Four-year senior, competition captain, and cheerful teammate, Iha Shah leaves everyone admiring her outstanding contributions to the Westmont Cheer team. Iha continually brings positivity and energy to both practices and competitions, no matter the circumstances. Thankful for her dedication and enthusiasm, the team cherishes their last season with Iha.
What do you like about your sport?
Cheer takes up a lot of time and it’s a year-round sport, so you end up spending a lot of time with the same people and get to know them very well. I love that I was able to make so many meaningful friendships through cheer. I also learned how to be disciplined pushing through injuries and sickness. I also love stunting.
What awards have you won?
“Pin it Forward” two times, “Most Spirited” three years in a row, Norcal State Champs, Stunt CCS Champs
What moment are you proud of?
I felt so proud when we the Norcal State Champs, it had been a tough season and that was our best performance. It felt like we earned it. Everyone was so happy after and it was such a win for the team.
What are your goals for your sport?
I want to reach the semifinals at nationals for competition, and states for stunt this year. I feel like that would be the perfect way to leave senior year. I also want to win the Norcal State Championship again.
What’s your favorite memory from your sport?
One of my favorite memories is from my sophomore year. I was with my friends Elle Seguin and Kendall Albrecht after competing at nationals, and we spent the whole day at Disneyland riding every ride. Another one of my favorite memories was when we didn’t have school because of the power outages but we still had practice. We went to practice in the dark, and the fire alarm went off. We kept practicing for 30 minutes with the alarm blaring. After that chaotic practice, we all went to BJ’s.
Do you have a routine before any competition?
I always knock on wood just in case there were any jinxes, and then I and Kendall have this handshake we do when we hit the mat.
What will you miss most?
I am going to miss seeing my friends almost every day and stunting. I am also going to miss the feeling of winning a competition, a football game with McDonald’s after, and early Starbucks after 6 AM practice. And lastly, I am going to miss traveling with the team.