IRELAND JOHNSON CHEER SPOTLIGHT

Clear Creek Amana’s cheer team highlights their many stunts for this year’s football season games. Photo by Jake Rippe.

Ireland Johnson is a junior at Clear Creek Amana High School. Johnson is the cheer co-captain for football and captain for wrestling. She has been cheering since freshman year, starting out with cheering for all seasons, which include football, basketball, and wrestling; and moving into football and wrestling. For Johnson, “captain” is more than just a title; it means helping the team advance and helping to create new opportunities and cheers for the team. 

This is Johnson’s third year in cheer and she feels they have grown a lot in those three years. “Since my freshman year, we have tried more complicated cheers and gotten to do bigger stunts,” Johnson said. She is proud of how the team has grown and is ready to help it grow even more, but also the progress they have made like the harder cheers and the new prep they have been working on.

When asked about how she's settling into her new position as team captain, Johnson stated that “The transition into being captain has actually been pretty easy,” Johnson says, “my team has been very supportive”. Johnson has enjoyed being able to lead the team alongside her co-captain and leading the crowd in supporting CCA.

With the return of Friday night football, the Clear Creek Amana cheer team makes their mark for this season. Photo by Gabi Henriquez.

In her interview, Johnson shouted out a few people that have helped her in her journey, like Coach Sharon Johnson for helping her get the hang of things that come with being captain. Kailee Carver is the other captain. “[She] has given me support as my co-captain and been an easy person to work with.” The athletic director Ashley Iehl-Brown has “supported the cheer team so much, helped us out with funding, and made sure the season runs smoothly while everyone follows the rules.”

Even though it is just the start of the year, Johnson is excited for how it has been going, what this year is going to bring, and how the team will improve throughout the year.