Hope Parkinson Brings Teamwork and Talent to Madison Cheer

For Hope Parkinson, being a Madison cheerleader isn’t just something she does after school, it’s what she loves most. Whether she’s tumbling, flying through stunts, or spending time with her teammates, cheer has become a huge part of her life. But Hope didn’t always plan to be a cheerleader. She started gymnastics when she was five, moved on to dance, and finally decided to give cheer a try during her sophomore year.

Now a junior at Madison High School, she’s one of the team’s most dedicated members. “I wanted to try something new,” Hope explained. “Cheer is different because there’s so much teamwork, and I really like that.”

It didn’t take long for Hope to become great at cheer. She says her success comes from practice, hard work, and a lot of dedication. But it hasn’t been easy. “I’ve given up a lot of time and energy,” Hope admitted. “But it’s worth it.”

Her schedule is nonstop—early-morning cheer practice, a full day of school, finishing homework as fast as she can, and then either cheering at games or hitting the gym. Even with all the hard work, there are challenges.

“Stunts are probably the hardest part,” she said. “That and managing my time.” Still, she stays motivated by her goal: helping Madison beat Highland at state.

“We’ve been working so hard, and the points gap on our last competition spreadsheet wasn’t very big. I know we can do it,” she said.

Her teammate, Audrey Sutton, agrees. “Hope is amazing, she’s always so kind and supportive,” Audrey said. “She’s my flyer, and she works really hard. You can see how much she cares about the team.”

For Hope, cheer is more than just a sport, it’s something she truly loves.

“If I wasn’t doing cheer, I’d be bored,” she said with a laugh.

With her dedication and positive attitude, this junior is helping Madison’s cheer squad shine brighter than ever.