Senior, Celeste Polanco is this week’s Female Athlete of the Week brought to you by Palisade Dino Mart. Being pushed by her close friend to try something new, Polanco has found a new love for cheer that has been invaluable to her.
Very enthusiastic and hardworking, Palanco has been enjoying each and every opportunity that cheer has given her and she pushes through each challenge that comes her way. This is Polanco’s second season cheering, and she practices as a backspot and a flyer. If it wasn’t for the encouragement to try something new and step out of her comfort zone, she might not have ever tried cheer, but Polanco is very grateful that she was pushed and found a sport that she loves. “ I never imagined joining cheer until my friend inspired me to do it and I’ve been loving it ever since. She encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try something new, even when I was hesitant. Whether it was her pushing me to come to a practice or just hyping me up when I doubted myself, she made me believe I could do it too. Thanks to her, I discovered not only a new skill but also a whole new level of confidence in myself.” Polanco also says, “My biggest inspiration is my parents. They’ve shown me what it means to work hard, stay strong, and never give up. No matter what hard times they went through, they always took care of our family and showed me how to be kind, patient, and strong.” Polanco is very receptive to the advice and the mentorship that she gets from her coaches and her parents, making her very coachable and a great learner.
There are many things that Polanco has found herself loving about this sport, and it has opened up a lot of new opportunities to her. “My favorite thing about cheer is seeing myself improve over time. Every practice, I notice small changes in my skills, strength, and confidence. It feels really rewarding to look back and realize how much progress I’ve made, whether it’s perfecting a routine, or just becoming more comfortable performing in front of others.” Outside of school Polanco enjoys paddle boarding and hanging out by the lake with family. Hiking is another hobby that she deeply loves because of the scenery that comes with it.
Congratulations to Celeste Polanco for receiving Athlete of the Week, and keep working hard at your sport through the good and the bad and you will continue to do great things!