ROCK SPRINGS —For Derrick Jones, Briannyn Stauffer, Talon Thomas, Bella Spicer and Nico Woolsey, dreams really do come true.
The five Rock Springs High School (RSHS) seniors officially joined the University of Wyoming (UW) Spirit team on Monday morning. Many hours of hard work and a passion for energizing the crowd presented them with an opportunity in Laramie.
For this signing, we asked each how they got started in cheer, how they ended up at UW, what they are looking forward to the most, and what they plan on studying.
Rock Springs High School sports coverage is brought to you by these amazing sponsors:
Briannyn Stauffer
“I have been a competitive dancer and gymnast my whole life and was having a hard time giving up all sports and activities after high school. Cheer is the perfect way to keep me going as a student athlete!”
“I have attended UW events since before I could walk and I have always looked up to the Wyoming spirit members. Plus the University is such a great environment.”
“I’m most looking forward to football season! It was always my favorite time of year while on the Rock Springs Dance Team and they are my favorite Wyoming events to attend even when it’s freezing!”
“I am planning on going into interior design and later get my real estate license.”
Bella Spicer
“I have danced since I was three years old and I realized how much I loved spirit when I first started high school dance team my freshman year.”
“I’ll be a part of the fourth generation in my family to attend UW and I have been watching this team from the stands since before I could walk. So when the opportunity to try out for a position on the team opened up, I jumped at it, and I’m so glad that I did.”
“I am looking forward to being on the other side of the Laramie game day experience, being an ambassador for our state’s University, but most importantly to meet new people and create new relationships through the sport.”
“I am planning on studying kinesiology and health promotions to pursue a career as a physical therapist.”
Derrick Jones
“I have always loved tumbling and gymnastics and my friends had told me I should try cheerleading because it has all that and more. I said ‘You know what, why not?’ and I did, and I’m so happy I did.”
“I have always lived in Wyoming and I love the Pokes, so I thought it would be cool to be on the team.”
“I’m looking most forward to games. Cheering at games is always so fun.”
“Honestly I’m not sure, but anything with cars would be cool. I love cars.”
Talon Thomas
“I got started on spirit my junior year with one of the girls a year ahead of me. She told me to try out and I fell in love with the sport from there.”
“I always planned on going to UW for school and I wanted to cheer in college, so it was just the perfect combination.”
“I am most looking forward to getting to cheer for the Cowboys. I have been a Pokes fan my whole life and now I get to cheer for them directly on the sidelines.”
“I plan to study accounting and hope to get my masters in it.”
Nico Woolsey
“I was asked to be on the cheer team by many of my classmates to do cheer because they knew I could do flips.”
“I really wanted to continue cheering, and the team at UW seemed like the perfect way to do so.”
“I’m most looking forward to improving as a cheerleader and getting to practice with all of the new people I’ll meet.”
“I’m not sure what I plan to study yet.”
