The Michigan City High School Basketball team is practicing in the school gym on a Tuesday night. The players are shooting baskets on the gym floor, the coaches are talking to small huddled groups on the sidelines. Despite what it may seem, the basketball team aren’t the only group taking advantage of the open gym after school hours. On the second floor the school’s only cheer squad has their practice in the far left corner on blue mats. The loud cheers of “W-O-L-F P-A-C-K! We are the Wolf Pack!” can be heard just above the loud squeak of shoes against an unpolished floor. Two rows of high school girls flip, tumble, and spring up in the air in tight formations throughout the cheer - except for one.
Libby Heath, Michigan City High School senior, stands in the front like a crown jewel of the cheer squad. Clad in a white MCHS Cheer shirt, she lifts her arms, jumps, kicks her legs out and claps with the rhythm of the “Wolf Pack!”. After a few rounds of the cheer she stops to take a drink of water, smooths down her hair that’s gone haywire due to the static, and goes back to do it all over again. Libby exemplifies what it means to be a cheerleader - undoubting dedication, spunk, and a high watt smile. Libby is a cheerleader, and she loves it.
Libby is not only defined as a cheerleader, but she is also on unified track, a huge part of the school’s Champions Together program, loves to go to camp each summer, and enjoys being at basketball games with the girls on her team (which she says is tons better than football). On the day of my visit it was also Libby’s 18th birthday, which she helped celebrate by bringing two large boxes of cupcakes, enough for everyone to share. There’s always enough to go around.
It’s been three years since Libby became a part of Michigan City’s squad. She first got an idea of becoming a cheerleader when her brother joined City’s Pop Warner team and noticed all of the cheerleaders on the sidelines. As someone who’s always been a fan of dancing, and picked up on the cheers herself fairly quickly, she decided that it was an avenue that was worth pursuing. When high school came around it was an easy choice to try out to become a part of something she’s dreamt of. All it took was a simple audition, a dash of hope and hard work, and there Libby was - at home in a Wolves cheerleading uniform.
“It’s been really awesome to be on the team and make good friends with the girls.” Heath stated. “I really like [being on the team], it helps me keep my head in the game. Doing the cheers at the games has been the best part, but all of it is really good.”
Besides being a cheerleader there’s something else you should know about Libby. Libby is a special needs student. She’s highly functioning teenager who has the ability to be a part of many different “regular” activities. Her mental aspects never stopped her. Libby has good days, bad days, and mediocre days. But as those days come and go, Libby still puts everything she has into the things she loves the most. Libby is the first ever special needs student to be on City’s cheer team, and is seen as a “trailblazer” within the school for the many other firsts she’s overcome.
Beth Penfold, who has been the cheer coach during Libby’s three years on the team, stated that it’s Libby that really has made a great difference to the squad - not only due to her unprecedented spot on the team, but with her character.
“Libby really brings a sense of unity to the team - once she comes around everyone seems to come and work really well together.” Penfold stated. “Libby has a real sense of loyalty to the team. She knows where she stands amongst them - she always wants to be the bright shining star. She’s a senior now and it’s going to be a really strange experience not having her there front and center.”
McKenna Lowry, a fellow senior and Libby’s favorite girl on the team, explained that she sees no barriers between her and the other girls. Libby’s just an integral part of their group.
“It’s been really great being on the same team as her for the past three years and knowing that she’s not different from all of the rest of us. It’s really special having Libby here with us.” Lowry stated. “I’m glad to call her a friend. I don’t know what this team would be like if Libby wasn’t up there every game.”
Still, as she’s been a driving force for the team, she’s also been an inspiration to her school and her family. Libby hasn’t been trying to be the face of change within her small, local school. It just turned out that way. Libby is a cheerleader, track star, olympics champion and student. Libby’s disabilities shouldn’t the thing that characterizes her.
“Libby has changed the face of what people think of disabilities at this school. She has opened people’s eyes to truly see that she, and other kids like her, belong on the front lines - not just on the sidelines.” Jenny Heath, Libby’s mother, explains. “She’s a funny kid, she’s got a great character and drive to be committed to what she does. She is that person first, and her disabilities are second. Disabilities don’t define who a person is, and that’s certainly true for Libby.”
Finally, after a couple hours, practice finally ends. Libby goes to help the other girls put away the mats, finishes her cupcake, and rolls up her senior banner that she received that night. The girls wave to her goodbye and wish her a happy birthday as she slips out of her sneakers and puts on her boots in preparation for walking out to the cold parking lot. It is only half way through the basketball season, but as this marks Libby’s last round as a cheerleader, it’s a bittersweet last few weeks. Whether it be at a girls game, boys game, or just being a part of Michigan City’s high school, Libby’s there as a welcoming presence to each activity. As Libby’s last part of her high school career comes to a close, it’s for certain that there will be a large pom-pom shaped hole in Michigan City cheer team for years to come.