Senior Gabby Cooper has been representing the hardest working students since her freshman year. She has been noticed for her work ethic and athletics for balancing cheerleading and tennis on top of school. How does she do it?
Cooper is a two-sport athlete specializing in tennis and cheerleading. Tennis has been a major part of her life since kindergarten. “My mom played for the high school and went to state, and she passed that love for tennis onto me.” Cooper said.
“She has some of the best strokes on the team. And she has shown dedication by spending all this time trying to perfect this skill and it has payed off,” Coach Steve Johnson said. On August 31, Cooper had a highlight in her tennis career by placing second during the LaSalle Peru Girls Tennis Tournament.
Although new to cheerleading her freshman year, Cooper has made a long-lasting impression on her coach and teammates. “Gabby embodies a lot of school spirit. She has a lot of pride in what she does. Shes a great teammate to her peers and helps hold everyone accountable,” Coach Jannelle Nordtvedt said. Cooper has had a lot of self-discipline and values accountability.
“You need to stay cheerful and be open to constructive criticism but being able to cheer for my brother and my dad during basketball season makes all the work worth it,” Cooper said.
So how does she balance everything? Cooper tries to keep an elaborate schedule with all of the dates and things she needs to do. She emphasizes rewarding herself when she achieves an accomplishment. She always makes sure where her values lie. All the pacing and hard work is certainly paying off. After high school, Cooper plans on going to Illinois Valley Community College and play tennis for their team.
