Chickasha High School sophomore Raylee Ramsey is easy to spot on Friday nights, soaring above the crowd as both a flyer and tumbler for the varsity cheer squad. What fans might not see, though, is the work she puts in long before the stands fill and the lights flip on.
“As soon as summer starts I start practicing for volleyball and cheer every weekday, and I also go to tumbling classes,” Ramsey said. “Athletics have taught me that nothing comes for free and that hard work pays off.”
That mindset is shaped at home. Ramsey says her parents are the people who inspire her most, pushing her to chase big goals while celebrating every step along the way. “They always help me achieve my goals and are always proud of me and what I achieve,” she said.
In the classroom, Ramsey is a sophomore who gravitates toward World History, and she still remembers the impact of her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Stallings, as a favorite. Whether she is studying or cheering, she leans on the same steady approach: show up, work hard and support the people around you.
On the Chickasha cheer team, that support system is one of the things she values most. “My favorite part about being a part of the Chickasha Cheer team is having fun and being with my team,” Ramsey said. “I also like getting the experience so I can hopefully go to college for cheer.”
She looks up to senior teammate Maci, whom she calls “my big” and a model of the kind of leader she hopes to become. “We have been friends for many years, and she is so supportive and caring,” Ramsey said. “I hope I am a lot like her when I am a senior.”
Away from the gym and sidelines, Ramsey stays busy at home with a small zoo’s worth of animals. In her free time, she cares for four dogs, three cats and eight aquariums or unwinds with crafts. Whether she is flipping under the lights or feeding her pets, Ramsey carries the same lesson with her: hard work, and the heart behind it, can take her wherever she wants to go.
