Amy Turner tells us about her time as a cheerleader within the Durham University Cheerleading Squad. Amy was able to train as a member of the team during her final year at Durham thanks to the St John’s College Student Opportunities Fund.
Having no previous cheerleading experience prior to university, competing with St John’s cheerleading team in my first year was an enriching experience. This ignited my passion for competitive cheerleading therefore, joining Durham Divas last year was a natural progression and has been one of the most rewarding experiences during my time at Durham.
With the support of the team, this opportunity has not only allowed me to advance my individual cheerleading skills, but to meet students from across the university, whilst giving me the confidence to independently run the annual Intercollegiate Cheerleading Competition at Durham. An event that was such an integral part of my own college cheerleading career. In addition, it gave me the confidence to begin coaching St John’s College Cheerleading team, who watching compete at the event was a particular highlight of my year. Although sometimes challenging, I have loved every training session as a member of the Divas team and have enjoyed watching the squad excel at both BCA and ICC national championships, under the outstanding guidance of both the divas coach and club captains.
I am extremely grateful for all the amazing experiences gained as a member of Divas during my time at Durham and want to thank the Opportunities Fund for helping to cover the cost of my membership.
John's Chronicle 