Abby Hansen is a journalism student at Gilbert Christian High School assigned to cover high school sports for AZPreps365.com

Sophomore Ella Vandall participated in cross country all throughout middle school and switched to cheer this year. Cross country was a big part of middle school for Ella Vandall and jumping into cheer was something she never thought she would do.

 

“ Cheer is less stressful, and doesn’t work me as hard as cross country did.” Ella states while explaining the differences between these two sports. 

 

When asked whether she likes cross country or spiritline more she explains that for the sport itself she enjoys running more, but as for the team, she loves cheer more. “ Not that I wasn’t close to my cross country team, I just have more relationships on cheer.”

 

“ What I like most about cheer is the environment that surrounds me, and the team was so welcoming since I was new this year, for cross country, my favorite part was the workout I gained during practices,” she explains when asked what she likes most about cheer and what she likes most about XC.

 

“How has the jump from cross country to cheer affected you this year?” Ella Vandall was asked, and she answers stating how jumping into cheer was way out of her comfort zone and she never really thought of herself as a cheerleader, but learned that she really enjoys it. “ I also am not running as much as I was, so I am not as in shape as I was during cross country.”

 

Talking about her different relationships on the two different teams Ella Vandall explains that she has more relationships with her teammates on Spiritline, but was closer with her cross country coaches. 

 

When asked why she switched from cross country to cheer sophomore year Ella explains that “Cross Country was smack dab in the middle of the summer and I didn’t feel like passing out. Not only that, but most of my friends were cheering so why not.”

 

Ella explains, after being asked what she likes most about the cheer team and what she liked most about her cross country team, that the cheer team is all very supportive of each other and it is almost like a “cheer family”. She then goes on to explain that her favorite part of her old cross country team was how they contained a lot of really good runners, and they had a very successful season. 

 

Lastly, Ella Vandall states her thoughts on next year explaining, “ I will not be doing cross country next year, as for cheer I don’t know yet.”