Jersey Girl: Katie Bernard aka ItsKatieBaby - In Her Words
Jersey Girl: Katie Bernard aka ItsKatieBaby - In Her Words
This weekend the Garden State Championships' 2nd competition in the Quest for the Best series is in full action in Lincroft, New Jersey and FloCheer will be
This weekend the Garden State Championships' 2nd competition in the Quest for the Best series is in full action in Lincroft, New Jersey and FloCheer will be live streaming the event. It’s held on Sunday, which is Valentine’s day, and every athlete is sure to leave their heart on the floor with the passion and energy they give to their routines. New Jersey is known for having some great cheer programs and specifically some really talented athletes. We were fortunate to spend some time with well known, local girl, World Cup Shooting Star, Katie Bernard. She is admired for her flying abilities and shines front center in nearly every routine she’s in. She gave us some some insight into her life as a Level 5 World Champion!
Katie, how old were you when you started cheering?
I was 3 years old when I started cheering.
Did you start out doing gymnastics or go directly into cheer?
I started with cheer.
Do you have a coach that has pushed you the most and helped you develop into the athlete you are today?
My coach Markus Best from my old gym, New Jersey Spirit Explosion, coached me from the time I was a small peanut. No matter which gym I’m at he still pushes me to get better whether it’s working on skills or outside of cheer.
Which part of cheerleading do you enjoy the most?
I think what I enjoy the most is making memories with my teammates and all the close bonds I’ve made. Most people haven’t had the opportunities I’ve had in cheerleading and I can take these memories and friends even after I graduate and that’s something I would never want to give up!
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/-ZpiXpv5Yi/?taken-by=itskatiebabey" hide_caption="0"]
How many times have you competed at Worlds?
I’ve competed at Worlds three times but I’ve been to Worlds five times.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/x5kQiVP5Zd/?taken-by=itskatiebabey" hide_caption="0"]
Do you have a memory from Worlds that you will take with you forever?
The memory I will take from Worlds is winning Worlds with my team last year. I know how much work we put into it and I know how much pressure was on us so that was great.
Tell us what a typical week is like leading up to Worlds?
The week before Worlds we spend every single day at the gym. That wasn’t by choice but our coaches pushed us to do that. But once we all got to the gym, all we wanted to do was practice as much as we could because we had worked so hard all season to get there we didn’t want to just give up. Outside the days we practice I go to the gym on those days as well and work out for 1-2 hours.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/d-_1-OP5Wj/?taken-by=itskatiebabey" hide_caption="0"]
Do you hope to cheer in college?
I do hope to cheer in college but I’m planning on going into nursing and that might be a lot of pressure. So I’m going to cheer if I can, but I’m definitely going to be focused on my schooling.
Is there a life lesson you’ve learned from cheerleading that has impacted your life forever?
Katie, how old were you when you started cheering?
I was 3 years old when I started cheering.
Did you start out doing gymnastics or go directly into cheer?
I started with cheer.
Do you have a coach that has pushed you the most and helped you develop into the athlete you are today?
My coach Markus Best from my old gym, New Jersey Spirit Explosion, coached me from the time I was a small peanut. No matter which gym I’m at he still pushes me to get better whether it’s working on skills or outside of cheer.
Which part of cheerleading do you enjoy the most?
I think what I enjoy the most is making memories with my teammates and all the close bonds I’ve made. Most people haven’t had the opportunities I’ve had in cheerleading and I can take these memories and friends even after I graduate and that’s something I would never want to give up!
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/-ZpiXpv5Yi/?taken-by=itskatiebabey" hide_caption="0"]
How many times have you competed at Worlds?
I’ve competed at Worlds three times but I’ve been to Worlds five times.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/x5kQiVP5Zd/?taken-by=itskatiebabey" hide_caption="0"]
Do you have a memory from Worlds that you will take with you forever?
The memory I will take from Worlds is winning Worlds with my team last year. I know how much work we put into it and I know how much pressure was on us so that was great.
Tell us what a typical week is like leading up to Worlds?
The week before Worlds we spend every single day at the gym. That wasn’t by choice but our coaches pushed us to do that. But once we all got to the gym, all we wanted to do was practice as much as we could because we had worked so hard all season to get there we didn’t want to just give up. Outside the days we practice I go to the gym on those days as well and work out for 1-2 hours.
[instagram url="https://www.instagram.com/p/d-_1-OP5Wj/?taken-by=itskatiebabey" hide_caption="0"]
Do you hope to cheer in college?
I do hope to cheer in college but I’m planning on going into nursing and that might be a lot of pressure. So I’m going to cheer if I can, but I’m definitely going to be focused on my schooling.
Is there a life lesson you’ve learned from cheerleading that has impacted your life forever?
I think the lesson that has impacted me the most is that my coaches always told me to look for the good in things. Even in tough losses or tough situations to find the best in everything. Keep smiling and being positive because if you can’t be positive you’ll never get anywhere!