Feature Story - Kendall Courtney

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — Orange Beach High School sophomore Kendall Courtney earned her
second consecutive state cheerleading championship this month, helping the Makos secure a
title in every year she has been on the team.

Courtney, only 15, said the win was the result of consistent work rather than any single standout
moment. “People see the two-minute routine, but they don’t see the hours behind it,” she said.
“This season was easily the hardest we’ve trained. Everyone pushed each other.”

Head coach Kaylee Hoyle said the team’s improvement came from its approach to practice.
“They came in every day ready to work,” she said. “It wasn’t always perfect, but they stayed
focused. Kendall sets the tone by showing up early and staying after when she needs to.”
According to teammates, the week leading into state was one of their most the most challenging
and demanding. The team completed 26 full-out routines, a number Courtney said was “so tiring
but worth it.”

“You can’t fake conditioning in cheer,” she said. “By the time we hit the mat at state, we knew we
were prepared.”

The Makos will compete at Nationals in January, shifting quickly from celebrating their
back-to-back titles to preparing for a higher level of competition. Hoyle said the team is already
adjusting its routines and increasing conditioning.

“There’s not much downtime in this sport,” Hoyle said. “We’re proud of what we accomplished,
but Nationals is a different stage. If we want to be competitive there, we have to keep raising our
own expectations.”

Courtney said the transition is part of what she enjoys most. “Winning state is great,” she said.
“But seeing how much we’ve grown as a team—that’s the part that really matters going into
Nationals.”