With a love for both watching and playing sports, Kathryn Krebs didn’t think twice about trying out for the cheerleading squad as a fifth grader at her elementary school. Krebs made the squad and has participated in cheerleading ever since.
“It was so much fun,” says Krebs of her first season as a cheerleader. “I really love watching sports… It’s fun to be so close to the players and get to cheer them on. I love being on the field and getting to cheer.”
As a varsity cheerleader for Cornelia Connelly High School, Krebs is a part of a unique cheer program. In addition to cheering for the Koalas, Connelly’s squad joins forces each year with the squad from sister school, Rosary Academy, to cheer for their brother school, Servite High School.
The combined team can be seen cheering on the Friars at their football and basketball games, and the schools have worked hard in recent years to blend their training and practice programs to better serve their Tri-School community.
“When both of our school teams are in unison, it really helps us come together to cheer for Servite,” says the 16-year-old. “It’s definitely improved both of our teams.”
Krebs is also a member of the varsity soccer team at Connelly, a sport she’s played since she was a five-year-old on a local AYSO team. Krebs plays club soccer as well, but representing the Koalas has been a special and rewarding experience for the junior.
“The thing I enjoy most about being a student-athlete is I get to make a lot of new friends while playing the sports,” says Krebs. “You get to meet all of these great girls and form a bond over something you have in common. It’s helped to mold my high school years to be really great.”
As a three-year member of the varsity cheer squad, Krebs is a base and back spot and fills a leadership role in guiding the younger members of the team.
“Kathryn is a leader and integral part of our cheer squad, as many of the cheerleaders look to her for guidance,” says Connelly’s head cheer coach, Darla Serrano. “She is passionate about cheer—it’s evident at the football and basketball games—and she truly enjoys herself while she performs.”
Krebs has served her campus in a variety of roles, including this year as the ASB inter-school representative, which helps to coordinate the many events and activities that Connelly, Rosary and Servite participate in jointly.
One of the many things Krebs has learned from cheering on the athletes from the sidelines is how to keep a positive attitude no matter the circumstances, a life skill she feels will always be beneficial.
“You definitely want to always have a positive mindset whenever you’re going into something,” says Krebs. “I think that’s what cheer has taught me.”