Youth Profile: Jefferson cheerleader leads through service

First Posted: 3/8/2014

DELPHOS — It took medication injections in her back to be able to perform this year, but for Delphos Jefferson senior and cheerleading captain Tori Suever, her experience as a cheerleader at the high school during the past four years was worth the pain.

“I just love the positive atmosphere,” she said. “And the way we do it is always challenging, since you try to grow and build upon what you already have.”

Suever’s injury, however, has been recurring for a long time, meaning that her days as a cheerleader may be behind her.

“I injured my back during my freshman year. It went away for a little while, but it’s flared back up. I cheered all of this year, and the university I want to attend does have a cheerleading program, but my injury hasn’t gone away. So I don’t think my body can handle it anymore.”

Despite this fact, Suever continued to maintain a connection with the world of cheer. Having volunteered with Upward for Youth, she had the opportunity to instill not just her cheerleading expertise, but also something even more valuable.

“We were teaching girls the fundamentals of cheerleading while using Scripture to help them in their relationship with Christ,” she said. “We have an hourlong practice a week, starting around November. We practice for about half an hour and then we have a 10-minute devotion where we go over a lesson. We learn about things like patience and kindness. Then after that time, they get cards with Scriptures they are supposed to learn. They then get stars for learning and participating in the devotion. I really love that program.”

Suever also works with children by working with first-graders in the elementary school. She enjoys that environment so much that she plans to attend Otterbein University to earn a degree in early childhood education. One of her passions is offering a positive example to those coming up after her.

“I like being a leader,” she said. “I want to be a role model that girls can look up to in a positive way. I like working with children and I want to build the foundation that they will build on during their lives.”

That capacity for leadership has served her well as captain of the cheerleading team as well as at last fall’s Canal Days, during which she was crowned as Canal Days Queen.

“It was a very good experience,” she said. “The council members were great. They teach you everything you need to know and they do not put you out there blind. You know exactly how everything’s going to go out there because you’ve rehearsed it a thousand time.”

Suever has also given of her time and talents to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Junior Optimists. Balancing all of those committments can be difficult, but she credits each organization with being willing to work around her schedule. She is also grateful to her school for giving her the opportunites to be so involved in the school and community, giving her a well-rounded high school experience.

“I think the school really encourages you to be involved in as much as you can, and that makes the high school experience so much better,” she said. “Delphos Jefferson is great in that they want what’s best for you and they’re willing to do whatever it takes to help you succeed.”

For Tori Suever, that’s something to cheer about.