Only great things can be said about Wilcox’s only male cheerleader, Kilmer Guardado-Cruz. After becoming interested in cheerleading in his freshman year, Guardado-Cruz tried out for Wilcox cheer team his junior year. Ever since then, Guardado-Cruz has fallen in love with dancing and cheering as a part of Wilcox Cheer Team. Guardado-Cruz fell in love with the sport halfway through the season in his junior year, practicing every day, and loving the feeling of helping others learning the move of the dances performed by the Cheer Team. “I want to be a Cheer coach” Guardado-Cruz states, explaining he loves to help the other cheerleaders learn and practice the moves.

Aside from his love of dancing, Guardado-Cruz uses cheer as a stress relief. “Cheer distracts you from the world” he explains. He loves the feeling he gets before preforming, not knowing what will happen when Wilcox Cheer team steps out in front of everyone and preforms their well-rehearsed routines. Now as the cheer team’s president, Guardado-Cruz is looked up to by the other Cheer team members. “He is the best choreographer. The cheer team loves him” Explains some of the cheer team. “He has a great personality [and] he is really inspiring.”

Outside of Cheer, Guardado-Cruz is also involved in Latino Student Union, Black Student Union, Touch of Aloha, and Link Crew. You can also spot Guardado-Cruz helping choreograph the dances for Black and Blue Olympics and Fantastics, and performing at the annual multicultural fair. Known as another smiling face on campus as well, Guardado-Cruz was crowned homecoming prince.

Now as the cheer team’s president, Guardado-Cruz is looked up to by the other Cheer team members. “He is the best choreographer. The cheer team loves him” Explains some of the cheer team. “He has a great personality [and] he is really inspiring”

In his second year of cheer, Coach Michelle, who had not coached Guardado-Cruz before, immediately recognized him as a leader. “He likes to take control” Coach Michelle states. “He overall has a fun aura about him. He is full of life.” And to his coaches, being the only male cheerleader is not the only thing different about him. Coach Michelle and Coach Bunny both describe him as someone who is always thinks ahead, something they have rarely seen in high school athletes. Coach Michelle also describes Guardado-Cruz as someone who “goes above and beyond”, whether it is helping others, or trying to perfect his routine.

Although only his second year of cheer, Coach Michelle know Guardado-Cruz has not only improved in cheer, but has also learned a lot of life and leadership skills along the way. During, the cheer team faced many difficult obstacles throughout the season. However, Guardado-Cruz was always there to lift the spirits of the squad. “He was very supportive” Coach Michelle states, explaining that Guardado-Cruz would recite famous quotes to lift the spirits and inspire the members of Cheer team. Along with helping the team get through difficult times, Guardado-Cruz’s leadership skills and cheer skills made him an irreplaceable member of the cheer squad.