Linn-Mar Grad’s National Championship Routine Goes Viral [WATCH]
How much can you accomplish in one day? A lot if you're Mekenzie Grabau, a Linn-Mar graduate and member of the cheerleading squad at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Grabau was part of two national championships Saturday, including a partner routine that has gone viral.
Saturday, April 6, Grabau and her Weber State University Spirit Squad teammates won their third straight national championship in the National Cheerleader's Association team competition in Daytona Beach, Florida. The day would get even better for Mekenzie and her unlikely stunt partner Kollin Cockrell.
Cockrell's path to cheerleading is a unique one. He spent a decade in training with a goal of being part of the 2016 U.S. Olympic weightlifting team, but a back injury made that goal impossible. A Weber State cheerleader saw him working out at an open gym and told him he should try out for cheerleading. He did and ended up with a scholarship to Weber State. Fast forward to this very difficult, championship-winning routine from last Saturday:
Grabau says the routine is the most difficult one she's ever been a part of. She told Fox 13,
It was something we wanted to do. We wanted to do it well and make sure we could hit it when we went to do it.
They nailed it alright and this wasn't the first time. They also took home the national championship from the Universal Cheerleading Association this past winter.
This spring, Kollin and Mekenzie will take part in the world championships and then it's off to Mexico where they'll help train cheerleaders. Those students will have something great to aspire to.