EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – Cheerleading goes hand-in-hand with Friday nights in the fall. That makes it unique when one of Central’s football players, Killian Woolsey, hits the gridiron and the cheer gym.
Woolsey became involved in cheer because he loved flipping, but it’s a difficult sport to just pick up. It was the challenge that cheer brings that kept him hooked.
“It’s been one of the hardest sports that I’ve gotten into. It took me a lot of time to learn what other people had already learned,” said Woolsey.
Learning the sport was expedited by a key similarity between football and cheer. Balance is what makes a good running back and competitor in cheer.
“If you don’t have good balance you’re going to get taken right off your feet. I need balance to bounce through holes. I need balance to land when I tumble,” said Woolsey.
Cheer requires the team to look good while performing. That requires the energy to stay up at all times. Supreme Athletics owner and coach, Shane Wycoff said that Woolsey has the leadership capabilities to influence that.
“He understands the value of team-work and being a good sport. People look up to him for that,” said Wycoff.
Luckily for the Central football program, that type of player is exactly what they look for.
“Build a culture and identity of ‘we will not quit,’ and do whatever it takes,” said head coach, Brandon Artis.
While Woolsey doesn’t cheer during football season, he does during the basketball season. Cheering for the basketball team is different from competitive cheer. For basketball, it’s showcasing their talents while in competitive cheer teams compete against each other.
Woolsey devotes time inside and outside of football season to cheer to be the best version of himself in both sports.
