BRITTANY GATES : Cheerleader & More
story by Cindy Reid photos by John Wollwerth
Beaufort Lifestyle recently caught up with dynamic high school senior Brittany Gates, varsity cheerleader (and more) at Battery Creek High School. Born and raised in Beaufort, South Carolina to parents Tony and Nicole Gates, she has been representing Battery Creek High School and cheering on the Dolphins for the past two years.
Brittany says “I was a cheerleader when I was younger and then I went on to other things for a few years. But two years ago I wanted to be involved with cheerleading again so I tried out at my school, Battery Creek High School, for the varsity team.” She says, “I went out for cheerleading because it is something fun to do and you help represent the school. Plus I love football and basketball!”
About the varsity cheerleading team she says, “They are a great group of girls, I love our team! We work hard and we have lots of fun too. We have our bonding moments, one of my favorites is on game days we go to one team member’s house to get dressed, listen to music, and get ready for the game. We really bond when we go to away games, because sometimes it is a long ride and we just hang out and talk on the bus. My teammates are such great girls and so is our coach, Alexis Butterfield.”
Varsity cheerleading tryouts are held twice a year and you have to reach a certain score to make the team. Brittany says, “I was a little nervous but I have tried out for many activities for a lot of years so it wasn’t too bad.” Brittany juggles many other demanding activities besides cheerleading. She has been in competitive dance for sixteen years, in the jazz, lyrical and tap dancing categories, as well in acting and modeling competitions.
Also a musician, Brittany has been a member of her middle school, and then high school band for six years. She plays bass drum and percussion and said she took up drums because “My band teacher in middle school said give them a try, and when I did I realized I really liked playing drums.”
A senior this year, she says she is “trying to get in at Clemson, my dream school, or Auburn. I like Auburn because it has cheer and dance opportunities. I have toured Clemson, which is a beautiful campus, and will tour Auburn soon. I would love to be a cheerleader and involved with dance in college. I am looking forward to college, but it will be so sad to be leaving the team at the end of the year.”
What do people not know about cheerleading?
She says, “That we actually work hard! People think it looks so easy. But we are very athletic. We are conditioned, by running and by working out. It’s also mental work, because we have to memorize every cheer. I think there is over 50 on our cheer list. It’s a lot to memorize but you have to know each and every one because when a cheer is called you have to be ready to go and know what you are doing!”
Being on the cheerleading team also is a big commitment of time. Brittany says, “During football season we practice Monday through Thursday and have a game on Friday.” The cheer team participates in the full schedule, she says, “We go to every away game. During basketball season, the games are during the week, but we still either practice or have a game day five days a week.”
When asked what she does with her ‘free time’, i.e. time not spent at cheerleading practice, working out, going to games, being in band, or working on a dance routine, Brittany says she is very involved with Young Life, a youth Christian organization and is currently the Battery Creek High School YL leader.
Anything else?
Brittany laughs and says, “I go to work!” She has just started a job at Buffalo Wild Wings and says, “I love it!”
And her favorite place in Beaufort? Easy answer she says, “The Sands in Port Royal. So quiet and peaceful most of the time, I love it there.”
For further information and game schedule: https://bchs.beaufortschools.
Brittany says “I was a cheerleader when I was younger and then I went on to other things for a few years. But two years ago I wanted to be involved with cheerleading again so I tried out at my school, Battery Creek High School, for the varsity team.” She says, “I went out for cheerleading because it is something fun to do and you help represent the school. Plus I love football and basketball!”
About the varsity cheerleading team she says, “They are a great group of girls, I love our team! We work hard and we have lots of fun too. We have our bonding moments, one of my favorites is on game days we go to one team member’s house to get dressed, listen to music, and get ready for the game. We really bond when we go to away games, because sometimes it is a long ride and we just hang out and talk on the bus. My teammates are such great girls and so is our coach, Alexis Butterfield.”
Varsity cheerleading tryouts are held twice a year and you have to reach a certain score to make the team. Brittany says, “I was a little nervous but I have tried out for many activities for a lot of years so it wasn’t too bad.” Brittany juggles many other demanding activities besides cheerleading. She has been in competitive dance for sixteen years, in the jazz, lyrical and tap dancing categories, as well in acting and modeling competitions.
Also a musician, Brittany has been a member of her middle school, and then high school band for six years. She plays bass drum and percussion and said she took up drums because “My band teacher in middle school said give them a try, and when I did I realized I really liked playing drums.”
A senior this year, she says she is “trying to get in at Clemson, my dream school, or Auburn. I like Auburn because it has cheer and dance opportunities. I have toured Clemson, which is a beautiful campus, and will tour Auburn soon. I would love to be a cheerleader and involved with dance in college. I am looking forward to college, but it will be so sad to be leaving the team at the end of the year.”
What do people not know about cheerleading?
She says, “That we actually work hard! People think it looks so easy. But we are very athletic. We are conditioned, by running and by working out. It’s also mental work, because we have to memorize every cheer. I think there is over 50 on our cheer list. It’s a lot to memorize but you have to know each and every one because when a cheer is called you have to be ready to go and know what you are doing!”
Being on the cheerleading team also is a big commitment of time. Brittany says, “During football season we practice Monday through Thursday and have a game on Friday.” The cheer team participates in the full schedule, she says, “We go to every away game. During basketball season, the games are during the week, but we still either practice or have a game day five days a week.”
When asked what she does with her ‘free time’, i.e. time not spent at cheerleading practice, working out, going to games, being in band, or working on a dance routine, Brittany says she is very involved with Young Life, a youth Christian organization and is currently the Battery Creek High School YL leader.
Anything else?
Brittany laughs and says, “I go to work!” She has just started a job at Buffalo Wild Wings and says, “I love it!”
And her favorite place in Beaufort? Easy answer she says, “The Sands in Port Royal. So quiet and peaceful most of the time, I love it there.”
For further information and game schedule: https://bchs.beaufortschools.
