“Here we go Rangers, here we go!” The cheerleaders started the cheer and they are soon joined enthusiastically by sophomore Kadence Winfrey. Being in the student section is one of Winfrey’s favorite things about being a Student Manager for the Park High Rangers. Although cheering the loudest in the student section isn’t a role of a Student Manager, Winfrey takes it seriously and treats it as though it is.
At the beginning of the basketball season, Winfrey was recruited as a student manager. Her duties include getting the court ready by sweeping and setting up the chairs before the games start. During the teams’ warm ups, Winfrey passes out, collects the practice balls, and puts them away.
“Kadence is always on top of the warm ups. She watches and comes at the perfect time to bring out or put away the balls,” says Activities Director Nate Parseghian. Winfrey also does a great job of directing the spotlight when the starting lineups are announced. She said her favorite part of being a student manager is giving the team high fives.
Once her duties are accounted for, Winfrey heads for the student section, where the real work begins. No matter the level of game- C-squad, JV, or Varsity- Winfrey can be found among the student section in the bleachers, calling out cheers and encouragement to the players.
“Kadence is always dancing and getting everyone hyped,” comments Madison Wise, a junior that frequents the student section. Parseghian adds to that, saying “She brings the energy and spirit, and everyone in the gym feeds off of it.”
Winfrey explains that her favorite part of being in the student section is cheering loud and dancing with the band’s music. One cheer immediately comes to mind when Winfrey is asked her favorite. It’s a student section roller-coaster simulation, and Winfrey loves to lead it, directing which way the students lurch and lean with their hands up, as though they’re at an amusement park. Other favorites include “assume the position,” a cheer done when a player is on the free throw line. “Here we go Rangers,” and Marching are a few more, typically led by the cheerleaders. Whether Winfrey is leading the cheer, or in the student section, she always has the most enthusiasm, inspiring passionate cheers from the rest of the students.
And all of this cheering is not in vain. “Kadence is always helpful and encouraging. She is the hype woman,” says junior Landess O’Dea. “She helps the team keep morale up, even when we’re losing.” This keeps team spirit up, and “She is always talking- cheering, congratulating, and narrating the game,” Wise says.
Winfrey always cheers for all the players, but she of course has some favorites. She loves to cheer for Maya Stenseth, Maria Turck, Palen Sexton, and Chase Vermillion. Winfrey likes to sit by these players when they’re in the student section, along with Cheyenne Siler.
Fortunately, her role as a student manager doesn’t clash with her classes and schedule. In fact, it fits right in and compliments her work and job skills part of her day. Connor Webb, the Life Skills teacher, observes that she talks about the games a lot, she is always making sure they’re on time and have a plan for everything. Webb always makes scheduled time for game setup and for learning opportunities.
Winfrey loves being a part of the basketball team as a student manager, and the team, staff, and student section love having her, and all the enthusiasm and spirit she brings. Winfrey plans to be a student manager next year, so Park High will not lose their biggest fan.
