“Being able to try a sport that isn’t a performing sport has always been something I wanted to do, and stunt was a perfect opportunity,” said freshman Isabella Xing.
For her, joining the stunt team was a natural choice after spending her first semester doing cheerleading.
“I was inspired to join stunt because I did cheer and a lot of girls from cheer do stunt,” Xing said. “But mostly I thought it would be really cool to be part of a sport that actually competes, instead of just cheering on the sidelines.”
Unlike cheerleading, stunt is a competitive activity. Teams perform complicated and technical fast-paced routines in order to show off their capabilities. Stunt is more focused on physical feats rather than artistic factors, but of course aesthetic value is considered when creating routines.
The team runs a tight schedule to make sure athletes are properly prepared for competition.
“Typically we have practices on Monday and Wednesday and games on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every other week we have Saturday practices. In those practices we run routines and condition,” Xing said.
As with every student athlete comes the struggle of balancing sports with academics. Xing prioritizes time management in order to make sure that she’s keeping up with both aspects of her life.
“Since I’m only a freshman my classes are pretty easy and I don’t have much homework. But when it does conflict and I have a big test the day after a long practice I always plan in advance,” Xing said. “Time management is really important to me.”
For Xing the most memorable part of the season are the home games.
“Our most memorable game has definitely been our home game. We only have one a season so it is really special. The atmosphere and vibes are unmatched and it was really fun [this year],” Xing said. “Seeing the stands filled with people who support Oak Park stunt was a very special experience.”
Ultimately Xing hopes that stunt, as a relatively new sport, becomes more recognized.
“Most importantly to me is I hope that our stunt team grows more recognition and respect from other people. So hopefully more people can start to understand exactly what stunt is and how it works,” Xing said.
