Kayla Harding '25 Recruiting Profile

I have had the pleasure of building my Cheer Career from Competitive Rec, to School & All-star! When I am not Yelling Black and Gold for the Oakleaf Knights, I am leaving it all on the Mat with Island All-stars! Cheerleading SAVED MY LIFE in so many ways! When I was going through some significant life changes I always had Cheer. Cheer challenged me to go beyond what I thought my limits were! 

My Coaches, and my teammates are a second family. My pain is their pain, my joy is their joy, and the success is something we all earn and experience together! This is what makes Cheer different for me, it's not just a sport it is a way of life! When it comes to my first family we are a CHEER FAMILY! My siblings all Cheer, my mom has worked in Recreational and Junior High Cheerleading the past several years, and the values of commitment and perseverance is simply a way of life for me. 

When I am not cheerleading I junior Coach at our Counties only Title One School. Orange Park Junior High. When I tell you this is one of the most rewarding life experiences I am not exaggerating. I am able to combine my passion for the sport and love of helping others who may not have had the same opportunities as me. it keeps me Humble, and makes me appreciate my opportunities even more. With that I happily pour into that squad and teach them how Cheerleading is not just a sport, its a way of life and the lessons we learn at practice truly are life skills. I hope that they grow into amazing athletes and one day junior coach and pass down the things I am teaching them. 

Passion, that is what make me different. That is why squads need a "KAYLA"! You can teach skills but you can not teach passion. Every squad needs someone there that is in love with the sport to push the team to be their best. It's so important to have that positive person there for those rough practices when we are pushing ourselves mentally and physically. Cheerleading is not easy, but it is life changing. Coming in at the beginning of the season and building a squad is not easy, but at the end of the season when you look back, it makes you want to cry when you review the accomplishments. Cheerleading is my sport, and I am THRILLED to prepare myself for the possibility of being a collegiate cheerleader!!!