Something to
cheer
Parents with special needs kids are continually reminded of all the things their children can’t do. Facing challenges like autism, learning and emotional disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and Down syndrome, these kids struggle daily in order to have the life we consider “normal”. But at the Top Gun Gym, in Naples, under the coaching inspiration of Laura Cecil, special- needs kids are encouraged to perform amazing feats. As members of the Magnums Cheerleading Team, they achieve what others have told them was impossible. They dance and tumble. They perform
stunts. They do cartwheels. They fly into the air as their teammates hold them up. They form human pyramids and do jumping sequences. They clap, twirl, smile, and count out loud to mark the rhythm of the routine. They are cheerleaders. At performances and competitions
throughout the year, the team surprises and delights audiences, garnering standing ovations, and tears of recognition and joy. “There’s usually not a dry eye in the
20
About! by Sandra Yeyati
crowd,” Cecil says, tearing up herself as she boasts about her team’s achievements. “I never set any limitations on them.
The routine they do is exactly the same as the other teams,” she says. “I try to just let them be themselves. We have a girl who doesn’t talk and won’t acknowledge you, but she can sing every word to every song. They love music, and I try to incorporate their favorite songs to make it enjoyable for them.” At the Florida state cheerleading
com petitions every year, all participating special-needs teams are declared first- place winners, receiving trophies and medals. Everyone respects and rewards them, sending their self-esteem soaring. Everything is provided free of charge,
including the weekly one-hour practices, competition fees, and uniforms. Cecil donates her time. The gym charges nothing. Donations by local and national companies help make it all possible. Several kids in the regular cheerleading program also volunteer their time. Among them is Cecil’s daughter
Coaches Laura & Kaleigh Cecil
Kaleigh, who serves as assistant coach, a role she prefers to her own cheerleading endeavors. “They love to perform. They don’t care if they hit everything perfect. They just want to go out and have fun,” Kaleigh says. For Cecil, who has been doing this for
10 years, nothing could be more rewarding. “When they get done with the routine, they give me a high five and say, ‘I did it, Coach. I did it.’ With hard work, practice, and encouragement, kids can do anything.”
triumph | BTG
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40