GOOD HOPE, Ala. — In this interview, I talked to one of Good Hope’s former cheer captains, Allie Sartin. Allie made a lot of great friends and had plenty of great stories from her time at Good Hope.
“Some of my favorite cheerleading memories that stood out was junior year at Nationals, when we found out that we finished third in the nation. That was one of the most exciting times because you actually realize you’re a part of the whole nation and you’re actually that good,” Sartin said. “The rush of excitement at competitions; that was always fun to me. Cheering for our football team against Etowah and Northside and accomplishing those big wins in those exciting environments; those were two of the more memorable times.”
She added,
“I just really loved spending time with my cheer family, creating those small moments. We went to the lake together one time. We always loved going to the beach with our coach. The small memories you made during practices; I always loved doing that. I loved the senior prank that we did. It was like playing as a little kid again with all of the balloons. I always had fun when homecoming came around. I just loved being around my friends during the day, creating those small moments. Another great high school memory was walking through Good Hope one last time. I liked doing that to see the looks on all the kids’ faces and my teachers’ faces.”
Allie feels blessed to have worked with an amazing cheer coach (Brandy Lowe) for seven years and she learned so much from her.
“She really wasn’t there just to be a coach, but to be more of a role model for us,” Sartin said. “She’s very hard-working. She cares for all of us, and she would do anything for us, so she’s very selfless. She was always there when I needed her. If any tough times came, she was always there for me. She just wanted the best for us. She definitely made us work hard and didn’t make everything so easy, but she always knew how capable we were and believed in us the whole time. I really enjoyed having her as my coach. She helped me prepare for my future. She taught me how to push myself and be a better version of myself.”
Allie earned a spot as one of the captains on the cheerleading team and taught the younger cheerleaders so many things.
“Being a captain was definitely an honor. Having that role helped me in my life also and it taught me how to be more positive, help people, and learn the leadership skills that you need in life. I loved being captain for just the wonderful team that they were. I taught them to never give up, always believe in yourself, stay positive, and enjoy every little moment,” Sartin said.
Good Hope will hold a very special place in Allie’s heart and she’ll carry a lot of lessons with her from her time spent there.
“I went to Good Hope my whole life. The bonds I created through the school was a lot like family and I’ll never forget the relationships as well. I just felt so much support throughout the community. The environment of Good Hope was something I enjoyed so much. Good Hope definitely taught me a lot just throughout life and it definitely helped shape me into the lady that I am. It helped me work hard to achieve my goals and a lot just to create good friendships,” Sartin said.
Allie will miss going to Good Hope and gave some advice to the upcoming students that will be starting high school next month.
“I will miss my friends deeply. I will miss cheering on the sidelines and in the bleachers. Just not being a part of Good Hope will definitely be missed,” Sartin said. “My advice to them would be enjoy the little moments and don’t wish time by. Make as many friends and fun memories that you can. These last few years will be one of the best years that you will experience.”
Copyright 2022 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
