Now that Homecoming is over for this year, I think back on some of the experiences I had in high school and how they differ from today. This trip down memory lane is always a wonderful adventure for me. I loved my school days, elementary, junior high and high school. I loved high school so much I am still here.
W. B. Ray High School has always felt like home. I am from a family of nine with seven children. I have four older brothers who all preceded me at Ray. My mother was the Corpus Christi PTA president for many years. I remember that Dana Williams, the Superintendent, and Dr. Norman, Ray’s principal would have dinner at our house to discuss school business. Mrs. Donna Custer was a neighbor and a second mother to me. She was a School Board member. I was very comfortable at school and knew many of the key personnel at the time.
I was highly active in high school. I kept very busy and always had to manage my time. Ray only had sophomores, juniors and seniors when I attended. To be a cheerleader, we tried out at the end of sophomore year and could only be a two-year cheerleader. I was one of the girls to try out.
Try-outs were in front of the student body. They were TOUGH. Starting under basket in the gym on the alley side, the principal, Dr. Norman, introduced me to the student body. I made a tumbling pass across the gym floor, back flip-flips ending in a back flip. I jump to the center of the gym floor and do a cheer. After three jumps, I tumble to the area under the other basket. There I complete three jumps and cheering, “Go Big Red!” “Texans Fight” and anything else I could think of. Then, I tumble to the front corner. This pass was usually an aerial cartwheel. Again, jumps and cheers. Then, a tumbling pass back to the center of the gym floor where I will lead the student body in a cheer. The cheer incorporates a flip into the splits at the end. This is where I can catch a breather while staying in the splits for a couple of seconds. Next, I tumble to the other front corner with cheers and jumps. FINALLY, I tumble off towards the hallway. One of the older cheerleaders told me I had to go off with at least three back handsprings and three jumps while cheering. That is exactly what I did.
After the individual portion of the try-outs, all of the candidates went to the center of the floor to do a cheer and a choreographed cheer. After try-outs, we went through the day. I felt confident that I had done my best. At the end of the day, all of the cheer candidates went to the girl’s locker room upstairs in the gym. Before going into the room, I went to the restroom. Jenny, one of the senior cheerleaders was washing her hands. On her way out, she kissed me on the cheek. That is the moment I knew I was a W. B. Ray Fighting Texan cheerleader. I loved it then at 16, and I love it now at 59.