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\u201cCheer is an emotional and mental sport,\u201d Pullen said. \u201cYou constantly think everything you do is wrong or not good enough, so hearing that I had received a scholarship made me very excited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They\u2019ll cheer this fall at the University of Tennessee Southern, bringing a deep gratitude for the team and town that raised them. One memory they both treasure: a cheer competition trip to Virginia Beach, where their team placed first. \u201cIt meant a lot to us because we all worked hard to accomplish that,\u201d Hampton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coach Murray remembers their early days. \u201cThey were quiet and reserved. Throughout their time with me, I have watched them become outgoing and role models. They are both quiet leaders, leading their team by example.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She hopes their story is just the beginning. \u201cI pray they\u2019re not the last,\u201d Murray said. \u201cTheir achievements show younger cheerleaders at FHS that hard work, dedication, and teamwork pay off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That message is already on Hampton\u2019s heart. \u201cI feel honored. I want to set an example,\u201d she said. \u201cI would tell younger cheerleaders to always chase their dreams no matter what. Don\u2019t base what you do on what other people are doing. Be yourself, and work hard to get what you want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pullen\u2019s advice: \u201cMake the most of every moment. Show up, even when you don\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hampton plans to major in nursing with a minor in coaching. Pullen looks forward to stunting more and seeing where cheer takes her next. What they both carry forward is a sense of belonging to their team, to their families, and to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlways keep your head held high,\u201d Hampton said. \u201cRemain positive and make sure God is a constant in your life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same hands that steadied each other in their first stunts will now lift them into a new chapter. The bond they built in Fayetteville isn\u2019t staying behind \u2014 it\u2019s going with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two graduates. One legacy. Still side by side. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" FAYETTEVILLE HIGH School\u2019s Class of 2025 turned their tassels this spring, but for Za\u2019Lea Hampton and Akeelah Pullen, the milestone marked a new beginning, not an end. They graduated with cheer scholarships in hand. According to their coach, Rose Murray, they were among some of the first in school history to continue cheering at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":24370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/fayetteville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/4-3-1024x683.jpg\")