Miss-Delectable
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Hard Work Sends Deaf Cheerleader Kelsey Voorhees to National Championships
It's music, rhythm, beats, loud, fast and completely synchronized, and that's exactly what Kelsey Voorhees loves about competitive cheerleading, even though the junior can hear very little of it.
Kelsey was born deaf.
Yet at a young age, she developed a passion for dancing. By the time she got to Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, the athletic teen wanted a new adventure. Kelsey went out for coach Alissa King's cheerleading squad.
"She had to earn her spot on the team," King said. "We always carry more girls than can compete. And for Kelsey's first year, she was an alternate -- only performed a couple of times."
But Kelsey committed to getting better, working hard on her tumbling and other skills to become a very key contributor in her junior year for the Falcons.
"She has passion just like any other kids to do well and we're excited she can be part of the team," Diana Voorhees, Kelsey's stepmother, said.
Kelsey doesn't necessarily hear the music, but she definitely feels the thumping rhythm. It isn't nearly as easy as Kelsey makes it look.
"The music can be a means of communication for cheerleaders," King said. "So they have to know 2 1/2 minutes, but they know it by what's playing on the stereo. That can be complicated."
To help understand the coach's orders and learn new stunts, Kelsey always has an interpreter within eyesight. Haley Hunter is tasked with trying to turn crazy cheerleading terminology into something Kelsey can understand.
"We just have to make up signs for everything," Hunter said.
"There's not cheerleading terms that directly translate into sign language, so between her and her interpreter, they had to create this whole new language that's cheerleading," King said.
On this day, Kelsey and her Armstrong teammates are competing in their home gym in a warm-up for nationals. It's what Kelsey lives for.
"It's really exciting," she said. "Always been practicing for one moment."
The hard work and long hours pay off and the routine is a success. The judges award the Falcons first place and it's time for pictures with the trophy. But make no mistake, Kelsey Voorhees doesn't need any hardware to validate what everyone around her already knows -- she's a winner.
"She makes your realize that she can be like any other kid," Kelsey's stepmother said. "And she can do anything anyone else can do if she puts her mind to it."
Like any other teenager, Kelsey loves hanging out with her friends, going to movies and shopping. Her stepmother says the explosion of text messaging has made communication easier.
She and her Falcon teammates will head to Orlando in mid-February for the competitive cheerleading national championships.
It's music, rhythm, beats, loud, fast and completely synchronized, and that's exactly what Kelsey Voorhees loves about competitive cheerleading, even though the junior can hear very little of it.
Kelsey was born deaf.
Yet at a young age, she developed a passion for dancing. By the time she got to Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, the athletic teen wanted a new adventure. Kelsey went out for coach Alissa King's cheerleading squad.
"She had to earn her spot on the team," King said. "We always carry more girls than can compete. And for Kelsey's first year, she was an alternate -- only performed a couple of times."
But Kelsey committed to getting better, working hard on her tumbling and other skills to become a very key contributor in her junior year for the Falcons.
"She has passion just like any other kids to do well and we're excited she can be part of the team," Diana Voorhees, Kelsey's stepmother, said.
Kelsey doesn't necessarily hear the music, but she definitely feels the thumping rhythm. It isn't nearly as easy as Kelsey makes it look.
"The music can be a means of communication for cheerleaders," King said. "So they have to know 2 1/2 minutes, but they know it by what's playing on the stereo. That can be complicated."
To help understand the coach's orders and learn new stunts, Kelsey always has an interpreter within eyesight. Haley Hunter is tasked with trying to turn crazy cheerleading terminology into something Kelsey can understand.
"We just have to make up signs for everything," Hunter said.
"There's not cheerleading terms that directly translate into sign language, so between her and her interpreter, they had to create this whole new language that's cheerleading," King said.
On this day, Kelsey and her Armstrong teammates are competing in their home gym in a warm-up for nationals. It's what Kelsey lives for.
"It's really exciting," she said. "Always been practicing for one moment."
The hard work and long hours pay off and the routine is a success. The judges award the Falcons first place and it's time for pictures with the trophy. But make no mistake, Kelsey Voorhees doesn't need any hardware to validate what everyone around her already knows -- she's a winner.
"She makes your realize that she can be like any other kid," Kelsey's stepmother said. "And she can do anything anyone else can do if she puts her mind to it."
Like any other teenager, Kelsey loves hanging out with her friends, going to movies and shopping. Her stepmother says the explosion of text messaging has made communication easier.
She and her Falcon teammates will head to Orlando in mid-February for the competitive cheerleading national championships.
