Valliant’s Roberta Suhr
Roberta “Wawa” Suhr believes cheering on the Valliant cheer program is about much more than supporting her granddaughter. It’s about supporting a group of hardworking young women she has watched grow, succeed and represent their school with pride.
As the grandmother of Abriana “Roo” Suhr, Roberta has been a familiar face in the stands since Roo’s days in the Valliant Youth Association program. She followed her through middle school and now into her third year as a member of the Valliant High School cheer squad.
Over the years, Suhr has developed a deep appreciation for everything the cheerleaders do.
“Cheer is much more than what people see on Friday nights,” she said.
While fans see the smiles and school spirit at games, Suhr knows there is a tremendous amount of work happening behind the scenes. The cheerleaders spend countless hours practicing, attending camps, working with choreographers and participating in fundraisers throughout the year. Because practices are held outside the school day, the athletes dedicate many evenings each week to improving their skills.
That dedication has paid off. The Valliant cheer team has placed sixth at the state competition for the past two years and is already working hard to improve on that accomplishment this season.
But for Suhr, the team’s impact goes beyond competition results.
She loves the way the cheerleaders support every athletic program, lead pep rallies and help create excitement throughout the school. During football season, they even greet elementary students as they arrive at school on game days.
“They are enthusiastic, dedicated, resilient and hardworking,” Suhr said. “They represent our school and community so well.”
She is also quick to praise coach Stephanie Coulter, whose dedication has helped shape the program into what it is today.
One of Suhr’s favorite memories was seeing the cheerleaders recognized alongside football players through the school’s Adopt-a-Bulldog program. The recognition was a reminder that cheerleaders play an important role in the success and spirit of the school.
As for her own contribution, Suhr keeps it simple.
“I show up, support the team and cheer for our cheerleaders every chance I get,” she said. And if you ask the girls on the squad, having Wawa in the stands cheering them on is pretty special, too.
