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Recent Barnwell graduate Katelynn Ryan has committed to cheer for Presbyterian College this fall.
Katelynn had a signing ceremony at Barnwell High School on Wednesday, May 22. Barnwell Principal Franklin McCormack, athletic director Derek Youngblood, cheerleading coach Amy Williams, and several friends and family were in attendance.
Katelynn cheered for Barnwell High School in both sideline cheer and competitive cheer with Coach Williams, who was excited for Katelynn’s signing with Presbyterian College. “Katelynn was a valuable member of both the Barnwell High School Varsity Sideline and Competition teams. She is a dedicated, hard worker who puts in the work to better herself both in and outside of practice. I have no doubts that she will be an asset to PC Cheer. They are lucky to have her,” said Coach Williams.
Presbyterian College is located in Clinton, South Carolina, so Katelynn will not be too far from home. When asked what she liked about PC, Katelynn replied, “Last year, I had the opportunity to attend Palmetto Girls State at PC and fell in love with the campus. Every single person there makes me feel welcome every time I visit. The staff and students are incredible.”
When asked if she knew anyone at PC, Katelynn excitedly said, “Yes! I got the opportunity to meet everyone on the team. I've even chatted with a few of them one-on-one, and I'm so excited to see them on campus next semester.”
Katelynn plans to double major in political science and Spanish and minor in pre-law.
She then plans to attend law school and eventually become a criminal defense attorney. Those are some high aspirations, but she has been a good student and a hard worker and those are two important components to help reach those goals.
Her days as a Warhorse cheerleader may be over, but she will take lots of fond memories of the sidelines on football Friday nights and traveling to competitive cheer competitions.
When asked about her favorite Warhorse moment, Katelynn said, “My favorite memory was the moment after our competitive cheer team performed at state this school year, and we realized we hit zero.” For those not familiar with the competitive cheering world, competitive cheer has a similar scoring system to that used in some gymnastic events, where points are deducted for miscues and skills difficulty levels earn points.
The expression “hitting zero” means a team had no deductions for that competition. It is a big deal at these competitive cheer events, where the few teams fortunate enough to do so, often take photos under the heralded “We Hit Zero!” banner or sign. For those meets without such a banner or sign, the “We Hit Zero!” tag line would certainly be posted underneath internet postings and articles.
This is a great opportunity to be able to continue doing what she loves after high school.
Katelynn was asked if she had any advice for younger cheerleaders who might want to continue cheering at the next level, and she said, “Put yourself out there! Go to clinics and reach out to coaches. Your talent and skill make the team look good, so they will be happy to hear from you.”
Good luck Katelynn and Presbyterian College! We wish you the best!
