PCHS grad takes to air for cheer’s ‘Super Bowl’
By Nila Harris
RICHMOND — India Trimble began cheering with the Pendleton County Recreation League competitive team when she was 5 years old. Now, as a junior at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Trimble is getting ready to head to Orlando, Florida, for the UCA College Cheerleading National Championship this weekend.
The 2023 Pendleton County High School graduate began cheering competitively at age 5, then cheered for Sprint Athletics All-Star Team in Florence for four years.
Then, Trimble took some time off to race motocross for several years. During this period, her mother Holly Trimble, homeschooled her.
When she was a freshman, India decided she wanted to cheer again and went back to the public school to cheer on PCHS’s squad. Following high school graduation, Trimble attended and cheered for Missouri Valley College for two years before coming back to a division 1 college closer to home.
Last spring, Trimble tried out for and made EKU’s squad as a flyer.
Trimble has been competing at Universal Cheerleaders Association Nationals since she was a freshman in high school but said, “There’s something about college nationals that just makes it a whole new level. We get to compete at ESPN World Wide of Sports, and it’s the biggest stage of cheerleading.
“It’s my personal Super Bowl.”
Cheering takes its toll on the athlete’s body, as Trimble attest to.
“I’ve sacrificed many hours to the sport, torn an ab, have had ribs pop out of place, a concussion, and have cried many tears, but at the end of the day, cheerleading has brought me some of the most joy in my life,” she said.
“I thank God every day for the ability to move and push my body to its absolute limits and bringing me to this sport.”
After nationals Jan. 16 to 18, Trimble will start doing stunt clinics, recruiting young athletes, working with other colleges, advancing her skills, and continuing to train. Even during summer break, Trimble will have daily check-ins, training videos and skill checks.
She also works for UCA, traveling to different middle and high schools teaching training routines, and working competitions. Just this past weekend, she participated in a showcase at Morehead State University, collaborating with Morehead and the University of Kentucky.
Upon graduation, Trimble plans to become a neonatal nurse and work in the NICU at a hospital.
“It’s been a dream of mine since high school. Science in general has always been an interest of mine, but infant anatomy has been a huge interest of mine since I took anatomy my freshman year of college.”
India is the daughter of Holly and Dave Trimble of Falmouth.