Some people are fortunate enough to turn their passion into a lifelong job.
Woodrow Wilson senior cheer standout Rachel Ring is hoping she will be one of those people.
“I thought I wanted to do physical therapy for the longest time, but I love cheer and I love coaching,” Ring said. “I think I am going to (major in) business and open up my own cheer gym. I have always done that and I think I would like it.”
That dream got a jump-start two weeks ago when Ring signed as National Letter of Intent for cheer at Concord University.
“I lived in North Carolina, but moved (to Beckley) at the beginning of my junior year. I know the coach’s daughter, so I had heard a lot about Concord. I went to one of their open gyms and tried out. I loved it and I knew that was where I wanted to go,” Ring said.
Cheer and gymnastics have been a part of Ring’s life for as long as she can remember.
“When I was little, I was always flipping around the house. I knew this was what I wanted to do,” Ring said. “I have done gymnastics and cheered since second grade, so it has always been a big part of my life. My mom was a cheer coach and that is another big part of me.”
Gymnastics brought out the competitive nature in Ring and drove her to work really hard to be the best.
“It all started with gymnastics and it was definitely hard at the beginning. With gymnastics there are so many events,” Ring said. “In cheer there is just like tumbling, but in gymnastics there are bars, vault and floor. I loved the challenge of gymnastics, but by eighth grade year I was strictly cheer.”
During her two seasons at Woodrow Wilson, Ring has helped lead the Flying Eagles to the state tournament. She hopes those experiences help her at the collegiate level.
“It is very nerve-racking, but so exciting. Just being able to compete was such a great experience,” Ring said “It is most nervous for yourself because it is a team sport and you have to do it for everyone and not just yourself. You are hoping everyone else does good, but you know if you mess up, you are messing up your team. That is the scary part about it. I am excited to see what we will be doing in college.”