
Normally (can we say that anymore?), All-American cheerleaders travel to London for the New Year's Day parade. In 2016, McMurry University's marching band performed in it.
More: David Robinson: A memorable march in London for McM band
But due to COVID, that overseas trek hasn't happened for two years. Lacey is hopeful that she can go her senior year, given she qualifies again as an All-American.
The past two years have been eventful for her.
Making a home in Abilene
She was attending San Marcos Academy and as a freshman made varsity cheerleader. But COVID led the family back to Abilene to care for other relatives. When they discovered ACS still offered in-person education, Lacey was enrolled.
She wanted to cheer, so a tryout was arranged the summer of 2020. That was done via Skype.
"No one knew who I was," she said. But the girl's got game and she was added to the squad before even meeting any of the girls. She was one of three new sophomores when classes started.
Cheerleading helped her integrate into a new school, and earning All-American status gave her cred. To gain that, a cheerleader has to have physical skills but also show leadership and the ability to engage with a crowd.
Laura said her daughter excels at both, and Lacey added, "cheerleading is a leadership role. You're a role model for girls, on and off the field."
In fact, at a camp this past summer, Lacey was so impressive that Universal Cheerleaders Association officials believed she was a senior and offered her job post graduation.
Lacey is 5-foot-11, so she's not the "flyer." That's the girl who gets tossed and caught. A track athlete who tosses the shot put and discus, she helps with the tossing.
She comes from a long line of cheerleaders. Her grandmother Joyce was a cheerleader at Big Sandy, as was her mom at Jim Ned High (class of '81). So was Lindsey but, Lacey said, not an All-American.
Her success has allowed Lacey to emerge from her big sister's shadow.
Lacey also is in the ACS choir and traveled to Branson, Missouri, in May, and performed at Hughes Brothers Theatre.
And she likes to read, embarrassed to say she likes historical romance but quickly adding murder mysteries, too.
Sometimes, she said, smiling, the two work well together.
Big plans with dad
And there is this.
Lacey soon will be introduced by her father, Daryl, as a debutante at a Texas Council for Music and the Arts Inc. event in San Marcos.
Lindsey was a deb, too.
Lacey is learning to do the "Texas dip," a curtsy that has to be done just right. In a formal dress with a hoop. Yes, she already has that picked out.
This will be a big deal but not because of any society angle.
Her father early this year came down with COVID for a second time and was put into a medically induced coma for 118 days. Only a month ago, he was brought out.
Daryl Fields still is recovering - he is in rehab and drinking Dr Pepper again - but vows to not only be back on his feet by January for the debutante event but to dance with his daughter.
Beware of T-Rex
A year ago, Lacey attended an event called Varsity Spirit Spectacular in Orlando.
That was fun, but this will be better.
This is Hawaii, after all.
"I love it," Lacey said, noting the friendly, easy-going culture. "The food was soooo good."
She got to tour the Dole farms where everything is coming up pineapples.
She and her father are big "Hawaii Five-O" fans and went to Kauloa Ranch to see where it's filmed. And "Jurassic Park" scenes.
The family has all sorts of plans this time, too. And Laura said the trip will impart history on the kids.
Lacey said seeing history is better than reading about it.
She will take lots of photos, and even blog.
You know, to remind her classmates that she is in Hawaii.
For a week.
Miss ya!
Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene cheerleader Lacey Fields headed to Pearl Harbor parade
