Get to know Oak Ridge cheerleader Ariana Wittenberg

EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. — Ariana Wittenberg, 17, has participated in gymnastics, dance, and indoor soccer since she was young. Her background in dance and love of gymnastics led her to join competitive cheer in 2017. After a season of cheering with Oak Ridge Junior Trojans in 6th grade, she tried out for the Flip & Twist All Star team here in EDH. All it took was one season with Flip & Twist and she was hooked. She fell in love with the focus on tumbling and integrating her gymnastic skills into a competitive team sport. She continued with Flip & Twist All Stars through 8th and 9th grade. In 9th grade she also made the Varsity Cheer team at Oak Ridge High School. Participating in both teams made her freshman year very busy and action-packed, as the Oak Ridge Varsity went on to win first place at the Division One National Championship in Orlando at the beginning of 2020.

Ariana’s personal goal in the sport of competitive cheer is to help lead her Oak Ridge Varsity Cheer team to another national title this coming 2023 winter season. Beyond high school graduation in 2023, Ariana aspires to continue cheering competitively for a college team. She has her sights set primarily on San Diego State University and is avidly seeking their cheer team’s attention. She has toured the school twice and has attended a clinic with the team this past summer. Ariana is determined to study law and business administration in college, wherever she ends up, while participating in cheer.

The biggest challenge for Ariana in competitive cheer is the rigorous schedule. She attends practice five to six days a week for three to four hours a day. During football season, she cheers at the Oak Ridge games and volunteers for the Junior Trojan program. Once the competitive season starts, she and her team get more time to focus on the technical aspect of their sport, perfecting complex stunts and getting their routine on point. Ariana finds managing this challenge a part of her daily routine at this point. After so many years of actively cheering, she still loves the sport and gives her all each and every practice.

Ariana says the best advice she’s ever received is to always give 100% and do your absolute best. In following this advice, Ariana always leaves everything on the floor. Win or lose, she has no regrets after a competition. Ariana recognizes the hard work of her teammates and knows she owes them her best as well.

The aspect of competitive cheer that Ariana loves the most is the camaraderie and friendships that have grown while being on a team. Every aspect of the girls’ performance directly affects the girl next to them. Additionally, Ariana admires the relationships she has developed with coaches, the experience of performing in front of large crowds, being a part of the Trojan Football games, and winning.

Ariana’s pregame routine over the years consists of listening to hype music, drinking Red Bull, and goofing around with teammates to lighten the tension. On a side note, Ariana has refused to wear new cheer sneakers since winning Nationals in 2020. To this day she wears her tattered, barely existent shoes that she believes brought her luck years ago. At this point they are more tape than original shoe!

Outside of cheer, Ariana enjoys hanging out with friends. Dutch Bros runs on a daily basis are a must. When there’s time, she is eager for a scenic getaway, either snowboarding at Lake Tahoe or swimming off a beautiful beach along the coast. Ariana also shares a love of “Jeeping” with her Dad. She has her own Rock Crawling Jeep Wrangler, with which she is proficient at maneuvering through trails like the iconic Rubicon Trail.

Being a member of a team for many years has taught Ariana the importance of giving her all to her sport, being dependable, and trusting in others to do the same. Ariana understands the importance of encouraging those around her and respecting others, as well as the benefit of constructive interaction.

Ariana makes mistakes from time to time, and being on a team has taught her the significance of recovering from them quickly. The worst thing to do when a mistake is made is to dwell on it in the moment. Pushing forward with the routine is the best action, and it drives her to do even better to compensate. Afterwards she and her teammates can reflect on the mistake and discuss how to avoid it in the future. Ariana suffered a dropped stunt during a competition in freshman year on Varsity. She felt the pain of letting her team coaches down in that moment and has worked to never feel that again. She has made it her personal goal to never drop a stunt in competition ever again.

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