Brave 8-Year-Old Cheerleader Competes Solo When Her Team Doesn’t Show Up, Wins First Place

Courtesy of Nichole Thorsby

An 8-year-old cheerleader made a brave decision when her team didn’t show up for a competition, surprising herself and her coaches by performing alone and earning first place.

Peyton Thorsby of Pasco County, Florida, was the only member of her cheerleading team, the Ktech Krakens, to show up for their 6 a.m. call at the Showcase of Championships cheer competition at Florida State Fairgrounds in December 2022. Peyton’s coaches were given the opportunity to forfeit, but the 8-year-old surely had other ideas.

Courtesy of Nichole Thorsby

“I was scared about everything, and I was very nervous,” Peyton told Fox 13. “I didn’t really want my team to be disappointed of me for not going out there and not showing up for them, and so I made my decision. I wanted to go out there, and I wanted to make my family proud and all my friends proud.”

Peyton’s mom, Nichole, said that nobody had shown up for various reasons.

Courtesy of Nichole Thorsby

With hours of practice under her belt, Peyton took to the floor and performed her team’s cheer routine by herself in front of a crowd of hundreds, including two other competing teams. Her brave and flawless performance won over the judges, who awarded her first place.

Proud of her feat, her team wrote on Facebook: “Our athletes keep making waves !!! And people are starting to notice!!”

Courtesy of Nichole Thorsby

Photos show a grinning Peyton with her humungous trophy. Nobody was more shocked and delighted by her solo win than the 8-year-old herself.

Peyton said: “I didn’t really know I could go out and do it by myself. ... Jesus tells me to be brave, so I just went out there and was brave, and got the trophy.”

Needless to say, her mother and coaches were also really proud and happy for her.

“Me and her coaches were just crying our eyes out. I just couldn’t believe it, but just to see her out there on her own. She’s amazing,” Nichole said.

Courtesy of Nichole Thorsby

Watch the video:

(Courtesy of Nichole Thorsby)

Editorial note: The above video is muted because it may contain music that belongs to someone else.

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