Hailey Barker has been cheerleading ever since she was 3 after her mother introduced her to the sport. Now at 21, she is a Senior at the University of Louisville and is on their all girls cheer team. She is in her third year of cheering at U of L and cheers at the football, women’ s volleyball and women’ s basketball games.
“ I always loved the atmosphere of cheer,” Barker said.“ I love stunting. I loved tumbling when I was little, I love going around and flipping around. Then when I grew up, it also became the team part of the aspect.”
Barker has been cheering for about 17 years. She has won three Indiana state competitions, have placed second and third in national competitions for U of L and has won national championships through All Star Cheerleading.
Her mother was a cheerleader, she cheered through high school but not in college. Though in high school, Barker’ s mother did have James Speed, U of L’ s coed cheer coach, as her coach.
Her parents are very supportive of her cheerleading and go to every game and competition that Barker participates in.
“ They truly embrace the proudness of being a Louisville Cheerleader,” she said.“ It is a huge support system. My mom has paid so much for me to continue cheerleading.”
Bonds that Barker has made through cheer has become a sisterhood to her. The people she cheers with are her best friends and are the people she wants to spend time with.
This sisterhood was proven to her after experiencing a shoulder injury one year at U of L. Barker tore her labrum and fractured her shoulder. She had to get surgery and was out of cheering for nine months.
During her recovery, she was at every practice either sitting at the front and watching or doing what exercises she could do with her team. She was even able to cheer at the football games, but she could only cheer on the sidelines with her team and sit out for the stunts and the“ fun stuff” Barker said.
“ Whenever I got released, they( her team) were all there and cheering in a circle when I was able to do my very first stunt again,” she added.“ They were always asking me about my recovery, asking me if I needed anything, giving baskets before surgery days and checking in all the time. They were constantly there.”
LEFT: Here is Barker as a child winning one of her first cheerleading awards. RIGHT: Hailey Barker started cheerleading when she was 3 after her mother introduced her to it. Now at 21 she cheers for the all girls team at U of L.
Having them constantly check in and ask about her recovery made Barker feel like she was still a part of the team even though she was in recovery for nine months.
Barker is going to U of L and studying nursing, she wants to be a registered nurse, but she does not want to quit cheering. On top of cheering at U of L she has also been coaching throughout her time in college.
PAGE NO. 12 NEWS AND TRIBUNE SPORTS MAGAZINE MAY / JUNE 2025