Palisade Junior, Kai Ruebush, is the Athlete of the Week brought to you by Palisade Dino Mart. Ruebush is a cheerleader on the Palisade High School Cheer team and participates in Winter Guard. In cheer, Ruebush is mainly a base, but she can also back and fly. “I’ve only done cheer for three years, starting my freshman year. I have always wanted to play a team sport, but I’ve never been very coordinated.”
Through challenges and obstacles, Ruebush doesn’t have to face them on her own. “My biggest inspiration is Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist. I think about his quote often, which is: ‘Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.’ I always think about this quote when I have trouble appreciating myself, or when I feel like I’m not good enough.”
Over the years, Ruebush has truly grown within cheer, picking herself up and moving forward. “My greatest accomplishment in cheer is sticking with it. There are other things that have been difficult, but none of them were harder than just keep going. Cheerleading is a really big commitment, and before this year there was one season that I went through five different sports, with a competition season, and then right back into it with tryouts and then all through summer. Staying in cheer in growing my skills even when I was tired of it is my biggest accomplishment.”
Jennie Stout is the head coach for the Palisade Cheer Team. Stout greatly appreciates the role model that Ruebush presents and her hard work ethic. “Kai is really good at putting together routines and motivating her teammates in a loud manner. She has shown tremendous leadership in a new situation with a new coach.”
Kai Ruebush’s journey in cheerleading showcases her growth, dedication, and leadership. Overcoming initial doubts, she has become an inspiring role model, proving that persistence and embracing new challenges lead to personal success. Congratulations, Kai Ruebush for receiving Athlete of the Week!
