Meek High School cheerleader Ralynn Laurent has found confidence, friendship, and a place to shine while showing others how much she is capable of accomplishing.

Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Al Blanton

The first time Ralynn Laurent cheered in front of Meek High School’s student section, she was nervous.

Being in front of an entire crowd was intimidating, but she was not out there alone. Her friends were beside her, and when the students began cheering back, the moment became less frightening.

That sense of belonging has helped Ralynn, now a junior at Meek, grow from a soft-spoken student into a confident member of the school’s cheerleading team.

“I would say I’m definitely more outgoing when I cheer,” she says. “I’m not as shy in cheer as I am when I meet somebody.”

Ralynn began considering cheerleading after watching her friends join the team. She had initially worried the sport would be too difficult, as she has used a wheelchair since sustaining an injury in a car wreck at age five, but she discovered she could learn the cheers and weekly dances more easily than she expected. Although some movements require adjustments, Ralynn actively participates alongside her teammates.

During dances, for example, she may remain in place while the other cheerleaders turn, completing the same arm motions without rotating her chair. Her coaches approach each routine by simply asking whether she can perform a movement. If she says yes, they move forward.

“They honestly don’t seem to see me any differently because of me using a chair, and I’m thankful for that,” Ralynn says.

Ralynn says cheerleading demands dedication, particularly during competition season, when the team must learn and remember a three-minute routine filled with different motions and dance elements.

Her mother, Kimberly Allred, has witnessed the work that happens away from the field.

“No one sees the hours she spends sitting in front of a mirror, playing the songs over and over and making sure she hits every motion and every step perfectly,” Kimberly says.

One of Kimberly’s proudest moments came during a cheer camp showcase last year.

“She was out there just like every one of those girls, giving it her all,” she says. “She doesn’t let her chair define her at all.”

Ralynn credits her family, notably her grandmother, Susan Laurent, for the care and support they provide, and her friends and teammates with helping her feel included. Whether they are moving together on the football field, practicing a routine, or spending time together outside of cheer, she knows she has found a group of people she can trust.

“They will help me anytime I need it, and I don’t have to be scared to ask them,” she says. 

Cheerleading has also strengthened Ralynn’s confidence. She said other people’s comments and assumptions no longer bother her as much as they once did.

Cheerleading may have helped bring Ralynn out of her shell, but it has also allowed others to see what her friends and family already knew: She is confident, cheerful, supportive, and capable.

When the crowd sees her beneath the Friday night lights, Ralynn hopes they notice more than the wheelchair. She wants them to see the athlete, the teammate, and the young woman building her future.

“I’m more than just the chair,” she says. “I can do almost anything anybody else can do.”

Her ambitions also extend beyond the sidelines. Ralynn has already completed five classes toward an associate degree and hopes to become a nurse practitioner one day.

For now, she plans to continue cheering throughout high school, improving with each season and supporting the teammates who have supported her. 78