Welcome to Flash Focus! In this series, we introduce you to fascinating student Flashes from all walks of life.
Meet Addison Sharrow and Essence Holloway, the 5X社区 cheer team co-captains. Sharrow is a senior health and physical education major from Catawissa, Pennsylvania. Holloway is a senior sports medicine major from Columbus, Ohio.
Both captains have fitting majors for being student-athletes.
鈥淗ealth and physical education is a perfect fit for me,鈥 Sharrow told Kent State Today. 鈥淚 love working with kids, and I can stay active and make an impact on the generations coming up.鈥
鈥淚 chose this major because I always knew I wanted to do something in sports,鈥 Holloway said, 鈥渂ut I wanted to take a different approach to it. The mental health aspect of sports is not talked about enough, usually at all, so I wanted to be a part of bringing more awareness to the psychological aspect through all sports.鈥
As cheerleaders, they devote a lot of time to their sport. The pair are heavily involved in cheerleading outside of Kent State, as well. Sharrow works for the National Cheerleading Association, while Holloway owns a cheer gym in her hometown.
鈥淭here are no exact words for what this job means,鈥 Sharrow said. 鈥淭he best people in the sport of cheer from all over the U.S. are handpicked to be a part of the staff. The staff becomes a true family, and you're surrounded by like-minded individuals. We go all over the U.S. teaching anything cheer-related.鈥
It鈥檚 in Holloway鈥檚 nature to support those on her team, but it shows true leadership to support other teams.
鈥淏eing on the cheer team last year and getting to cheer on every MAC champion women鈥檚 game and watching them win was a really fun experience,鈥 Holloway said.
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