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Zoë Pike will not have to head far to get an opportunity to cheer in college. The Lafayette Christian senior announced at her singing ceremony on Monday that she will be heading to Point University and joining the cheer program.

“I was actually already planning to go to Point, but I talked with the cheer coach at the time and she said she wanted me on the team,” Pike said. “She left and they are looking for a new coach, but they assured me they still wanted me to be a part of the team.”

Before taking up the sky blue of Point, she had been donning the baby blue and black cheerleading uniform of the Cougars since she was in the third grade. She has outgrown a few cheerleading uniforms over the years, but always felt at home with the Cougar cheer squad.

“After this season ended it hit pretty hard that my cheerleading days might be over,” Pike said. “This wasn’t something I expected, but I’m happy to keep cheering.”

Pike will not have to travel far for her new academic and cheer home. Pike always envisioned going to school within an hour’s drive of home and refused to settle. Eventually, Point called her name and it began to feel like a place she could grow and learn at.

For Pike, it was all about academics and atmosphere when looking for a college with cheer occupying a spot in the back of her mind. Despite not wanting to give up cheer, Pike was content to let it go if need be. Fortunately, she found a spot that A) gave her the small tight-knit feeling she was accustomed to at Lafayette Christian and B) wanted her as a member of the cheer team.

“I feel like I will be able to fit in easily over there,” Pike said. “It has the same sort of tight-knit community that we have here at Lafayette Christian.”

One person who has seen Pike blossom as a cheerleader and as a young adult is Lafayette Christian cheer coach Emily Matheny, who coached her all four years at the high school level.

“It has been a blessing to coach her,” said Matheny. “To see her now at this level is such a blessing.”

It was a special moment for both coach and student-athlete as it was Matheny’s first cheerleader that signed to the next level.

While it’s easy to put athletes in a box and categorize them by the sport they play, Pike has meant so much more to the Lafayette Christian community than just a cheerleader (and soccer player). She is also a student-teacher for an elementary school class as well as the Discovery Cottage and her many students joined her on Monday for Pike’s special day, swarming her with hugs and well wishes.

Despite her time as a student at Lafayette Christian coming to an end, she might just find herself back in the hallways leading a class of students in the not so distant future.