Senior Spotlights: Maggie Ezzell and Cade Trinkle

Maggie Ezzell is a senior at Walnut Grove High School, she cheers on the varsity sideline and varsity competition team. She has been cheering here for 3 years and she loves it. Cade Trinkle is a senior at Walnut Grove high school and plays multiple sports such as Football, Basketball, and Baseball. He has been here at the campus for 4 years and loves baseball the most.
by Makayla Bryson and Lucas Bell

(photo courtesy of Arrowhead Yearbook Staff)

Maggie Ezzell
Maggie is a senior at Walnut Grove High School. She is on the varsity football sideline and the varsity competition team. Maggie has always loved being an athlete and has always been very dedicated with everything she does. When Maggie was a sophomore, she decided she wanted to try something new and tried out for cheerleading. Ever since Maggie made the team she has loved cheering.

A lot of things come with this sport, but Maggie said that her favorite things about it are, “competition cheer, and I like to stunt and tumble.” Maggie loves the things that come with the competition team. Stunting and tumbling are some of Maggie’s favorite parts about being on the competition team. Other than stunting and tumbling Maggie also loves the bonds she has made with the girls on her team. Over the past three years of being on the team Maggie has made some great friends.

Even though Maggie loves cheer there are some parts that are not so great. Maggie said that the hardest part about cheer is “the mental part, because you get in your head and compare yourself to people.” Even though Maggie loves cheer, parts can be difficult and she can get overwhelmed at times. Maggie said her least favorite thing about cheer is “early morning practice.” Waking up early before school to practice hard is not fun. Cheerleading is a great sport and is very fun but at times there are really hard parts about it. Maggie tries to block out all the hard parts with all of the great things about cheerleading. 

Maggie has loved cheerleading ever since she started it. Once she made the team she knew that she would end up loving it. Although cheer is hard sometimes, all of the friends and the memories Maggie has made have made it worth it.

---

(photo courtesy of Cady Studios)

Cade Trinkle
Cade is a star at his sport. He's a utility player, so that means he can play anywhere he wants, but he prefers not to play 1st or catcher. His dad was the reason he got into the sport. Cade said, “If it wasn't for my dad, I wouldn't be where I am now.” His dad is the person that signed him up for baseball and motivated him to keep playing after every game. No matter how bad Cade wanted to quit when he was younger, his dad drove him to keep playing. Now that Cade is older, he's realized how much more different the game is. It's not about the numbers on the scoreboard. It's a mental game. Cade has always been rough on himself with that and has thought about quitting a few times, but he knows success doesn't come easy. As he goes through these games he knows he will always have people   supporting him whether it's on or off the field. Cade said, “Friends and teammates are what help me get my mind back on track.” 

Cade has trained a lot for this sport. He said growing up it was all he would do if he weren't hanging out with friends or family. Baseball is probably one of the hardest sports to become “Perfect”: Cade however, strives for it. He would always go to the gym, eat as much as he could, practice almost every day all day, and would fight the mind games he would put on himself.

​He's come so far into this sport and this is his last season playing before he graduates. He said he most likely isn't going into adulthood with baseball. He said “I'm going to be a Lineman after I graduate.” He thinks he should just be a role model for the younger generation of sports players and should leave the jersey in a better place. Even though he spent all that money and practiced all those hours, he thinks it's finally time to put it to rest after his final season of highschool ball.

Cade tried to play other sports. When he first started high school, he tried out for football and was really good at it, but he felt like it didn't suit him. He tried basketball and he was phenomenal at it, but it impacted his baseball schedule way too thoroughly. He decided to just finish with baseball to end his high school career, and he thinks he made the right decision. 

---