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An alumna of cheerleading in North Battleford has found a way to take her sport with her to her new home.
Berklee Crockett was first introduced to the sport of cheerleading when her older sister McKenzii joined the John Paul II Crusaders cheerleading team in 2012. When Berklee started high school at JPII, she followed in her older sister’s footsteps and joined the cheer team.
Meanwhile, the coach of the JP cheer team, Lesia Rathje, had also started Cheer Legacy, a cheerleading club for athletes of all ages. Crockett had already fallen in love with the sport of cheerleading and she also joined the senior level 3 team, Majesty, at Cheer Legacy.
The 2015-16 competitive season was busy for Crockett as she was on two teams and also accumulating her apprenticeship coaching hours at Cheer Legacy. In April of 2016, Crockett attended the Sea to Sky Competition in Vancouver where the JPII team took first place in the small co-ed level 4 category.
Crockett earned her coaching certifications for level 1, 2 and 3 and continued to coach at Cheer Legacy. Her athletic career ended when she graduated high school in June 2017. She continued to coach during the 2017-18 competitive season – a senior level 1 team, Majesty, and youth level 1, Royals. Crockett’s teams had a successful season, bringing home four championship titles.
During the summer of 2018, Crockett made the move to Lethbridge, Alta., to attend post-secondary schooling. She has been hired by a cheerleading gym in Lethbridge, Perfect Storm Athletics Lethbridge. Crockett is coaching a youth prep level 1 team, Chinook, and she is looking forward to wearing the purple and black.
“I am so lucky to be able to have a job in the sport I love,” says Crockett. “Cheerleading was such a huge part of my youth in North Battleford. I was surrounded by positive role models and my practice schedule kept me out of trouble. At Perfect Storm, I will be that coach who creates memories for the cheerleaders in Lethbridge.”
