High school student Kaylee Bazzle gains experience of a lifetime

Hot Springs County High School senior, Kaylee Bazzle, has been a member of the Bobcat Cheer Squad since her freshman year. Each summer, the squad attends a training camp, somewhere in the state of Wyoming, to build their skills, and to take on new opportunities to excel in their sport.

Last summer, the squad went to cheer camp in Cokeville, where Kaylee was given an opportunity to try out for a spot on the All American Cheer Squad. At Cokeville, twenty-three cheerleaders competed for six open positions on the national team.

Following the try-outs, Kaylee was chosen to fill one of those select positions. And with that, she would have the opportunity to see, and to experience, parts of the world she had never known.

As a member of the All American Cheer Squad, Kaylee was able to spend a week in Philadelphia, Pa., to participate in the Thanksgiving Parade, and then had two weeks in Honolulu, Hawaii, for the Pearl Harbor Memorial events. Finally, the big trip was to Rome, Italy for New Years celebrations, where the squad, once again, was given an opportunity to represent the United States, and to perform in a major parade.

As a member of the HSCHS squad, Kaylee recently competed at the Wyoming State Championships, where the Bobcats team placed third, after completing a routine that garnered no point deductions.

Looking back on her cheering experience, Kaylee stated: “I’m really proud of our squad. We performed well at state, and the experience was good for the team.”

As for her travels with the All American Cheer Squad: “I really enjoyed the chance to see and experience other cultures. I got to meet some really interesting people, and made some life-long friendships. The art and history in Rome was amazing – it all kind of made my head spin.”

In the typical, generous fashion of our small community, many local residents and businesses helped to raise funds to allow Kaylee to attend the All American Cheer events.

In recognition of those efforts, and as a means to communicate her gratitude for the assistance, Kaylee put together a “sponsors jacket”, bearing the names and logos of those who contributed to the pursuit of her time with All American Cheer, which she wears with pride, when out and about in town.

Kaylee will graduate this spring, and intends to spend a “gap year” working in construction, utilizing the CDL she is currently pursuing, and saving money for college, where she hopes to major in the performing arts.