By Payton Moody
VYPE: Who has been your favorite coach throughout your career and how did they impact you as a player?
Mattisyn Stone: My favorite coach would be Coach Gambol. She has been my cheer coach since seventh grade. Gambol has always been there to guide me, inspire me, and help me reach my full potential. I am blessed to have the positive relationship that exists between a coach and an athlete with her.
VYPE: Did you have any teammates that you admire or that supported you?
MS: I am grateful that I can say all of the cheerleaders, former and current, have supported me throughout the years, but my biggest supporters would have to be Mykah, my sister, Makyna, and Paris. These three girls have always been here for me and have never given up on me, or let me give up on myself.
VYPE: Who was your favorite teacher and how were they influential in your life?
MS: My favorite teacher would have to be Mrs. Hamilton, my sophomore English teacher. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am without her.
VYPE: What preparation have you taken this off-season to better equip yourself for the upcoming season?
MS: With my sport being cheer, there is no off season. We work hard all-year round. Mental preparation is something that every cheerleader has to work hard on. Cheerleading is hard, but it is also very rewarding, and that makes it worth it.
VYPE: What has your sport taught you that you use in your daily life?
MS: My sport has taught me many things. The biggest lesson cheerleading has taught me is that you have to be able to rely on yourself and your team. If it was not for the relationships with my girls, then cheer would not be as enjoyable or as rewarding as it is.
VYPE: What has been your favorite memory in your sport?
MS: My favorite cheer memory would be getting to go to Orlando, Florida to cheer for All-American. I had the privilege to cheer on Main Street at Disney World with eight hundred other cheerleaders, one being my sister. I wish I could relive that experience over and over again.
VYPE: What do you hope to accomplish this season (individual or team goals)?
MS: This year, I hope to accomplish many things. The biggest goal I have for myself and my team would be to win our Game Day competition in the fall. It is our first year competing, and I want to make it memorable.
VYPE: What matchup are you most looking forward to this season?
MS: I am most excited to see how well we do competing this year. We will go against many other 4A teams, and while it will be challenging, it will also be rewarding. I am also excited to watch our football boys play Broken Bow and to get to have our blacklight pep-assembly.
VYPE: What are your plans after high school?
MS: After I graduate high school, I plan on attending East Central University or the University of Central Oklahoma. I plan on getting my nursing degree and being either a NICU nurse or an Ultrasound Technician. With either path I end up choosing, I will use that degree and become a traveling nurse.
