With the fall season beginning for athletes at Olympia High School everyone is ready to start their season off strong. For some students it may be easier to make the Varsity team, while for others such as underclassmen it can be more challenging. When trying out for certain teams like cheerleading and volleyball students tryout for one of the three team levels. For freshmen it is the most difficult to climb the tower to Varsity due to the competition returning upperclassmen can pose. But students Taylor Mangin and Julia Barry are defying the odds after being selected to start on Varsity freshman year.

Cheering with Charm 

When you look in the cheer section during a football game, you can find freshman Taylor Mangin, who is a part of the Varsity cheer team. She has been cheering for 9 years now and loves showing off her talent at Olympia. 

“I cheer because I make so many new relationships with people. I get to [cheer with my] best friends that I hang out with everyday, who put in the same effort and work as I do,” Mangin said.

Cheerleading is one of the many challenging sports that requires lots of skills. Throughout the sport you have to tumble, fly, and chant cheers as loud as you can; always showing up to every football game rain or shine to help cheer the guys to victory. These are just some of the many commitments that have to be made to be a part of the cheer team at Olympia. 

In order for a successful team you need a strong team bond and people to look up to. Mangin’s role models include her team captains “Ma’Kayla Johnson, Heather Elleman, and Alexis Sheldon because they know how to have fun and move the team in the right direction.”

Make sure to go to the next home football game to watch Taylor Mangin on the sidelines hyping our football team up to take down their next opponent.

Setting up for Success

When cheering for the Varsity Volleyball team from the student section, you can find freshman Julia Barry on the court ready to take on her opponent. 

“I picked volleyball 4 years ago because I had played pretty much every sport and everyone around me was doing it so it sounded like fun,” Barry said. 

Volleyball is a non-stop competitive sport that requires hitting, spiking, setting, and serving the ball over the net. Players have to make quick decisions on the best way to make sure the ball gets over the net. Teammates determine whether to pass the ball to another teammate or to block the ball from the opposing team.

With volleyball being a team sport each individual must develop their own skill to help create a stronger team. “I try to always put in more work than the person next to me, which means practicing outside of my regular practices,” Barry expressed.

Make some room on your calendar for the next home volleyball game at Olympia to see Julia Barry in action on the court.

Whether or not you are a senior or a freshman on Varsity, or just starting out on JV/Freshman. Our staff here at the Oracle, wish you the best of luck for your upcoming season. Go Titans!