By DONNA THORNTON, Editor
There were a few tears March 31 as Albertville cheerleader Mollie Walker signed up to cheer for the Calhoun Community College Warhawks, with a scholarship to further her academic and athletic paths.
The scholarship and signing came after a stellar season that saw the Albertville cheer squad claim state and national titles.
Walker said choosing to continue her education and her cheerleading career at Calhoun was not a difficult one. “I wanted to go to Calhoun,” she said.
She plans to study childhood development.
A large group gathered to congratulate her, including her principal and cheer coaches, current and future. It was an emotional time for some of those who spoke, including the scholarship recipient, as she thanked her coaches and the friends she’s made on the cheer team.
“I wouldn’t be here without them, for sure,” she said. “We’ve had our ups and downs. No matter what, we’ve always stuck together to do what we love.”
She thanked the administrators and the whole school for always “showing up” for the cheerleaders. She thanked her parents and her family, who have always supported her in whatever she wanted to do.
She thanked Calhoun head cheerleader coach Dan Harrod for giving her the chance to cheer at Calhoun.
“I think you and your teammates found a resurgence of love for this sport when these two people came on,” AHS Principal Steven Hudgins said of the school’s cheer coaches. “They pushed you guys to be the best. I want to say thank you Mollie and all our senior girls for taking that coaching,
“Their leadership,” Hudgins said of the seniors, looking at Harrod, “Mollie is a big part of that. You’re getting a great leader, a great person. She’ll do nothing but everything you ask her to do with a smile on, and she’ll get the others to go that way.”
Cheer coach Jeromy Shaw said he’d only had a short time to work with Mollie, but that he’d seen her grow into an amazing cheerleader and person.
“For me personally, to see her confidence rise throughout the season was amazing,” thank you for setting the tone for everyone who comes after you.
He said he hoped cheer opens doors for Mollie, as it has for him.
“It’s something that I love but it continues to open doors from me outside of cheer and I pray the same thing happens to you.
“Take care of her,” he said, jokingly, to Harrod, who responded that he would.
Cheer coach Tanika Colvin got emotional talking about the graduating class.
“This senior class has been incredibly special to this program, and school and the community,” she said.
“Without Mollie and the rest of the seniors leading them to where we have been and taking this journey and done everything that me and Jeromy have ask them to do this year we would not be where we are and who knows where Mollie would be going.
“I’m just so grateful the Lord allowed all of our steps to be in these moments together,” Colvin said. “I cannot wait to see where Mollie’s future goes and to continue to love her and cheer her on.”
Surrounded by her family and coaches, Albertville High School senior cheerleader Mollie Walker signs a scholarship with Calhoun Community College. Photo by DONNA THORNTON l The Leader
